His Royal Highness Christian Otobotekere
Daddy in the home of Dr Hubert and Mrs Domotimi Manilla, with some of his children, their Spouses, and grandchildren.
Mrs Domotimi Manilla. Tribute
An Exceptional Father, A Remarkable Man.
The “Daddy man”, as many fondly called him, was a kind, jovial, and great lover of peace. These were some of the attributes of Daddy, my father.
One thought that stands out to me about Daddy is his determination to always follow his conscience.
He had 12 of us, daughters, in a row; this was an age when the education of the female child was not in vogue. In fact, it was discouraged.
I recall the various pressure groups he received to “marry off” his young daughters rather than send them to any institutions of higher learning. The thought at the time was that secondary school was more than sufficient education for the female child. Daddy withstood the pressure throughout the years and sent all “his girls” to school, producing many female graduates – a remarkable feat in his days.
He took education seriously. I learned to love reading from an early age because Daddy always gifted us with children’s books, comics, and magazines.
Daddy was a man of the people. His concern for the welfare of people was evident to all.
We, his children, had to accept that Daddy was not ours alone but also the ‘Daddy’ of all, so whenever his retinue of “adopted children, nieces and nephews” arrived at our home at the time, we had no option but to welcome them and “make space”. Those words “make space”, became a familiar concept to us all in the family.
I am very grateful to God for the blessing of the long life He gave to Daddy. He lived to see several of his great-grandchildren, and I am also grateful to God for his peaceful departure.
Thank you, Jesus, for giving us Daddy and the legacy he left for us and humanity.
Mrs Domotimi Manilla
(Daughter no 3)
Dr Hubert A. Manilla (Son-In-Law). Tribute
An Exceptional Father-In-Law
It was a sober day for my family when we received the news of the quiet and peaceful passing of His Royal Highness Christian Atani Okpofaa Otobotekere, my father-in-law.
I am honoured to have had the privilege of relating closely with an exceptional man. “Daddy”, as we all called him. He was indeed a Dad to many, not only his immediate family but also to the sons-in-law and the larger community, which he graciously and willingly fathered.
Over the years, I watched how he loved and cared for people. I keenly observed how he related with his many children, loving each one equally. He had respect for them; the same was true for his sons-in-law. Daddy was a humble man. Even though he was a king, he freely related with the lowly and downtrodden.
There was no dull moment around Daddy. He was jovial and had a great sense of humour. He always made everyone sing and dance whenever the family gathered around him. One memory that stands out is his practice of taking his new sons-in-law out for a golf game, whether they could play.
He loved writing and kept writing. The last set of his books was written in the previous ten years of his life. He kept a jotter by himself even when he was sleeping. He had a lot of spiritual insight, which he tried to communicate in his poems and books. He told me when he was writing the last set of books that they would be his last literary works, and it turned out so.
I am a witness to the virtues Daddy stood for. He stood for truth and justice. I am inspired by his strength of character, leadership, and wisdom. His nurturing, calm, and patient temperament always brought peace to the family and community in the face of misunderstandings. He was a great listener and actively took interest in all that was going on around him.
This tribute is a small token to show my admiration for “Daddy”, my exceptional father-in-law, a remarkable man.
I am grateful to God for his life and the lessons learnt to live a peaceful life of service. The legacy he left for humanity will not be quickly forgotten.
Dr Hubert A. Manilla (Son-In-Law)