Bar Ogugua Austin Chioke, Snr:, 1957 - 2018.
Still so sad, so difficult to assimilate this, you can’t imagine my shock! Austin Ogugua Chioke Snr, Gbogboshe, gone so soon?
Now, I can say something, it has sunk in; our dear friend, brother, husband and father is gone to become an “Angel”!!!!
Ogugua worked so hard for his family, I had mentioned his name to friends at Enugu a few hours before the devastating shocker.
He was there for them, I praised him for his devotion to his family, he flew Lagos - Abuja - Lagos always for his 5 brilliant children that all passed through Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja. I can’t estimate the total number years but not 5*6 years as they were in parallel and series, he was so happy and proud of them.
Ike, that photograph reminds me, I think in 1990, if you can ever recall, he brought you to my apartment at Ikoyi to advise and mentor you on your way to Oxford University, UK as I had just returned from Leeds University. He was so proud of his younger brother, 1st Class, Civil Engineering from Unife then.
That was him, always seeking the best for all his children, siblings and friends; that he did by giving his all with strict devotion.
He played the big brother role early.
I can write a book on him, though distance, commitments and struggle for survival seemed to come in.
Ogugua Snr was very kind, passionate, good guy with a very good large heart but sensitive too, who carried himself with panache, sagacity, confidence and always well draped right from his University, Law School, NYSC days at the late Chief Debo Akande, SAN, Chambers where I always visited him at Western House, Broad Street.
I can’t recall if we were able to afford lunches at Quo Vadis Restaurant upstairs then, Hahahaha.
I was a just civil servant on GL 08, then and he an NYSC boy.
As a law School Student at his Igboshere hostel I visited while he would come to visit me at my Wasimi Village, Maryland, Lagos where I squatted in 1983, later inherited.
We became friends right from UNN days through a common friend, they were School mates at CIC, he would visit most times from Enugu Campus to see and “protect” his kid sisters, Ada and Peps and of course party with us too if there were “eboos” around which we might gate crash in though we risked being bounced by some friends! Sometimes, if we manage to contribute to organise our own, he would be at the gate to check intruders, he was a black belt plus did building religiously, again we figured the Nsukka boys didn’t know him but we will end up with straying poachers from UNEC who were his friends as he dared stop them as some were his CIC Old Students or his seniors at UNEC, they knew. Some of them may be shaking their heads at this amidst our collective losses, pains and grief now.
did we care then, we were young boys nothing to loose!
So much to remember, oh death where is thy sting, just like a candle in the wind, oh like a meteor, Austin Ogugua Chioke Snr, gone just like that??
Life and death so near, so next to each other.
What can I, We say to Modester, his dear wife, and his young children.
Our deepest sympathy and condolences. Ndoo nuu oooh, May the good and all knowing God, comfort, console and support you all at this trying time and always.
His memories, life and legacies will comfort and guide you all, the Lord will provide the strongest strength and pillar, just keep the faith, the flag and flame he had lit up.
To his siblings, please recall, he was there for you all!
Austin was a good practicing Catholic, he was a family man to the core, he identified with his people early.
To his friends and associates, let’s help bury him but most importantly remember that he has a young family and siblings which he lived for, the best we can do in his memory is to support and not to forget them so early as most often.
Ogugua Snr, I knew for over 41 years would be there for his friends if he was to be around except if he changed lately, that I doubt.
Adieu my dear friend, good night, Austin, good bye Ogugua.
May your good, warm, kind friendly soul RIPP, Amen.
To his siblings, larger family, relatives and his community our sincere deepest condolences; let us savour and reminisce our good memories and legacies of his life and sojourn on earth.
Engr. (Dr) Johnny O Chukwu.