At times like this, I’m reminded of the brevity of human life and my helplessness at the thought of the mystery and misery that a good man is not spared the same fate that befalls evil men.
I cannot bring myself to refer to you in the past tense; so I'd go ahead to state what you mean to me in whatever tense that would mask my disbelief that you've gone on a very long sabbatical leave.
I remember when you came back from one of your previous sabbatical leaves; you made it a duty to go round all the offices to greet everyone. You did not forget to knock on the door of a lowly ‘Any-Work’ Graduate Assistant like me at that time. You were not one to disparage anybody. You had absolute respect for everyone regardless of class.
You never answered the greetings of the ‘younger ones’ through your nostrils as is common with some of our senior colleagues; you’d wind down your car window to answer anyone.
I saw you as the ‘Epa of all Epas’. You were always full of energy and always had a warm smile and a good heart towards everyone unlike some who perpetually carry the demeanour of a saliva-dripping fiery Bulldog—ready to pounce on every imaginary enemy!!
How can I forget your student-orientated style of teaching? Like ABC, you made me understand metabolic regulation and compartmentation. Your questions were always the simplest to answer because you believed that education should be about impartation of knowledge and not a test of supremacy between students and lecturers with inferiority complex.
I’m glad I knew you as a student, teacher, a colleague and, above all, a mentor. You did not know it, but I learnt how to treat my students as kings from you and Professor George Eriyamremu. Your kind and fatherly disposition to your students and colleagues will forever be etched on my mind.
I won’t say Goodbye to you......You are a good man Professor A.U. Osagie....You are a good man!!!