This article as the heading connotes is a tribute to late Ukpoji of Ofabo, His Royal Highness, Chief Audu Joel Onoja Ameh-Ocheje.
Obviously, there are Chiefs but there is a chief indeed, there are highnesses but there is a highness indeed, of course, there are majesties but there is a majesty indeed, and then, there are monarchs but there is a monarch indeed, again, there are kings but there is a king indeed.
Oh death! (edimógó) we knew that you are the determinant of the end of any man on the earth! oh death! you have the so prerogative to decide the lifespan of a man on the earth! oh death! you remain invisible to man yet you bring all his activities to a close at your own volition!
Oh death! man and his activities on the earth remain vulnerable and always at your mercies! oh, indeed, death remains a tunnel through which all souls must pass without exception ….
Eleven years ago, you said good-bye to the throne of your fathers, your community (Ofabo) and the environs.
Yet, your dismiss from this world is like yesterday to the community members, as they lament and wail of your good deeds as the vacuum created is yet to be filled.
What a miserable situation! The unborn children groaning in their bones marrow, wishing to have met you as you were but death; the end of man hasted you out.
Although, they say, we did not meet you but we heard about your antecedents in the land of your fathers.
Women cried profusely in the community streets as their leader was taken away from them and there is no one to pay attention to their lamentations any longer.
Kpalékó, your selfless services rendered in the community live after you, you were the absolute definition of classified royalty and the mirror image of splendor.
Hence, why the royal highness was respected all over, both on the social media and the print media?
Because of his generosity, prowess and achievement of his deeds.
Frankly speaking, His Royal Highness, as part of his usual activities was not a jurist by profession but obviously acted as such a one by virtue of his tenacity and wisdom.
This is in demonstration of his wisdom and intellect, proved beyond reasonable doubt of his tactical operation and capacity to handle issues as they emerged.
This triggered one of his famous utterances called “Ijiko”
‘Ijiko’, is a metaphoric expression in Igala that gives room for a suspect to defend himself when asked questions and he/she was unable, it refers to as Ijiko (speechless).
Ukpoji, during your heyday in the community, absolute peace was maintained in your domain unlike what is happening presently in the community.
Broken down of law and order as well as the deteriorating state of value system in the community that had been held with high esteem in the time past when you were on the throne has been chattered and bartered.
The regards for human dignity and culture has gone extinction and the people that ought to have been the custodians of all these attributes and good virtues in the community are now the agent of destroyers.
Once again, Your Highness, we do not need the effort of soothsayer to know that the roles you played in the community brought absolute peace, accountability, fairness, justice, tranquility and worthy of emulation in your domain.
This gives room to people to say that you are an advocate and an epitome of peace in Ofabo and the entire people of Óma’ódu in Igala land, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Many times, you have used the wealth of your knowledge and wisdom to mobilize the community members to do the unusual in the community, most especially fundraising for the development of the community through lunching.
But, aftermath of your departure all of those things have disappeared so soon and became aliens to the people in the community.
In fact, where can we start from? What about constant cleaning of the community such as market square, schools, primary health care centre just to mention but few.
Today, the story is different, where people parade themselves as leader of the people for selfish gain and self-aggrandizement without having the community development at heart.
Your Highness, when you bade us goodnight, your exit eventually navigate power tussles among your kinsmen.
Who is worthy to succeed you but unfortunately the people that came through back doors are unable to lead their own family well, how much more can they lead the the prestigious community of Ofabo ?
Some of them ignorantly thought Ofabo is an extension of Okagwu so they open up the flood gate of fight for their fathers’ inheritance, what a shame and misplacement of priority?
In our quest to find a selfless leader like you, that will take responsibilities for the past eleven years seems to prove abortive, no one could step-into-your foot print.
When you left for hunting expedition leaving the Ofabo and Óma’ódu in-general in a critical jeopardy of wailing and groaning in the community, because the person that can wear the shoe you removed is yet to be identified.
After eleven years, we are still mourning for the exit of great icon!
For how long can we continue to mourn for the departed hero without finding our feet on the ground?
The fall of an iroko tree is a lucid warning for other trees to be conscious of their lifespan but it does not necessitate an end of the forest.
Kings will come and go but the community must move on.
We notice already that there is a dichotomy in all of these.
This chief was loved by some that feel he has done well and hated by others who think he has not done enough.
The lesson here is that despite this misconception, he was not deterred by presupposition of people about him.
Chief Audu Joel Onoja Ameh-Ocheje, was born September 15, 1889 and passed on to glory December 3, 2009 and finally laid to rest on the 28th December, 2009.
He was such an icon, who did not live any stone unturned and served his community with all commitment and wholeheartedly as a King from 1946 until his death in 2009.
Finally, as we mark the eleven years anniversary of your departure to the land that is fairer than day although, our solace are in the inevitability of death and as the Lord tarry, sooner or later we shall all meet on that beautiful shore to part no more.
Your deeds is like a bell that keeps ringing in our ears daily, and we cannot afford to develop indifference to it as far as our community is concerned!
Prince Ameh-Jr A.A. Ameh-Ocheje
ABU Zaria