Dear Papa,
I’ve finally mustered the courage to compose a tribute to you, to commemorate your eminently untimely passing. The mere idea that you are not with us is still so difficult to grapple with. You fought against your ailment so valiantly, for so long! You bore the mantle like a champ, constantly reassuring us of your wellbeing and assuaging our concerns with your characteristic aura of calm. But when the burden became too heavy, God in His infinite mercy decided it was time to liberate you from your pain. While we are all deeply hurt by your loss, we take some comfort in the knowledge that you are forever free from all suffering.
Since the news, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on the man that you were. Simply put, you were a man driven by a selfless and uncompromising commitment to your family. Right from a tender age when your father moved in with us after your mom’s passing, you instilled in us what it truly meant to support your family. You had two children in boarding school in Jos and Abuja, on the opposite end of the country, yet you were nearly a constant at every visiting day, every airport run, ever-present when we needed you. There are countless other examples but throughout your lifetime, you truly embodied what it means to place everything secondary to your family.
So, as I reflect on your legacy, several of your career and personal achievements come to mind, but perhaps one of your most indelible imprints is the impact you’ve had on your family in making us the best we can be. When I sit here today and think about my achievements and every nuance of my character, I start to recall all the grueling math exercises and essay-writing during holidays, all the chess and table tennis lessons, the summer camps, the guitar lessons, making me listen to jazz, and I realize that every fiber of who I am is a direct result of what you put into my life. I have a father who was relentless in his desire to propel me to the pinnacle of my potential, and to help me realize my dreams. There is simply no way I would be where I am today without you. I get it now, and I can’t wait to have my own children so I can move them up to the next rung.
How does Heaven feel? After all the physical, mental and emotional turmoil you had to endure at the tail end of your momentous lifetime, we are uplifted knowing that you are smiling down on us. We take solace in the fact that you are now reunited with your Maker, Baba, Mama, Daddy and Mummy. You have never been the one for ceremony, but we know that you are in attendance as we celebrate your life today, and you are wearing that radiant smile of yours. We will never stop missing you, but it’s now our turn to assure you that we’ll be strong and continue support each other. We’ll forever hold on to the fond memories and the joy you brought to all our lives, till we meet again.
Love from your dearest son,
Egbadon Udegbe