Hello Dad,
It's been exactly 170 days since you left to be with your maker. I've been counting each and every day since. I don't know now, why I still do! But I started counting, hoping that somehow, the pain would ease away as the days go by. But Dad, it still hurts like day one. My heart is still as heavy. I'm plunged into a maelstrom of indescribable pain that has not left me for these 170 days, not even for a split second! I don't imagine that this pain will ever go away completely. Do you? Dad?
Dad, you left suddenly and unexpectedly. I didn't even have the chance to give you a kiss and say goodbye. It breaks my heart not to hear you call me 'Agunwanyi' or 'Miracle'. The hollow feeling in my stomach is constant. The sadness is profound. I will give the world to hear your voice again. I wish my phone would ring and it would be you at the other end! How, in an instant, my life changed completely from how I knew it.
I see you in my dreams on a regular and the feeling is extremely beautiful. It feels so real and then......, I wake up to my reality. Dad, I was looking for the foggiest sign around me, just to reassure me that you're fine and then, behold, you came to me in the dream and told me you are perfectly fine.
"Look at me now". You said, swinging wide your arms to the side in gesture. The agbada you wore was pristine, sharp, just exactly like you wore them. The glow on your face and that distinct smile proved and settled it for me. You are right there with God in Heaven and I bet if you were given a chance to come back, you go jump am pass. You will say village people have come again. No wahala, Paale, Enjoy! You deserve God's best. You were a worthy Ambassador for Christ. Ò Chi gi nyelu gi. Enjoy!
Some people say it's not a good thing to relate with loved ones who have crossed over, like I do with you in my dreams, dem dey craze! Ndi Assistant Jesus! What I haven't told them yet is that you are more alive to me than they are, so dem go shift! Na today? Dey don't know, dey don't know, mu na gi so......
You were ever so proud of me. You said that I remind you of your young self; kind, strong, resilient, family oriented. I don't know Dad, if there's any mortal here on earth who can fill the shoes you left behind, let alone I! You were indeed a rare gem.
Dad! Haba, you saw the funeral na! You were there on the 8th & 9th April? Abi, were you looking down from heaven? Knowing you Dad, I bet you were right there, gidigba, next to us, watching over us, protecting us and being so proud of us. I bet you were showing us off to the other angels, like you always did here, telling anyone who cared to listen, about our achievements. No be you again? The ever so proud father! Dad, I'm sure you were smiling all the way. You would be ecstatic seeing how grand your funeral was. Òfala k'anyi gbalu gi, Osuofia Amawbia, odogwu nwoke. The kingmaker! Kalia òzò n'eli! You deserve nothing but the best.
Hearing all the tributes and testimonials from people you helped was amazing. The widows, whose children you ensured had a decent education, your tenants whom you asked to live rent free so they could afford to build their own homes, orphans you supported financially...The stories were countless. WOW! Osuofia, I knew you were a kind and generous man but I didn't know to this extent. Everywhere you went, you just did good, moved on and didn't say a word about them. Just WOW, Dad! Speechless!
All your tenants and neighbours made it all the way from Lagos to Amawbia to pay their respect. Your church members, your inlaws, your friends, ma IGWE Amawbia and his beautiful LOLO, who supported & stood by us throughout, ma APGA chairman, Victor Oye, OZO NKPO, the cow uncle brought for you was enormous, I had never seen a massive monsterous creature like that before!
K'òzi your bosom Nwannaa CHINYELUGO Orji & aunty Pattern, k'òzi OBUOWULU, Uncle John Anara, action man. He was holding our hands all the way. Ma Ezinwanne, Mrs Okey Obi, every time I went to the kitchen, she was right there with the caterers, helping out & supervising, round the clock. Your friend & son, Ven EZIAGHIGHALA, trust him na, the eloquent scribe! He mesmerised us with his eulogy & sermon for you. Dad, you name them, there were there!
Dad, abi na your wonderful Isoko inlaws? The ESIEFIHO family, those ones are a vibe on their own! Haba, they were there throughout the burial journey, from the service of songs in Lagos on 27th March, to Amawbia 8th, 9th & 11th April. They were still there at the Lagos thanksgiving service on the 18th April. They were just following me around upandan, holding my hand, wiping my tears, standing by me like the Rock of Gibraltar! I hail them for you Dad. ISOKO WADOO! Dem too much.
