Writing this piece was a bit uncomfortable and very difficult for me. Not because I didn’t know how to go about it, but because I wasn’t sure if anybody else shared the same feeling with me. I had to wait a few days after Valentine’s Day to clear my head and articulate my thoughts properly. I don’t want to come across as insensitive.
I am certain that February 14, 2013 will not be easily forgotten by me, and a couple of families who lost loved ones on that day – that some have dubbed as The Black Valentine. While it seemed the case of the famous South African paralympian, Oscar Pistorius, who fatally shot his girlfriend happened faraway on the wee side of Africa, the sudden and untimely death of Goldie was a heavy blow that was delivered at home.
Although many people earnestly hoped that it was all but a rumor, and expected that by morning it would all have died down. But that was not to be; because truly Goldie was no more. The social media and Nigerian blogs (in their usually copy-and-paste tradition) went agog with different accounts of her death, each one claiming exclusive. Some even took it a step further and disclosed a cause of death, when no official autopsy had been carried out. Amidst all these, a few overly concerned tweeps still found time out to attack popular blogger, Linda Ikeji, and close friend of the deceased, Derenle, on the way and manner that her death was made public.
All of these sort of got me angry (not the rage-type of anger but the sober-reflective one). Just like CD John, Da Grin, Ahmed Alasari, and Bisi Komolafe, another young talent has been snatched away from us, and I wondered why death refuses to operate a strict FIFO (First-in-First-out) policy. I didn’t know Goldie personally, but after her emotional spell at BBA, I took interest in her and her musical career. Before settling down to write this piece, I tried to remember exactly when I first heard about Goldie. I vaguely recollect a club scene from a particular music video, where she was dressed in shimmering gold tube. Then I remembered this other video she did with Rhymzo. Even though I failed to pinpoint when she really burst into limelight you will agree with me that she had always been around one way or the other. A lot of people that knew Goldie described her as a spirited hardworker. An ambitious young woman who lived her life on her own terms, not minding what the media or anybody else thought. She had a lot of projects lined up in the coming months (a reality TV show, her next album amongst others), and this was one of the reasons her death was more painful.
Then the shocked came the following day. A certain Andrew Harvey surfaced with wedding pictures and personal photograph of late Goldie, as he claimed Goldie – until the time of her death – was his wife. Since she was still Goldie “Harvey”, then she was married to him; apparently she was married through her participation in Big Brother Africa, and apparently she had been married all along (though Andrew in his interview with TheNETng, didn’t say how long). There and then I got confused, just the same way I believed a certain Prezzo would have gotten confused. Was it all a lie or was it just a well kept secret? I felt disappointed. I was disappointed because I felt Nigerians had been deceived (keeping your marriage secret takes a level of subtle deceit)by one of their own. While I am yet to fully understand the secrecy around the marriage (because we hear and see a lot of celeb get married everyday), I will assume Goldie and her husband did what they felt was best for them. But to what purpose, I do not know. The curious cat in me cannot help but wonder; did her management, Kennis Music, know about her marriage? Did her personal buddie, Derenle know about Andrew? And ultimately, did we (Nigerians) ever know the real Goldie?
I offer my sincere condolence to Andrew Harvey, and Goldie’s family (though I observed that her family have been rather quiet). May the good Lord grant her soul eternal rest.
Ayomidotun Freeborn (www.1pageweekly.com). @IamAyomiDotun
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