The Last Crusade of an Icon

By Chukwuemerie Anyene

‘Ada Anyene, ndewo!’ filled the air, as Late Ma Chizoba Anyene, in burgeoning lyrics, arrived Ubaha Ndiowu, her native land. It was the last crusade of an icon. Band was beating, songs came with trumpet! To most people, it would never be well with death for taking the selfless woman away from them. Well meaning Nigerians, in-laws, villagers and indigenes of the community, came in their number to console, pay condolence, and show solidarity to the bereaved family.

As a devout Christian, Late Ma Chizoba was interested in building homes. Her great work on earth was not forgotten. People from all walks of life testified about the strides she made on earth, and spoke through her blaze of glory. The deceased had a very good relationship with people.

Heart broke, tears flowed, as she was finally laid to rest at Maazi Osita Anyene’s residence also known as Chief Uchenna Anyene’s place. Chizoba, 65, died at Eldorado Multi Specialist Hospital, Awka, after a protracted illness.

Meanwhile, Akajiofor of the Anyene family who based in United States, Christian Emeka Anyene, had galvanised the family in Chizoba’s homegoing. “May the Lord grant Chizoba’s soul eternal rest. May He watch over us all,” the Akajiofor prayed.

Another member of the family, Chukwuemerie Anyene, a nephew to Late Chizoba, was moved with tears, as he looked at his Late Aunt, motionless. “What the heart can take this? Those we love… those we hold dear!” he felt sad.

In his sermon, the Preacher from Fear of God Evangelical Mission, Onitsha, Pastor Isaiah, saw the icon as a peaceful and virtuous woman, praying God to comfort the Anyene family. He further bore testimony that Late Ma Chizoba’s life confirmed she would definitely make heaven. According to him, the virtuous woman was the person that brought them to Ndiowu.

His homily later shifted to repentance. Referring to one of the plates of Bishop of Amichi Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt Rev’d Ephraim Ikeakor, titled ‘Dangerous inheritance,’ he called on the approbate mind to stop worshipping idols. The man of God stressed that the gift of idols was a dangerous inheritance.

“You say that Christianity is nothing but a white man’s faith. Do not be deceived, when trouble sets in you still run to Jesus. If you believe, you will be delivered. It’s not about wealth, money, buildings. All false witness will go to hell fire.

“The most important thing is for man to repent. If you like be 300years, you’re going somewhere. Time is coming when you will leave money, building and children, to meet God face to face. You will give account of your life on earth. How many times have you look after the sick, solve other’s problems, or preach to people” he asked.

Recall that Anyene family, often observed 7th June as the day of remembrance day for one of foremost philanthropists, Late Barr Onyeka Anyene; who departed with all his family in Dana plane crash of 2012. The scholarship he gave to numerous students and the messanic roles he played, made people to see him as a saint, all over the world. One of his beneficiaries, Chukwuemerie Anyene, dedicated his first novel, ‘Sorry Situation’ to hiim. He also wrote a poem titled ‘Reminiscence’ to immortalise him.

This journey of hundred miles
Where is the destination?
Coming and going these planting seasons
I call you great
The unimaginable has happened
No one to fire guns for Uncle
No one to wail for Aunty
He’s not there for them either
She followed suit
They went together
With kids too tender
And now live in our mind

I feel bad
My heart bleeds with blood
When I clean, it will go
The blood of sorrow
The sorrow of bitterness
The bitterness of whole lost
I once saw a pupil saying:
“The one who shared books to us”
B.F.C Anyene Centre for Learning
In memory of Benjamin
Brother to Charles and Emmanuel
Sons in one Anyene

The throbs of teeming millions
Over scholarship scheme
The fate of undergraduates
Hope is shattered
Anticipation hanged
Uniform stand still
Your tailor is still
Who can wake the tailor?
To continue where he stopped
We cannot make the sun stand still
But we can make him run
Through thus we immortalize them
Not enough to use pen only

Dad and mum
Is Onyeka and Maimuna
Coz and children are
Kamsi
Kayna/Kayne
Noah
Live forever!

On his late father, Maazi Osita Anyene, who could not bear the loss and also died a year after, the poet, Chukwuemerie, wrote another poem titled, ‘Friendly Dad.’

How would I believe the silent voices?
I know, I don’t know
Remembering and forgetting
Shadows of the world appear
Dad was on a mission to Lagos
To salvage Ndiowu community
On 14th January, 1999
On returning, a road mishap occurred in Benin
Among the passengers, only dad was alive
Though not without sustaining multiple fracture
Ever since, dad had been abed

There were times we regretted
A hard and bitter agony we had of it
Like Death, our death
Some friends and acquaintances deserted
Some relations sleeping in snatches
Doctors in confusion
Nurses became helpless
And children in dire need of dad’s recovery

That reminds me of National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu
And the theater
Where dad had undergone 14 operations
Expectations were not to be
The unimaginable has happened
On 15th July, 2013
The day slated for my degree exam
(Examination which would not hold as ASUU were on strike)
Was the day dad departed
Could it be dream? Hallucination? A distortion of fact?
Or a story yet untold?
I asked no one in particular

It seemed that out of dream I escaped
And I probed dad with piteous recognition
In fixed eyes
Lifting my distressful hands as if to wave
Then my eyes once closed were opened
By his silence I knew our great loss
And by his dead silence, I knew we have lost
What the heart can take all these?
My heart bled with blood
When I cleaned, it would not go
The blood of sorrow
The sorrow of bitterness
The bitterness occasioned by restful cries

The road all runner came
A road all runners went
House of house
House of want
Jealous dead, dad lives in our mind
Ositadimma electrical enterprise
Was dad’s business venture
This, more and all
Dad gave to the extended family
To the community
A larger society
And to the children
He never spared the rod
In line with the biblical injunctions

Dad,
Since it was you who
In all these thin seasons
Was a man of peace, integrity, generosity
May you have rest in the bosom of our Lord
Jesus Christ
We miss you dearly
Live forever!