Angel of Harlem (SEPTEMBER 2016, NY)
After dropping off Uchechi at home, we set off for the debate viewing party, which was just a few blocks away. The event was hosted by an organisation called “Harlem Public Square” at a black-owned restaurant named “Angel of Harlem. Uche introduced me to the mostly African-American audience as a Nigerian. He said it in a way that seemed to give off vibes like – He’s the real deal, from the motherland, he’s what you all wish you were.
I surveyed the audience of mostly black folks as Uche navigated his way around the room. I found it quite interesting that he had been able to meet and build a network of people who seemed to know him in just a few years in New York. I found the ease with which people seemed to know or remember him to be admirable. Uche had a network of school friends from his college days and another network of friends in Philly. His network in Lagos was made up of childhood friends and family members whom he had reconnected with.
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His connections were not forced. He just knew how to do it better than most. It was remarkable that he made his connections the hard way – face to face, text messages and WhatsApp. He didn’t have a social media account with which he made friends. Uche was a real Luddite when it came to online communication.
There was a brief introduction by the host, and then the debate watch started. This was the first of the Trump vs Democrat debates that were held, and it was where he laid the foundation for his style of debating, which he continued to use over the next decade.
I have to admit that some folks at the event thought that what he was saying was just entertainment until history proved otherwise. At the end of the debate, we greeted Uche’s friends and made our way home. I thought we were done for the night until Uche suggested another long walk through Harlem. It reminded me of the emergency history walk we had 2 years before in Philly. The difference was that this was more leisurely, and the weather was a lot better. We walked and talked through the night as we connected one Harlem street to another.
It was no surprise when I woke up late the next morning and missed the flight back to Florida.
