Goodbye my Hero.
Goodbye my Mentor.
Rest in the Peace of Your Maker, my Benefactor.
Adieu, Gentle Soul.
Adieu, Great Soul.
Adieu Great One.
At Achi High School, Achi, in the 1970s you saw in all of us from Amokwe tomorrow. You welcomed us into your house at the Teacher's Quarters.
Periodically, you will call us together to counsel us to be of the best behavior and study hard.
You allowed us keep our boxes with colored wears in your house so that they would not seized during monthly inspections on compliance to school regulations.
Your wife, our Mother, Mama Njideka, made sure we come in from the boarding house every Sunday to eat rice and stew with big meat. At every Christian feast, she invites us to feast with her children. My first meal on a dining table was at your house. She took us as her children. She made us feel home safe. Because of her, we did not miss Amokwe so much. We were proud we have a big Uncle and Aunty which other students do not have.
Pa ABC made us feel great and proud of ourselves at Achi High.
He made Bert Emeka Nebo the House Prefect of the Extension House, my House Prefect and myself, the School Librarian. That honour made me the smallest Prefect in the school.
He exposed me to the joy and power of English Literature which I went on to make A1 in WASC exams. He taught me how to spell the word "achieve" correctly .
Stephen Eke, aka Aki N'Ukwa from Mbieri, Imo State, whom you also opened his eyes to the sweet joy and power of English Literature, asks of you every time we have the opportunity of communicating. To date, we still recite scenes from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, a Romantic Comedy.
You made me a God father to one of your sons at a time I felt I was a nobody. This is because you saw in me then what I did not see in myself.
Pa ABC, you left in all of us your God given gift of humility, care, service and leadership.
You're Great.
You're Father to all of us that you shepherded through Achi High School, Achi.
You will forever live in my heart and in our hearts.
Goodbye Great One.
Chucks Uzor