Remembering Sir Norbert Mbaegbu (Onowu Ozubulu)
DR UCHE NWORAH
The news of the passing of Sir Norbert Mbaegbu, Eze Iju and Onowu Ozubulu, to the great beyond took everyone by surprise. Sir Nob as he was fondly called was a man of the people. It was Ngozi the younger sister that called me from London to break the sad news. She was sobbing uncontrollably over the phone.
I have known the Mbaegbus since the 1980s as we all grew up in Aba. Clement who we called ‘Dogo’ was my school mate in IMT Enugu before we both went to the University of Uyo. We were roommates in an off – campus residence along Udo Abasi street.
I remember one hilarious event that occurred back then. Clement had sent word through a 3rd party to Sir Nob in Aba that he was very sick and needed some money in school to pay hospital bills.
We never knew that Sir Nob will take the SOS seriously. We thought that he will just send the money through the person. To our greatest surprise, on this particular day, we did not go to school and were at home playing card games. The card games went on for a long time and none of us had showered or even eaten. As the game was going on, we heard a slight knock on the door. When the door was opened, it was Sir Nob standing there. He had gone to the University campus to look for Clement and someone directed him to our house. There were no mobile phones then.
We felt like disappearing into thin air as Sir Nob had caught us in the act. Clement himself was as confused as I was not knowing what to say or which action to take next.
I was the first person to come out from the room, followed by Clement. The rest of the guys had stayed back in the room. Sir Nob simply smiled and stepped back. I heard him say to himself, ”The motherf*cker is not sick. He needs some money”, referring to Clement.
Sir Nob was a man of the people and pillar of his native Ozubulu community.
He will be missed and may his soul rest in peace, Amen.
I sympathize with his immediate family especially my friends, Sir JudeLachas, Clement and Ngozi.
