My lovely Dad! It pains me to do this but I have to. My dad of inestimable value! Anybody can be called a father but it takes someone so special indeed, so special to be called a Dad If I say I miss you will be an understatement. It is very difficult to believe that you are no more.
Dad…was a man of enviable character. He was a distinguished dad among daddies, a man of many nations and a man of trans-generational legacies. He was very industrious and generous with the proceeds of his hard work. Daddy Uche was a highly principled, disciplined and educationally minded man. He had a perfect spirit ever known and seen. In real sense, he was organized in everything he did. He harboured the homeless, the fatherless and fed the hungry with good things and lifted up the down-trodden. He gave hope to the hopeless and encouraged many who were discouraged.
He was a God fearing and peaceful man. He was humble and meek; he was patient and kind; he was very energetic, hopeful and transparent; he was full of wisdom, knowledge and understanding; he was good and a nice man to the call; he was a faithful steward and an encyclopedia of virtues. In fact,he was a BUILDER!
I could still see the rays of sincerity and genuine love beaming vigorously and glamorously from his eyes. These made him unique in his life time. He loved me unconditionally. He saw in me what others could not see – a great and blazing STAR, and that is what I am now!
Daddy Uche was a greatly dedicated man of God, who could not compromise his faith in Christ Jesus even in the apparent and numerous challenges that came his way when he was alive; in the turbulent times he went through – the death of their only son at age 10, his job that was somehow challenged, yet in all these tough times, his faith in God was unruffled, undaunted and in fact unperturbed!
Daddy Uche was a very magnanimous, caring and kind person. He would take care of people in and outside his home as if they were his own biological family. I am indeed a beneficiary of his love and care. He never could taunt me anytime I visited, moreso as I could not in any day participate in any of the domestic chores. But he lived and treated me with the best of all understanding. He never could leave me empty anytime I visited and about to go back home to Benin. Not only would he counsel and pray for me, but would give me a clean envelope of huge amount of money for transportation and to have a nice treat on the way. He never could mind that I am a Federal Government staff in a good establishment. Yet he would treat me as a daughter all the time.
In fact, there are no words to describe daddy. Is it in the way he would give home to the homeless children from all over the nation? He would feel at home with these sons from all over the world, nurture them, train and educate them as if they were his biological children. In daddy’slife and home, there is nothing like hunger, lack of care, selfishness and wickedness. As a matter of fact, every Dick and Harry had it cool in his house, and he could not frown or complain any day. Of a truth he was nothing, but a giver and a caretaker! Daddy gave comfort to everyone that came his way.
Daddy could not tolerate sin and dirtiness all through his life time. Every thing about him was sacred, peace and holiness. In daddy’s home, one would feel the presence of the gentle Spirit of God permeating his environ. Dad could not accommodate any form of noise in the manner of the Holy Spirit. In daddy’s home you would feel the comfort of Heaven alive on Earth. Everything around him was perfection, calmness, uprightness, sincerity and unconditional love.
If daddy could be described in one word, that word would be INTEGRITY. Daddy was a man of few words and same time a man of his words- a man of truth, and nothing else.
There are actually no enough words to qualifymy late dad (my precious and sweetest dad who ever lived). You came into my life to fill the vacuum left in the death of my biological dad, also precious like you.
Now again a fresh wound has been left in my heart. Thus I will forever miss you. There are actually no words to describe and qualify you, other than a MAN OF TRUTHFULNESS, HOLINESS, CLEANINESS, INTEGRITY OF PURPOSE, A MAN OF GREAT COURAGE, A MAN OF PEACE AND ABSOLUTE JUSTICE. You were nothing but an emblem of love and peace.
You may not have given birth to me biologically, but yet you nurtured me as if you were truly my biological dad. You never left me empty of words of advice and care. You treated me in the manner of my own Dad, a sweet pet. You were concerned about my well being. And above all, you prayed for me all the time, a care that was empty or lacking in my dad. Thus, you are not just a Dad, but the best I have ever seen and known.
