From 30^th November 1930 to 24^th January 1998

BY JOHN OGIGBAH

The experience of grief over a father’s death never ends but one can learn to live with the pain of his loss. Although the hurt may subside with time, certain human activities can trigger a waiver of new grief that feels so difficult to tackle.

My father was not just hardworking but he had a generous mind. He was kind to his family, friends and community. He never relented in giving a helping hand. He was indeed the backbone of his family and community. His method was simple: do to others what you would have others do to you. In my very humble challenges of this life, I find myself coming back to one simple question. What would my father do? I could hear my father say “stories will always fly around, irrational conclusions would be taken but always cultivate a dignified silence, do not defend yourself rather allow God defend you for therein lies the strength of THE ALMIGHTY in your life”.

My father was strong in body, in spirit and in commitment. He never missed a single opportunity to share his wisdom with younger men.

I think, I was very close to my father to the extent that I freely shared his wardrobe with him. I remember passing a set of his traditional attire to a cousin of mine and he spotted the dress on him. I got the scolding of my life that day. Those were the days of parental responsibility and discipline.

My father was full of humour including making jokes of imaginable heights cutting across ethnicity, politics and socio cultural issues, yet his humour was not mean spirited nor designed to hurt or humiliate any person. My father never let another man down. He fulfilled every obligation he ever undertook. No matter the sacrifice involved. His word was his bond.

My father relished the good things of life including living well. He was very fashionable particularly in his mode of dressing and choice of automobile. He actively played national partisan politics for the sole benefit of his people. To him it was always the people and so it was when a sitting president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria once paid a visit to him, the main agenda was what his government would do to cure the devastated livelihood of the oil producing indigenes who were overwhelmed by the human misery of environmental degradation due to the irrational arrangement of oil exploration and exploitation.

My father was also a businessman and he had a conglomerate of several business concerns. I remember attending several business meetings with him including meeting with the highest level of a bank executives. Those experiences remain relevant to date.

My father was a hybrid socialite and he had both local and international friends. His social friends included Chief Michael Ibru, Senator David Dafinone, Chief Hope Harriman, Gamaliel Onosode, Chief Causin Mosheshe, Chief Edewor, Chief Esiso, Chief Uloho, HRH Barrister Gordons Dafiaghor, Chief Demas Akpore, Prof. Philip Kuale, Chief FUS Jarikre, Chief Moses Taiga, Gen. David Ejoor rtd, Chief Daniel Okumagba, Chief Samuel Ogbemudia, Chief Tony Anennih, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Chief Paul Okpohworho, Chief Macualay Ovwagbedia, Mr. Sunday Esisi, Chuba Okadigbo and Umaru Dilko to mention but a few. Chief E. K. Clark was his best friend and they were hanging out together until my father passed. At the funeral ceremony Chief E.K. Clark wept profusely because to the chief the loss was significant and the grief was extremely severe. That was one of the most emotional moments of my life. The point is that we saw so many people of affluence around my father but he never stopped teaching us the virtues of simplicity, humility and hardwork. He would say he has nothing and there was nothing in life as precious as a good name, also that wealth and riches were at the end mere futility and simply vanity upon vanity. The puzzle however is that there are occasions when the evil people of this world would mischievously insist on deliberately smearing one’s name and gullible minds would fall for the credulous lies without fact checking. The propaganda then rages on. Silence because at the end the truth would speak.

My Father was never tired of telling us to treat all men with respect. Don’t falsely and intentionally damage the image of people he would say. Although I have had course to cry so often before my children, only twice did I ever see my dear father cry. The first time was when I lost my eldest sister and indeed a very rude altercation that caused him very deep sadness occasioned it. The second time had to do with a critical challenge on his organisation. In all of those occasions he immediately took control because he knew it was his job to be the rock for the family to lean on.

My father had a quiet dignity respecting himself the way he respected others.

Papa is gone now. Oh yes! Gone for 25 years but his memories live on.

SLEEP ON PAPA UNTIL WE MEET TO PART NO MORE.

TRIBUTE BY FESTUS EKOH

After 25 years, no one has been able to fill the gap created by his death. I know Chief from a distance and can conveniently do a write up on his generosity.

Just few things to say in addition to what has been written by Chief John. When chief was a board member of DSC between 1980 and 1984, he almost turned the company to an Olomu company. He gave employment to everyone who needed job. In his own companies like the sawmill, Topas bakery, Ogigbah farms etc, he ensured that his own people occupied strategic positions.

Azanor was never a selfish politician. He never ate alone. I remembered also that in his time, he fought for the establishment of Okpare Grammar School, the first secondary in Olomu Kingdom. That made him an enemy of some people who believed the school should be cited in Otorere Olomu. He thereafter assisted in the formation of the school now at Otorere.

Azanor as a Chairman of the old Ughelli local government council constructed the 2 bridges along the Okpare Umolo road. TG as he was popularly called was behind the idea for the construction of the Olomu bridge assisting chief Ikolo of ovwodokpokpo.

I can go on and on. The death of papa who was an inlaw and close friend to my father Chief Eko Ohwa remains a big blow to all of us.

What we have now are selfish, wicked and greedy politicians who support only their siblings and family members. They have no interest in the progress of others.

Let’s keep the memory of TG alive by practicing what he stood for in his life time – LOVE for humanity.

Adieu TG, Azanor, Olorogun of Olomu Kingdom.