Abi na my ride or die ABK family? Emute, Peyi, Kola, .....those ones na Ekpan fly. They didn't leave my side. They stood by me and walked the walk with me. Na today? My paddies for jungle. My paddies for life. Those guys are irreplaceable. You know how I don't joke with my friends, Dad. Na so dem no joke with me o. Your ABK children represented wella. I love them to bits.
Chai, k'ozi your son in law, Francis Odafe Esiefiho AKA Frank, AKA Othuke of Iyede Ame, AKA my darling husband, AKA Odafe Pumpin, AKA, rich man, AKA my world, AKA honey mu, AKA my backbone, AKA nwokeoma, AKA, di malu obi nwunye ya.
Words are not enough, that man is a son in a million. Despite only losing his own mum barely 10 days, before you passed, he still was there for me round the clock, physically, emotionally, financially, spirituality, na wa. I don't know how he managed it and still managing it all. I am blessed. He's indeed my friend. He's indeed, your son. Dad, you told me the other day to look after him and pray for him more. I WILL. He's my ever sure and dependable ROCK. God has not even started with him yet. He will fly on God's wings. God will mesmerise and embarass him with immeasurable blessings. Make una ready o. On your marks......♀️♀️ una never see anything sef. Thank you dim òma.
WOW! People pòjù. Only you could have pulled that many people, inspite of the covid situation.
Come and see as ego sì wèè n'ali ibe ya enu! It was raining money. Efi na ali ibe ya enu! Haba! Dad! I'm sure you were there saying 'nwayò nù, ozugo nu'. 'Mr I'm too humble'. But we no gree ra. Ndi agaba k'anyi bu. We no just gree at all o.
If not for the restriction on the number of days allowed for burials now at home, we would have carried on with the 'Òfala' every single day and out done your record of burying your father, Papa Osuofia for 30 solid days. So, you win us for that one, Dad. Tulu ugo for that one!
That Òzo title you were planning to take later this year, we had the party for you, there. If it is at all possible to give you that title now, we go gladly run am. In fact, I will make my enquiries, watch this space!
There were lots for all to eat and drink, just like you would have done it yourself, the Master Planner you were; only difference was that you planned & executed effortlessly, but for us, we sweated a bit o, (ok, maybe not just a bit), e no easy chachakwa! You were just one unique being. But las las, Dad, trust us na, umu Osuofia, we no look back at all. It was a carnival. Nothing but the best for you, Osuofia, Nze UGOCHITUBELU!
DAD, shey you saw the frenemies, who were watching and waiting....., for what exactly? I no know for dem! But God pass man. God fall their hand troway. E CHOKE DEM! I say to them ALL, 'GET WELL SOON'. E choke!
God was with us all the way. Forget that we had armed security visibility round the clock, our safety was just in God's hands. I cannot take that for granted. Everyone who was there for your funeral, arrived back at their various destinations safely, not one news to the contrary. I cannot take that for granted.
Going forward, I have my head held up high, knowing whose daughter I am. Knowing I did my utmost best to give you a burial benefiting for a king that you were. Life has been on hold since your passing. It's like a switch was turned off since you left. Guess what, Dad? I have now decided to take heed from the conversations you and I have in my dreams lately and to 'live' again, with your help and God's grace. You are now, not only my father, you are also my guardian angel and you are closer to me now than before as I carry you in my heart for as long as I live. I know you want me to live life to the fullest, just like you did. Your legacies will live on forever. You live on in me.
So, Dad, I'll get up now, dress up, pancake my face, come enter road, like the Agunwanyi that I am. Let me come and go and book a table at your favourite restaurant, JRC. I will try those mushrooms you loved that I detest, yuk! Wish me luck, Dad. And I will have a glass or maybe two or even more for you jare, *wink *wink!
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, Great man! Dad, The Man, The Myth and The Legend. The estimable Engr (Dr) Christian Ifeanyichukwu Onwuatu. Osuofia 1 na Amawbia.
Continue to rest in the Lord till I see you again.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY IN HEAVEN, Dad.
Yours,
Agunwanyi (The Lioness)
