To my wonderful And Dearest Cousin Emeka,
To find an old picture of you is certainly like coming across a treasured chest in a wonderful rocky mountain enclave. I can’t remember how old you were in my minds eye but then i’m guessing you were in your teens, with Uzo and my brother if i recollect correctly. You certainly have grown since your teen days into a renowned entrepreneur and mogul you could say in your own rights. You portray the image of dedication, perseverance, forward thinking, ambassador, connoisseur of great business ventures, never afraid to take the risk as you could always by unshakable faith see the end from the beginning. Even when the cards were stacked heavily against you, through a heart felt determination and drive you never gave into negativity or to any whispers of your foes or friends alike saying you cannot make it; you kept your head down and dug into the trenches and laid your fort against the barrage of setback missiles launched at you from the challenges that stemmed from the oppositions of life.
My eyes started to almost tear and my heart warmed within myself when I thought of you. How I wish I could bring to life the picture now, and bring to play even now the scripture of Psalm 133 vs 1 : "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes".
You never chose to break ties with family members, and you were always on the forefront of reaching out and providing all the necessary assistance needed, never to be labelled a foresaker, far be it from you as you certainly never abandoned me in the hustle and bustle airport of Nigeria, but always ensured that you provided adequate support and homely accomodation; ensuring my health and safety was always at the forefront of your mind.
That picture that i pulled from my memory banks of a slightly squint cute eyed fellow an Okocha family trademark squint, which i must say runs in the family. How i used to love spending time together, which for the most time as the saying goes " Silence is Golden", however most certainly a reassuring comfort of being in my older cousins presence. You always seemed to be highly composed even in the midst of a battalion of other honourable men taking everything in your graceful stride and relaxed demeanor un-rattled by the surrounding galactic mind sets and speaking with well timed wisdom a few words of edification and comfort.
You set me up through your introduction to Oke with my first foundational import/export business venture which was the launch pad, which brought me into the grasps of shipment and taught me the ways to manage containers up to 40ft. Furthermore i learnt the intricacies, twists and turns from shipment to end sale and projected profit, though it was not always a fairytale story for me as with first time businesses, but the experience i gathered was certainly unfathomable and forged the building block underpinnings for other translucent business ideas i adopted in the future.
I recollect my last journey to Nigeria though you skipped the long road journey, but having visited the village house you built and your vision of one day settling there was admirable to say the least as it portrayed the image of a man, who deferred his retirement pension to a time where he had prioritised the needs of his children, this i found worthy sacrifices of high praises and adoration, certainly not a squanderer in nature or opting for any form of extravagant living at the expense of your children's need, but providing for them wholeheartedly local and international top class education, furthermore even offering education sponsorship grants to other less privileged children, holding back no necessary expense, a true respecter of the old adage the pen is mightier than the sword.
I recollect the words we exchanged at the village house, where i said to you that it was one of life's greatest achievements to put our blessed lord and saviour Jesus Christ as a cornerstone in CMD and from this ensuring that the most delightful food the word of God can be fed to the youths, adults alike so that heavens doors which can only be narrowly entered is open just a bit more for the lost sinful generation of souls; this caps your legacy four fold in my humble opinion and your treasured reward which will be tried by fire awaits you. I have always also found you to be a great host going tooth and nail to bring the best delicacies to the table and making a sumptuous feast for all.
Your mother was always certainly very dear to my heart as i told you she is our great earthly intercessor, who always treated me as her own son, a beloved mother to me, who always reminded me of a woman strong and well balanced in her approach to life, bringing to my heart echoes of love, which we should all share in unity for one another and foremost for our blessed lord and saviour Jesus Christ, as the bible says in John 13 vs 35 "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another".
