So sad to know that a good friend and brother is gone, I remember the warm reception you gave us at your country home at Awo Idemili when we came to bury one of the brother , his smiles and jokes trilled me, we were well welcomed with open ❤️, I never new that , that was to be our last supper with you Bob, know one ever met in contact with him that will not fall in love with his cheerful smiles he was indeed a good fellow. May his gentle soul rest in peace. Amen.

My dearest Auntie Aku,

The news of the death of your dear husband and my good friend, Noble Sir Robert Odinkemelu KSJI, who I fondly call Uncle Bob, came to me as a rude shock. I am still struggling to fully come to terms with this huge loss. I can then only imagine the depth of emotional toll his death must be taking on you, your children and the rest of the Odinkemelu family.  

Getting to know Uncle Bob, you, and the children, more than 15 years ago, as parishioners of Mater Misericordiae Parish, Port Harcourt when I served there, was among the most precious gifts God allowed me to have. Particularly, encountering Uncle Bob reveals a gentle, industrious, soft-spoken, wise, caring, and loving husband, dad, brother, friend, and community-oriented person, whose love for God and people was radiant and unmistakable. Uncle Bob was a living treasure who very unassumingly served God and everyone with his presence, kind words, actions, thoughtfulness, and material blessings. He will be greatly missed by all.

Auntie Aku, as we mourn his loss, I pray that you find strength in the words of the Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass for the Dead which offer us the following reassurance “Lord, for your faithful people, life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven”. It is that everlasting dwelling place in heaven that Uncle Bob has gained in being called home by God, whom he so dutifully served with his whole life, while his short but fulfilled earthly dwelling lasted. May these words of our faith provide you, your children and the entire Odinkemelu family with the needed hope and healing to cope with the pain of his physical absence.

Jee nke oma Uncle Bob, and may your gentle soul and the souls of all the faithful departed – through the mercy of God rest in peace – Amen.


Rev. Fr. Arinze Onwuzulike, CSSp
Ottawa, Canada

I am very sorry about Uncle Bob. He was a very good man. I remember when he used to teach me how to sing and read. He was always happy and cheerful, loving and kind. Uncle you are the best uncle I have ever had. Rest in peace.

Nnamdi Onyiuke

This is one of our family’s favorite humor stories! It happened sometime in the Summer of 2013 while we were vacationing in Paris. Typically,french taxis by law were not allowed to carry more than 4 passengers at a go and there we were in our family party of 5 on that day with Bob, me ( Aku), Didi, Bobby and Sibby wanting to move from point A to B which we normally walked but with some personal effects in tow now required a cab!
We suggested splitting our party in two with one of the two of us that understood and spoke at least a little French attached to each party. Bob, the ever protective and doting dad wouldn’t hear of it but instead insisted that 4 of us should take the taxi while he walks the short distance . We tried to explain that it wasn’t such a short walk but he insisted assuring us in his words that ‘old soldiers never die! We thus gave in after reminding him repeatedly how to pronounce the address. 
Minutes gradually morphed into hours as we arrived our destination (which was less than a 5 minute ride and using short cuts about 15 to 20 minutes walk), yet no sign of Bob! Dee and I at some point left the boys in the flat and went in search of our Old Soldier. After a few minutes of searching in the alleys and walkways, we sighted a totally weary and irritable not so old soldier struggling to pronounce the address in French with inflections and gesticulations to totally bewildered French men and women who must have felt somewhat apprehensive at the sight of this huge black guy that was speaking in tongues as far as they were concerned! 
We quickly rescued our old soldier who heaved a sigh of relief on sighting his reversed knights in shining armor and went ahead to regale us with the tales of his ‘Paris tour’ on foot, tax and  Metro because ‘these foolish people couldn’t understand simple English’! Were we relieved to reclaim our prize after those few hours of heightened anxiety and worry? You bet!!!

My fondest memory of Bob was a trip to Ndizuogu en route to lagos - back in the day. There was severe fuel scarcity so public transport was the only option...we ended up marooned by the road side in Okigwe with not one vehicle in sight for over an hour and night fast approaching. We were already eyeing some roadside "Nchi" sellers tables as the most suitable candidates for beds when a police van pulled over and after much explanation, took us a bit further to some village where Bob said he knew the Eze. Alas Eze had travelled so here we were in the village square looking lost. We were finally given a bed, water to bath and a meal by a total stranger. And found our way to Ndizuogu on "okada" the next day. What an adventure with Ogbuagu. It was jokes on our predicament all the way.  And now the Lord says your time is up, and we protest , but who are we? Forever missed Bob .

Dear Aunty Aku