Will it really be possible Dad, to forget you anyday? Each time, I recall vividly all you would tell me in love and faith, prayer and counsel. In you we saw a father’s divine love and all these were without any taunt. You passionately affected the lives of so many people you came across. Daddy’s faith in Christ played a positive role in his relationship with people. From him we experienced a truly selfless labour of love and care which you showered not only your biological family, butfor a majority of us whom you adopted. You knew how to show hospitality even to strangers, offered drink to the thirsty, clothed those who were naked, prayed not only for your childrenbut other people’s children. You were indeed a blessing to all and sundry, whom I will forever remember. I am quite sure that the host of Heaven have ushered you HOME, to a glorious rest in PEACE.
It is always sad but comforting to silently recall your gentle and dear familiar face, so loved by one and all. Though I could not see you at all before your demise, but the precious memories of you will never fade away. Your good works will never be forgotten by all. And there’s hope that this message which carries so much love will somehow find its way to you in Heaven up above. It’s to let you know, dearest Dad, that although you are at rest, you will live forever in the heart of those who loved you best.
Dearest Dad, the loneliness your death left in me is so painful. It breaks my heart to see,think that you are gone and no longer with us. But I know you will be happy now up there in Heaven where the Angels sing and a place where you are free to go and spread your wings, and you will never be forgotten. Every day I think of you, you weremy thoughts ofyesterday and you will be in tomorrow too. Until the day we meet again, I will miss you every day. Keep shining brightly in Heaven so you can light my way as ever. Here is a poem dedicated to you, meanwhile:
To my precious Dad
A Dad of love
A Dad with a heart of gold
A Dad who gave light to the people he came across
A Dad so brave and courageous
A Dad who stood his ground for Christ against all odds
Hopeful and thoughtful
And ever so bold
With a depth of kindness
That is beyond words
A perfect MODEL, so believed!
Often, when I count sweet memories of my sweet Dad
I find myself lost in awe and honour
Of a Dad so precious to me!
Your death was shocking, mum tried to keep the painful news of your demise from me, didn’t know how I would react emotionally for the deep love I have for you. For days I lost my consciousness, unable to sleep, with no single appetite for food. It was indeed so difficult to believe that my dad so precious to me was actually no more.
No amount of eulogies will be sufficient to drive home the characters and lives of Daddy Uche. He was an embodiment of true blessing in his lifetime. You were a cornerstone and strength to us all. Still, we can’t believe our lovely Dad was taken away from us. We will forever miss our dear Dad, but your spirit and strength live on in each of us and in the lives that you touched by the love, strength, conviction, wisdom and beauty of your soul.
Dad, you truly were a special man! You may have passed on, but your memories would always live on within us. Thank you for your sacrifices, your care and concern, your love and everything that you have done for me. I know you are in a much better place. I will be forever grateful and thankful that you played a Daddy’s role in my life.
Certainly, you will remain great by what you have done; by the lives you touched and so
One can indeed call you a great man
If only for the beautiful house you live in.
As a sound barrister of such a noble and distinguished profession
Of such a great repute,
You can be called an achiever
An act of providence
As a man who did the impossible
A real Godsent
A colossus
Bestriding the evil world of sin and wickedness
You are indeed a colossus
To me and to every world
As your greatest success lies in the people
You have empowered to become achievers
Like yourself.
Thank you for being there
When we needed you the most.
You are indeed not just a man
But the best I ever had
Oh! how it gladdens my heart
To think of a man like you
Oh! how I shudder to think
What life would have become of me
What seed life would have crushed again
Waste so soon
With so show of mercy
But the seed was saved
All for the hope you sent into my life.
You are not just a man
But the best I ever had
In me you completely gingered
A new look of life.
Me, you made realize
How much I can still do
Achieve,
In this stream men call life
In me you completely gave
The amazing hope, zeal, the determination
A new surge of strength
A new dawn of life,
A new vision
To turn the burning grief
Into ceaseless opportunity.
Just in the fleeting moment
The golden opportunity was seized.
As a magnet were embracing its elements
So the new strength was seized
All for the bright hope
You sent into my life
As an act of providence
At a time companions were shy
Acquaintances seems cold
Atthe darkest moment of my life
When a need was felt most
And as a babe would soberly needs its mother’s milk
So I sought for a new hope,
A new spirit,
A new dream,
A new surge of strength
Just in your soothing palm,
Gentler and softer than
The cool breeze of the gentle rain.
And in the very nick of time
Hope springs eternal in the human heart.
That now I have once again settled to
Eat of the innocent and free.
So,
You are not just a Dad,
But the best I ever had!
Freda Benin City.