Pat Onukwuli
As we gather today in the ancient Ndikelionwu Kingdom, “The Land of the Sun That Never Sets,” to inter one its authentic princes, let us spare some thoughts about the propagation of his legacies. Hon. Nnadozie Ike was one of the finest of his generation of which this writer belongs. In today’s world, where loyalties, ideologies, predispositions and principles change with easy cynicism and sycophancy fashionable, he was an unwavering beacon of integrity and rectitude, the uncommon political leader who congregated more enthusiasts than adversaries and a rare public figure who prioritised private life above everything. Adapting from Obama’s eulogy for Beau Biden, Nnadozie was someone who cared, someone who charmed, disarmed, and put you at ease with his smiles.
Here was an offshoot, a scion and a progeny of an outstanding and extraordinary family, who brushed away possibilities of privilege for harder and better reward of earning his way. Here was a warhorse who sidestepped splendour, and radiated true modesty. Here was a chap of love and a bloke of justice. He was a legitimate and bona fide prince, who never used the appellation of prince-hood or royalty. He was a former member of the Federal House of Representatives who was reluctant to use the “Honourable” designation. He was a veteran, who should be a welcomed and cherished guest in the corridors of power, but deliberately chose not to confer undue advantage to himself. Here was a guru and sage who could but did not cut corners, as this was antithetical to his being.
It was Patrick Kavanagh, the versatile Irish poet and novelist, best known for his novel Tarry Flynn, and poems, On Raglan Road and The Great Hunger, who indicated: “A man is original when he speaks the truth that has always been known to all good men.”
Hon. Nnadozie Ike was original and he spoke truth known to all good men. He was equally a good man. Indeed, he was actually a great man. He was a doyen of the citadel with prodigious pedagogic intuition that is hard to rival. He was skilled and adept in ordinary things of life in extraordinary ways.
It is, therefore, hard to imagine that Nnadozie has been gone for two months already, which, ironically, and surrealistically seems like eternity. The thought of this reality that life can continue without him has been the most difficult issue for people like me to rationalise and accommodate. It is difficult to come to terms that he will not be with us again. Moreover, incredibly more difficult to imagine that all his ideals and legacies may be forgotten. Some of us have been crying since the sad event of his demise. However, we must come to terms with the sad reality of life, as death is the unfortunate fate that awaits us all as mere mortals. With this, we can come to an acceptance of our frailties as humans and the inevitability of death.
Jeff Mason, in his reflections on “Death and Its Concept,” asserts there is no method for getting to know death better, because death is mysterious and incomprehensible. However, living towards death in time gives us direction and framework within which to understand the changes that life brings. On the other hand, for Plato, the obsessive fear of death can affect the course of one’s life. In the end, it is useful to think about death only to the point that it frees us to live fully immersed in the life we have yet to live. Nnadozie lived fully but the cruel and unyielding fate of death came calling unpredictably.
As the 17th-century English poet and clergyman, John Donne, famous for his intricate metaphors, eloquent sermons and incisive meditations articulated, “Death, be not proud”; “No man is an island.” Donne went on to declare that because we are all part of humanity, any person’s death is a loss to all of us: “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in people; and, therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” We all will die someday and the bell will toll for each one of us. Today, the bell tolls for Nnadozie. Whom will the bell toll for tomorrow? We could well be next in line. Who knows?
We, therefore, should try to develop and nurture the strength of spirit that would protect us in a gloomy and miserable situation of death. We should proceed and set plans in motion that will ensure that his worthy and altruistic values continue. It is no secret that he was closer to many people than their families. His unexpected and untimely departure, consequently, ought to serve as belvedere for our convergence to fight and further his noble causes. His passing has left a yawning gap in the world. We should not just forget him, or consign him to history. It is our duty to Nnadozie to think not about what was but instead what is, because of him. Although he died young, he pointed the way for us all.
Shannon Alder, the inspirational American author, insists we should carve our names on hearts, and not tombstones. In addition, etch our legacies into the minds of people and stories they share about us. Likewise, we should toe this line for Nnaedozie. We could immortalise him by so many ways. We could simply plant a tree of life within the premises of Dike Na Ogbogu’s Grand Palace, Ndikelionwu, or within the headquarters of Orumba North Local Government Area, where he served as the first chairman. We could open a website, where we would capture most of his ideals. We could institute a charity or an NGO that would promote his principles of tolerance in politics. We could open a specialist museum within the grounds and bounds of Ndikelionwu Recreation Centre, which he was upgrading prior to his passing.
These are some simple suggestions, which need not be mutually exclusive but can be jointly inclusive. His friends, for whom he lived, should rise to the occasion and expand or modify these suggestions. Most importantly, they should ensure the implementation of chosen options. This is the least that we could do for a great friend, who is now incapable of helping himself. We should not allow his legacies to die. He was a good man, a great man, an original, a man of peace and a man of justice. May God bless his memory, and the lives of those he left behind. Amen.
•Chief Onukwuli, principal consultant, Pat Onukwuli & Company, Estate Surveyors and Valuers, writes from Abuja