Despite all you have faced in life and even now you have held your head up high grasping unto the throne of God in heaven and from where also your redemption draws near even from the cross of calvary through the blood of Jesus perfect healing of our heart, soul, mind, spirit and body so we will be lacking in nothing. Your journey of life has been full of the goodness and a living portion of Jesus for you in the land of the living, a wonderful testimony to all who shall hear even from the lowest to the highest echelons of society that what the doctors declared impossible and ruled out much earlier, the lord Jesus declared possible to his glory and honour in Jesus mighty name. Amen
It is fantastic to hear of all the wonderful achievements made by your daughter from the first class degree which was awarded to the recent completion of her Masters, an arduous challenge by any stretch of the imagination and something i believe will follow suite with the rest of her siblings as sky is the limit. Even a dedicated wife who stuck by you through thick and thin, the combination of both your united efforts bred the children you have today to the glory of God.
I remember you as a very jovial person who could turn almost any outlandish sentence enacted in a gathering into a prose, a tongue that bears no profanity and a person who endorses your words with refined temperament, only putting your foot down whenever required so as to keep the barking dogs and slithering snakes at bay. Your jokes were classic when you were in the mood to unleash them. You were never pretentious, and I admired your strength and beliefs. You always voiced out your thoughts and feelings with short well summed phrases, free of any verbal diarrhoea.
I felt so connected to you and when i left Nigeria even the last time especially when i saw you at my brothers, I missed you tremendously as the visitation was somewhat brief. The only way i could connect with you besides our infrequent calls was to rally i and my family intently seeking our Lord Jesus through intermittent daily fasting and prayer sessions, to come against every force of darkness that has sort to take you down to the pits of Hell, so you are kept in the light and salvation of Christ where you truly belong and i know that the lord Jesus provided perfect healing for by his stripes we are healed. And even the building of your foundation which is in Christ Jesus which is the rock, and surely the gates of Hell shall not prevail.
I was devastated and broken of heart the day you left to Manchester. We hugged each other and i held back my tears at the rim of my inner pupil such that it formed a glaze which dissipated after the wonderful news of the cancer regressing and you surviving the hospital blunder with the adrenaline, as prior to that i knew the spiritual warfare embargo would be intense according to Eph 6 vs 12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places".
Our only communication was by phone for the most time historically, besides when we were privy to meeting in person in the UK/Nigeria on our journeys back and forth through international travel. Whenever you needed to communicate, you would get in touch.
You certainly mastered the art of juggling businesses, multiple projects and still operate at optimum though it was highly pressurising to say the least and i thank God for the grace he awarded you to keep your head up whilst others where losing theirs to the turmoils of life. This exhibits a reflective power house gene pool of your mothers grounding and strength and Gods good gift to you to ensure the arrows of the enemy never succeeded in shifting your balance and approach to life.
I miss you tremendously, my dear cousin. Life is short as we all reflect. I wish you would come back with far more vigour and drive than when we met last but that will happen though it may tarry for a little while yet until our lord's coming.
I am so grateful that some day I will see you again and get to spend eternity with you on that blessed day when the dead in christ will rise first and the living caught up with our wonderful Jesus in glorious apparels, as his glory eminates through the clouds in the air:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
King James Version
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
It’s hard to put into words or formulate an expression how I feel about your passing. Of course the natural emotions of loss and nostalgia are all over me, but there’s something else. A strange sense of frustration, bewilderment as I try to bring to mind your facial expressions, your voice and most of all your personality. We were starkly robbed of all or most of that. I and the family offered prayers for when we heard again, about the plight you faced at the hospital recently, knowing and keeping the faith that our gracious and wonderful lord Jesus was merciful enough to grant you healing once more against this diseased spirit of infirmity, as i know our lord and saviour Jesus did give you a wonderful opportunity in the earlier stages to mend your bridges, say your farewell, set business right and spend quality time with your family against all professed expert medical declarations it would not happen.
I desire greatly for you to know how much your life meant to me. But sadly it cannot be as you are now gone to be with the Lord. We love you dearly my wonderful beloved cousin and you will forever live in our hearts as indeed you were fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you Jesus for such a precious gift to us all.
I would like bring your mind to this scripture:
2 Timothy 4:7-8
King James Version
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Your loving Cousin,
Chuks