"Teach us (O LORD) to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" - Psalm 90:12 (NIV) 

There is an old wise saying that “fathers are ladders.” Why? Because their children (if wise) will learn the lessons about this journey of life from their eyes (their experiences) and seek to live better ones.

Hmmm...Dad. It is well. Dad was many things: an educator and disciplinarian; an orator and a public speaker; a teacher; a music coordinator (we had the Kanu Oji singing group and we ministered in church a few times. We also played some musical instruments and sang at home many times together); a lawyer; an accountant; an author; a businessman; an elder; and many more, but most importantly he was my father, my Dad.

Dad was a brilliant, gifted and sophisticated man. He had class and showed it. He was an excellent student and teacher of Latin. His knowledge of Latin enabled him to easily deduce the meaning of many English words by only reading or hearing them because he knew their Latin roots. Dad was the first dictionary I knew. He was rich in vocabulary, both in repertoire of words and the knowledge of their root words. He was also a very good author and wrote a couple of books and several other writings.

Dad had excellent memory and could recall birthdays of children and grandchildren or events as far back as when he was a young child with the full names of the persons he was with, the exact location where the events took place and dates! He could also easily recall historical accounts he read accurately. If in doubt on a recall of something, ask Dad! He was a gifted man.

Dad was an educator. In my younger years while in primary school, I recall some of my play times being cut-short for homework (sometimes to redo them or because I had not done them); for additional study or just for the plain instruction to go to my room and read! I started reading novels: the Hardy Boys books, Shakespeare novels and several others in junior secondary school, not because I was initially interested in these books but because Dad wanted to hear me tell the stories and so off I went to read. 

Dad had a penchant for knowledge and excellence, especially academic excellence. He would have nothing less of it and demanded it from all his children. He not only demanded it but he contributed and supported that academic development. Till date my best mathematics teacher was Dad. I excelled especially in that subject from primary school, through secondary, through the university and even in the workplace. I became a graduate of electronic engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a chartered accountant in the UK and Canada to the glory of God and thanks to the foundation laid by Dad in my educational development.

Dad was a very disciplined man and worked on a schedule by the clock – waking up, bible study and prayers, eating, etc., everything had its time! I recall when I was younger my friends, who came to the house or who met him at school, thought Dad was a military man because he was very disciplined and was always on time!

Dad kept his faith in the LORD Jesus Christ and though he may not have had the “perfect” life he hoped and worked hard for, as society may unfairly judge, he remained ever grateful for the life he had and lived. He was not a perfect man (no one is) but he was a good man. A good man wishes no ill of others.

I returned from the UK in October 2017 ,after being away for a few years, and spent the days leading to the first week of December completely off work and just with Dad. Talking, laughing, sharing my plans for the coming year, chauffeuring him to some places and just spending time with him. I never knew those will be my last moments in person with him. A friend and a perfect stranger told me at different times  in 2018: “Everything happens for a reason.” It may have seemed to someone else that I made a bad decision to stay off work for those months, but in hindsight it was God graciously giving me my last treasured moments with Dad.

Adieu dear Dad. May I live to become all you and Mum hoped and prayed for in Jesus’ Name, Amen. I thank God for the loads of wisdom I gained as a young man through you. Until we meet again at the LORD Jesus’ feet in times to come, I will keep the memories in my heart forever. I love you Dad.

Your Son, Nwachukwu 

Hello to the Oji Family,

Celebrating Dad

Father’s Day will always be a day to remember for more reasons than I ever imagined now…

The week leading up to Father’s Day, my earthly Dad went to be with The Lord.

There’s so much I fondly remember…

“…A man that feared God, and eschewed evil…and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations…full of days”  Job 1:1; 42:16,17

He imparted a sense of Identity and Heritage:

He saw who we were even as young children and celebrated us: “Baku na itu uri!”

He named our dolls “Odinma”, “Odighi”, etc to teach us Igbo language, (although I failed miserably at that, LOL).

He once drew for me our Aro family tree and ancestral lineage generations back

A fascinating and entertaining Storyteller he was indeed: “Inyi leekwa mbe wo!”, “Sarara mba!”, "Ogbatuwararam!" "Ozumozu!" "Igbegiri!" "Agadaaga!"

A gifted Teacher and Scholar: He could teach me trigonometry or algebra for hours and English grammar lessons on Sundays!

A Brilliant Mind: He modeled, sired and encouraged academic excellence.

A Transformational Leader: I was privileged to contribute to one of his books and co-author another.

Newspapers, magazines record his earthly achievements; Loved ones, memories, scriptures resound his heavenly ones.

A man of order and discipline: He ate, slept, prayed, lived like clock-work.

A man of great humor and generosity.

A man of Faith: He first introduced me to really thinking about what and why I believed and to pursue God.

There was so much we could chat about, that he so often understood and could talk about, laugh about.

We didn’t see eye-to-eye on everything; some things I just didn’t understand or resolve and wish we got to talk through.

I’m grateful for all the Ballerina lessons and being a “Wee Rockette”, Our Dix Hills New York home he named "Udobaku Haven", Chinese Checkers games, Disney World and Weeki Wachee vacations, Nancy Drew books, the Coughing Ash-tray, dancing to the Beatles reel-to-reel, Staying up late to watch the New Year's Eve Times Square ball, the annual Sound of Music and Jesus of Nazareth family movies, attending all my award ceremonies and graduations, and decorating the Christmas tree, and too much more to mention. The memories make me cry all over again!

Never knew my Spring Break visit with him would be my last… I'm so very grateful for all the years of life, love, laughing and learning, and that my last words with him were, “I love you”.

Love always, Dad!

Your daughter, Udobaku