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TRIBUTE TO PAPA

February 25, 2016


When I left home on January 2nd 2016 with my family for Jos at the end of the yuletide season, I felt an inexplicable sense of void, unusual on similar previous circumstances. On return to Jos, each time I thought of you, I felt I no longer had you in a mental and psychic embrace; which had always been the case. I then made up my mind to visit home before Easter to spend time with you. That was not to be because first I was informed you had taken ill. My worry heightened when all remedial actions were shackled at every turn.

Then hospitalization.

Then my mental anguish until Prof. Ikeme’s admonition of me that ‘the old generation must pass away’ brought me back to sanity.

Then Tim telling me he didn’t like what he was seeing and took the proactive step of administering ‘extreme unction’ to you.

By 1.45 am on that fateful day, I got a strange call twice, I believe from you apparently to inform me you were exiting this side. As the line of communication had been cut by mother nature making direct verbal communication impossible, silence greeted me each time I picked. As you wanted me to wake up, you chose an indirect approach by waking up TK (whom I learnt later, had developed emotional ties with you while you were in Jos with us). He got somehow frightened and the rapid heart action he felt got him calling me desperately. I sensed that all was not well and called Stan to ask how you were in hospital. He had nothing to report except that the nurses had checked you earlier administered some treatment and that you had gone back to sleep. Thirty minutes later he called me to say that the way he saw you, he believed you had died. At that point I said: YES MY FATHER IS GONE. Gone to the home of peace to be with the Lord but tried to alert me before the move.

Your legacies live on in us; and in your grandchildren who I am told gave you a hearty party over the yuletide season, to cheer you up not knowing it was a farewell party.

Fes, onye gbara first na St Dom, Okoroego Okeam, loving Darling of Venus, Chief Okpe Udo, the curtain has fallen and eclipsed you from this side. Shine on in eternity.

Basil Nwaneri Okeahialam (Opara gi)  

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