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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
In most communities, it is a rarity to find a man as old as Pa Festus Obi Okere, who is 95 years and would have long retired, to still be in active in service, repairing bicycles for people in his community.
Repairing bicycles is a skill he learnt in 1951 as a young man. For him, it is not just a skill, but service to his community driven by passion and love for what he does. For him seeing his people enjoying the full functionality of their bicycles with peace of mind is itself a great reward that also gives him joy.
Pa Okere is a widower who has seven children, and one of them is a Reverend Father in the Catholic Church. He has continued to practice his trade at his workshop at the Eke Umuowa Market in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State. That Pa Okere is still repairing bicycles is not as a result of penury or lack of care from his children, but simple love for his trade. Moreover, repairing bicycles keeps him active and his mind sharp.
It is noteworthy that he is the only bicycle repairer in the entire community, as young men have refused to learn the skill.
The laudable dedication of the nonagenarian to the practice of his vocational skill attracted the attention of the Imo State Orientation Agency, ISOA, which has a core mandate to inculcate in the citizenry, especially the younger generation, the values of hard work, honesty and self-reliance through skills acquisition. The agency resolved to bestow an award on him.
Speaking at a brief ceremony held at the workshop of Pa Okere at the old Eke Umuowa market penultimate Friday, the Director General of the Agency, Dr Elthebert Okere, who also hails from the community, said the ISOA decided to honour him as a role model to the youths, having steadfastly practiced the skill he had learnt as a young man.
“The Agency is honouring Pa Okere with an Exemplary Vocational Life Award with a cash gift of N100,000 as he stands as a role model for the youths, having continued to practice a skill he had learnt as a young man in 1951. He has not depended on his children but has continued to practice his skill. It is a sad situation that the youths today are no longer interested in the acquisition of vocational skills, which has led to the scarcity of skilled workers such as mechanics, tailors, aircondition and refrigeration technicians and other skills,” Okere said.
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He said further: “This event is in furtherance of an ongoing programme of the agency to encourage skill acquisition among youths and in keeping with the Skill-Up Imo Program of the Shared Prosperity administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma. The agency has identified individuals across the state, ho have sustained themselves with the skills they acquired as youths. We are going to accord them with similar honours and recognition in due course.”
Also, the Ngor Okpala Council Chairperson, Honourable Chika Ibekwe, who emphasized the importance of vocational skills said: “It is incredible that Pa Okere who is 95 years old is still practicing the trade he had learnt as a young man. While education is important but no matter your level of education, the youths must endeavour to acquire a skill because that is the only thing that cannot be taken away from you. The skills you have acquired live with you for the rest of your life. I learnt that he is only bicycle repairer in this entire community.”
The Traditional Ruler of Nguru-Umuowa Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Eme Njoku, described Pa Okere as an inspiration for members of the community.
The monarch also tasked the Agency not to relent in its efforts at the reorientation of the youths on the importance of acquiring a skill.
The monarch who is a medical doctor said: “Pa Okere has remained an inspiration to the entire community by continuing with a skill he had learnt several decades ago. He had built a house and trained his children with the money he earned from repairing bicycle. Even his children had pleaded with him to retire but he has continued to do what he loves doing, not because he does not have anyone to care for him, but he doesn’t want to depend on his children and grandchildren for his daily needs.
“Like I said, he is an inspiration to most of us because he has continued to earn his own money even at his age and he is the only bicycle repairer in this community right now. Whenever you come to this market you will see him at his workshop. You can see that he is very strong and healthy. We pray that God will give him more years.”
Similarly, Rev Fr Canice Okere, the Parish Priest of St Thomas Catholic Church, Umuowa and one of the children of Pa Okere said that his father has continued to practise his trade because he derives joy from it.
The Catholic cleric, recalling part of his childhood, he said: “My father derives joy from his trade and would not quit no matter our pleas to take a rest. He is an independent-minded person. Before going to the seminary I also worked as a bicycle repairer, a skill I learnt from him. It is good that this event is being held in this community for the youths to know the importance of acquiring a skill and to value whatever skill they have acquired and put in their all efforts.”
The elated Pa Okere who spoke to Sunday Sun said: “I was in Standard Three when I learnt the skill in 1951 and I have continued in this line of trade till now. We were only two bicycle repairers in this village, but the other one named Cyprian is ill and that leaves me as the only bicycle repairer in this entire village.
“I have appealed to most of the youths in the village to learn this skill, but they told me that bicycle repairing is only meant for those who are fatherless. But yet they have also refused to learn a trade meant for those whose fathers are alive. They are only interested in pressing their phones and ambling about in the village. I have trained my children through this bicycle repairing business and it has kept me going strong because I don’t want to be idle because idleness causes sickness.
“Whatever I make in a day I use it rather than depending on my children. There are some days I don’t get customers but some others days I will have many customers that is how it is. I thank the government for recognizing me because I wasn’t expecting any such money. Dr Elthebert Okere who is from this village had told me that the government would visit my workshop. I was working when they came.”
