Ben: A Tribute to My Mentor, Brother and Friend
“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.”
― Shannon Alder
You looked Death in the eyes and spoke truth to him and glided into the bright light. It is not an end, but new beginnings and for me, it would never be the same again without your guidance. I never knew anyone who had such a total depth of thought like you did, an attribute that deeply impressed me from that first day we had met in 2004 and you taught me by example that how we live influences how we die. So true! You lived a life of courage, deep reflection and frankness ‘speaking truth to power’, as you were wont to say.
When on the 30th December 2019, I heard that you had passed on barely a day earlier, it was the first day I had found myself soliloquizing about the essence of life and how transient it seems for the realization had dawned on me that I lost one of the most important persons in my professional and personal spheres of my life… gone forever. I recalled that we had chatted on WhatsApp on the 22nd of December about whether you could make the harvest and thanksgiving event in my village which I had invited you. You had responded that you were in the US, so could not make it and wished us well. It is almost unbelievable that a week cut us off.
It was like yesterday 16 years ago when we had met for the first time at Garki NPHCDA’s office and you had said in that your calm tone of voice as I had made to pass you, “You must be Ohanyido. .. Did you not work with the Senate Committee on Health?”. I did not know who you were then, but you had a sartorial elegance that I could not miss and you were also one of the few people that called me with my surname till your death. Before I could answer in the affirmative, you must have sensed that you were right and simply added, “My name is Ben Anyene. Young man, come here we need to talk”. It was the command of a general, I thought and I instinctively knew that it was a conversation that I could not avoid. It was a conversation that grew and took life in the sixteen years that I had known you. It was the heady days of health sector reforms, the birthing of Health Reform Foundation (HERFON) and primary health care reengineering. I had spent two hours listening to you and occasionally asking questions. You had in your usual simplicity and frankness, sold to me the vision that a better health system was possible in Nigeria, if only we could do the right things. You also got me involved in the National Health Act when it was a Bill that was several times almost a stillborn which we had battled until it was birthed in 2014. The watershed was in December 2012 when we had a major consultation now referred to as the Obudu Retreat which you chaired, this was subsequent on the blow of no assent by President Jonathan in 2011. You never ever lost hope!
I must confess that before I had met you, I had found myself at the global health crossroad where I needed to pick my fight. I had been eyeing epidemiology, but I suspect that I had unconsciously started looking at health system strengthening domain differently as a possible destination for me that I could explore. Such was the power of persuasion and conviction that you had. Although we were originally brought together by fate, I was able to learn from your health system viewpoints and your wealth of knowledge which gave me a fundamental base for appreciating Nigeria’s health system. I was privileged and honoured to have known a great colossus like you who belong in a special category of your own as an exceptional inspiration to so many people. It is a great lesson for me to endeavour to become the best of myself in all ways.
You had great humour. I still recall that every time I worked on an international job and we had the opportunity to speak on phone, you would simply ask, “Ohanyido, I hope you have not abandoned our health system? You know it needs all the good hands to get it on track.” On one particular occasion after a stint with the World Health Organisation at the Congo regional office for Africa, I had returned to Nigeria and you had these piles of policy-related work waiting for me at your HERFON office. “You need to get busy here. We don’t want you running off again to fix other countries”, you had quipped with a straight face. I loved your unique sense of humour.
You were tough but at the same time, kind and encouraging, but I was devastated when your younger brother Onyeka and his family died in that ill-fated Dana air crash in June, 2012. That was when I finally saw the vulnerable side of your amazing personality. Many of us in the coalition were happy to see you push back the heartbreaking event to continue exhibiting that quintessential tenacity of yours that helped hold the coalition together till the National Health Act became a reality in 2014. We all shared in your painful loss and also celebrated the triumph of the passage of the Act two years later. These events further deepened my understanding of your closeness to God…
I am saddened that I will not be able to shake your hand as I officially step into the role of the Vice-Chair of the White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria, which is one of your big shoes as my immediate predecessor that I will have to step into…I can imagine your voice saying “Ohanyido, face the work and not the shoes” in a typical Ben fashion. Just to also let you know that the Strategic Advisory Board of the West African Academy of Public Health (WAAPH) which you are a member and Fellow of the Academy will miss you greatly for your guidance and quiet wisdom.
Rest in Peace Sir, I promise to keep on fighting the good fight for a better health system and the sustainable development goals. I am eternally grateful to God and you Dr Benjamin CN Anyene for having allowed me to be part of your wonderful life.
Ohanyido
(Dr Francis Ohanyido, President, West African Academy of Public Health)
