Forever In Our Hearts: ALAMCO The Great!!!

AMB. GODKNOWS BOLADEI IGALI

The phone call on that Ill-fated day from Bello Bina and Kakas, like an expensive April Day illusion, wailed “Uncle come urgently to UPTH, Oga has fallen, Uncle, we are confused. Come“.

Fortunately, ARIK 3pm Flight, of 10th October, 2015, was yet to shut its doors. With no checked in luggage, allowed me hop out, got off the aircraft and headed to Choba. In 30 minutes met the shock of the ages. There lied the gigantuan DSP, lieing lifeless, his big frame dwarfing the hospital bed! Na lie!! The hero of the Ijo nation, the igbirigbi keme had left us.

Yet, I was not allowed to wail or scream the ‘kule’ of this Olotu of Olotus.
Then comes, Prince Opus whispering “we can’t shout or cry loud because Mummy is on the other side of this screen. She doesn’t yet know”. Then came the Matron of the hospital ward with bandages to wrapped him up. Intrinsically I held her hand, protesting in hushed tone “stop it, do you know what you are doing, do you know who this man is? Stop wrapping him up, I beg!” Totally unrelenting, she replied with teary eyes, “I am an Okrika woman, Sir. Ijaw like you. He’s my father. But we have to move him away. It’s all over”. Then came my namesake, Godknows “Sir, we want to move to Ashes to Ashes” Apooo!!!

As I turned to the other side of this hospital screen were, son Victor and Mummy Magareth, the Mother of the Ijaw nation, wired up to all manners of medical monitors, oblivious of the happening few meters, came the passionate plea of a caring wife: “thank God you are here. Please call everybody, get air ambulance and move daddy out immediately. My spirit is restless. Have you seen him, how is he?”.

THE REST THEY SAY IS HISTORY.

Today we remember you 7 years as if it’s last night.
Continue to rest in peace, bunaowei!