Because The Melody Lingers On

Hear the trumpet call. The Lord God almighty is gathering His people from every tribe and from every nation unto Himself. “This people have I formed unto myself that they should show forth my praise,” says the Lord. For God is not ashamed to be called their God. “As the girdle cleaves to the loins of a man, so have I caused my people to cleave unto me. And they shall be unto me for a people, for praise and for a name and even for a glory! Of what concord has Christ with Belial? And what agreement has the Temple of God with idols? Wherefore come out from among them and be you separate, that you shall be my people, my sons and daughters, and I shall be your God and your Father”, says the Lord.

“For you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you from darkness into His marvellous light. Therefore, today as you hear the sound of His voice, harden not your heart, for the night is far spent and the hour comes, and even now is, that true worshipers shall worship their Father in spirit and in truth!”

“O come to mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the innumerable company of angels and to the general assembly and church of the first-borns, to the Most High God the Judge of all; O come to His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, the mediator of our new covenant. Come unto the Blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. O my people! As in the days of Adam, Jehovah Adonai has visited His people in the cool of the day. Let us not be asked: where were you?"

In the end, Abraham Lincoln would say, it is not the years in life that count, but the life in our years. Alan Sachs would confirm that death is more universal than life. Everyone dies, but not everyone lives. What we once enjoyed and deeply loved, said Helen Keller, we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us. And as Queen Elizabeth II would confirm, grief is the price we pay for love.

Today we grieve. We have lost a rare gem. We will be missing an indefatigable son, a free-born of Amaba city, in Isikwuato local government area of Abia State of Nigeria. Ifeanyichukwu Ikpechukwu has fallen asleep in the full glare of us all. Yet, it is in the knowledge that his slumber shall not be broken. It is in the understanding that even if he was all-forgetting, he would never be all-forgotten. He will continue to live in the thoughts and actions of those he loved, lived for and died for.

What can I say?
It is a great privilege for me to pay this tribute and to express the sadness that all of us who knew Ifeanyichukwu share over our loss of him. Brother, thank you for everything you were to us. Thank you for your warmth we shared during your precious time on earth.

As we gather to remember and commemorate your life, we find it so difficult to accept that you have left us. We find it even more difficult to bid you farewell as we mourn the loss of a lively, dignified soul – a soul that brought joy and fulfilment to many, and whose legacy will live on forever.

You were a vibrant soul, one who literally lit up every room you entered into. And right up until you became less able to get around, you were always eager to help out, no matter what the problem was.

Being the father of a boisterous son and an adorable daughter you doted with passion, you had a hard time juggling the demands of your family – sending the children to the United States of America to study and paying the foreign fees for both of them, with the assistance of your amiable wife, my sister Chidi. You never complained, nor did you ever turn anyone away – family, friend or some local face wanting to stop by the house for a quick chat even as your wife was the Coordinating Director of the National Planning Commission, Abuja.

You were a hard working man. You gave easily to anyone who needed help. Not only were you committed to your job, working long hours, you were also committed to giving back to the community. When you weren't at work, you would be attending club meetings or fundraising activities for some charity. You always encouraged those around you to be involved in life. You did whatever you had to do to bring out the best in all who came in contact with you. You would always say, ‘You can’t rest on your laurels, my dear. You must keep forging ahead and make the best of everything”.

You were always on time to answer the call to duty, both at work and at home. Decency, reliability, honour, dignity and respect were all qualities that you not only held in high esteem, but practised every day during your time on this earth. And although you were a serious-minded and disciplined man, you still could never resist the opportunity to have a laugh with friends and loved ones, given even half the chance.

Not only were you a wonderful husband and father, you were a magnanimous in-law, a best friend to my sister, your wife, a fine colleague and so much more. Your ability to make everyone feel comfortable, secure and loved was your greatest strength. Ifeanyichukwu, you were always such a gentleman – well mannered and polite, always quick with a witty remark. Your joviality and good nature attracted people the moment you walked into a room. And no one could so easily forget your hilarious and contagious laughter. Everyone who knew you respected and loved you deeply.

Our lasting memories of you, Ifeanyichukwu, are simple: a hard-working, passionate figure of strength that never degenerated in his support or love of his family, a man who goaded his family on in commitment, even when times were hard. You were a straightforward man who demanded little from those around you, and who expected only the best for your son and daughter. Provided you heard regularly from them and saw them whenever possible, you were content. And although in your final years, they had both moved on to different parts of the world, your son to Italy and your daughter to America, that paternal bond was never broken between father and offspring. Your finest quality remained your patience: an inherent ability to listen, to absorb and to offer a point of view that was based on quiet, measured wisdom.

I still remember how much you loved music, especially Beethoven and other classics. You may be in heaven now. You may be looking down at us with a big smile on your face saying, “Forge ahead – make the best of life – and I’ll see you as soon as necessary. We have got work to do up here, too.”

Goodbye, dear brother-in-law, husband, father, uncle, brother. Ifeanyichukwu, we all wish you to rest in perfect peace in the bosom of the Lord, your Creator. The song is ended, Irving Berlin would say, but the melody lingers on.

Mr Asinugo is a London-based journalist and publisher of Imo State Business Link Magazine (imostateblm.com)