- Local2Global (L2G)
- Feb 7, 2023
- 3 min read
The next day after his 80th birthday celebration, was the Thanksgiving Day for Msgr. Kieran Udegboka, his younger brother. It was also the day his Umunna gathered to kill and share the cow he gifted them. Many visitors came in to greet and wish him well. My dad like me hardly keeps a smiling face. Lol. We smile inwards.
He heard sounds of people interacting and making noise and asked who those were? I said they are ndi Umunna, so he asked to come and see them again. I led him out and his Umunna hailed and thanked him once again for the gift. He sat and watched them enjoy the delicacy and they sent his own share of the meal.
At night, he asked me about his nephews and nieces, whether they came around. I told him I was surprised to see them at the church but none of them showed up for your celebration. He asked, “O gini mere?” I told him what I heard recently of how they accused and insulted you years ago after all the support you gave the families. He said, "Ọ ihe ndị ahụ ha na kogheriri mgbe ahụ. It wasn’t their fault but the nwa dibia they consulted, but i have forgiven all of them".
On the 4th of January, he asked me, ‘O nwere ihe ọzọ fọrọ aga eme? (what else is still remaining?). I said nothing but he has to tell me whatever he wants and I will provide it. “Biko hapukene ihe ahụ ka mmadụ zuo ike” (please leave those things let somebody rest) he said.
He is addicted to listening to radio like me, that night, for the first time, he said he doesn’t want to listen to radio. He enjoys taking medication unlike me, he refused to take his drugs.
I told my step-mum, this man has tried, he is going, his body doesn’t respond again. She shunned me to stop that kind of talk. I smiled and left her presence. She raised the issue of taking him to the hospital, I told them I have a project to execute at Sciencekafe Ojoto with Chinelo Okonkwo-Chukwunweike , so my sister came and took him to the hospital.
The day I was to return him to the city, he resisted standing up. His resistance to so many things got me angry that we are suffering this man. He wants to go and rest and we are forcing him to live.
On the 11th of January, I went to Morning Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Nkpor, requested for a sick call from the officiated priest. He said he was a visitor and hence cannot come. I pleaded with him the urgency, he said I should come back later in the day when the residential priests would have been out. I called Somto Akwuobi and he sent me the Parish Priest’s number. I spoke with him and he came for the sick call..
I returned to my new base, Igbo-ukwu that same day. They kept calling me day and night to come, I refused. The calls were too many including from Msgr. So I said rather than allow him die at home, I arranged for Shadrack Oniuku to take him to the hospital and I turned off my phone.
I turned on my phone on Sunday morning, my sister’s call came in later in the day and she asked if I’ve heard what happened? I said, you mean about papa’s death? She asked, “ah ah, how did you know?” I said NOBODY told me. I have been expecting the news. May his soul rest in peace!
I was told, he woke up that morning and asked, “What time it is?” after which he answered God’s call. This man and time keeping! Always on wrist watch even while sleeping. He can’t stay in a room or parlor without wall clock. Checking time every minute. Even at the point of death, he was checking time. Lol.
For two - three days, nobody heard about his death from me. I didn’t call anyone or make any post about his death. I was fulfilled the way he died.
WATCH OUT FOR THE CONCLUSIVE PART OF THE SERIES AND GET SHOCKED
ADA Africa Udegboka
