His Royal Highness Christian Otobotekere
Woyengi- Ifiemi Tessy Otobo.
Tribute
The vision of Changing All the Old Roofs
I have realized that our Parents are never too old to miss when it comes to saying the final farewell to them. Daddy, I ‘mourn you’ and ‘miss you’, but I’m comforted by the sweet memories I have of you. Memories of my early childhood years in Shell Camp, Port Harcourt, all through to the priceless memories we shared these last years of your life as I lived with you in Tombia, Ekpetiama, Bayelsa State. You lived for almost 98 years, and I’m grateful to God Almighty for your life, who you were and what you represented.
Somehow, I still remember how we used to run out in our numbers to meet you once we saw your car afar off returning home from work shouting ‘Welcome Daddy! Welcome Daddy!! You made us have fun, but you also instilled the correct values in us, bringing out the whip mostly when anyone told a lie. You insisted we always tell the truth.
Sweet memories of Daddy’s love for sports, the sailing expeditions with Daddy and his team from the ‘Boat Club’, with students from different secondary schools. I would be in the group from Holy Rosary Secondary School. It was such fun having your dad on the team, and sometimes, we were required to jump into the river from the boat with our life Jackets.
My siblings and I would also take turns going with Daddy to the Golf course across from our home at 16 Akata Street, Shell Camp, Port-Harcourt. Swimming in the Shell Club was almost every two weeks. I won medals and cups in swimming pool competitions but realized it was a different ball game when I tried to swim from Tombia to Agudama across the river Nun on a visit to the Village. Here you also must deal with the river current.
As I ponder on how Daddy acquired such a level of goodwill both far and near, even in his passing, I’m reminded that Daddy loved humanity, or should I say he liked people. He showed love to everybody, regardless of status. Hebrews 12:14 ‘Follow Peace with all men….’ Daddy pursued peace with all, even those that did not wish him well. He imparted into and positively impacted the lives of people he came across. This, I believe, endeared people towards him. Even those who met him briefly, even for a few minutes always remembered him and talked about him lovingly and passionately as if they had known him for years.
Limited space here will only permit me to enumerate some of the beautiful legacies he left behind and the worthy values he instilled in us. Still, Daddy loved his people and was passionate about the environment – his surrounding, the people, the rivers, the birds etc., as reflected in his poems. He was a visionary and just recently had the vision of changing all the old roofs of all houses in the community.
Daddy ‘I LOVE YOU’. you will ever be green in our hearts, and by God’s grace, we’ll carry on the beautiful legacies you left behind and pass on the virtuous values you instilled in us. It’s a privilege to have had you as my Dad. Rest in the bosom of the Lord till we meet again in the resurrection morning.
Woyengi-Ifiemi Theresa Otobo
