By Wilfred Eya
On January 23, this year, a truly good man left the world. His name is Honourable Omenkie Lawrence Eya. He was a humanist to the core and believed in one common human family. Late Omenkie protected the weak, took up other people’s fights and gave succour to the oppressed. All those who came across him when he was alive could attest to his rare overflowing milk of human kindness.
His life captures the story of an elephant and the six blind men. The parable is that of a group of blind men who had never come across an elephant before but imagined what the elephant was like by touching it. Each blind man felt a different part of the elephant’s body. Touching the side of the huge animal, one perceived the elephant as a wall; the other described it as a giant snake by touching the limber trunk, and another blind man by feeling the elephant’s pointed tusk, concluded the animal was as deadly as a spear.
Yet, the fourth touched one of the elephant’s four legs, describing it as a large cow while the fifth felt the elephant’s giant ear and perceived it as a huge fan; the sixth blind man gave a tug on the elephant’s coarse tail and concluded it was not more than a piece of old rope.
The above is the story of Omenkie Eya, the true reincarnate of Gab Aana Eya. Every person has a different story to tell about this bold, fearless, assertive, courageous but gentle man. Omenkie was a philanthropist par excellence. He wished everyone well and always offered his shoulder for all to lean on.
I recall one particular morning in 1977 when I was asked to see our principal then in Ekposhi Boys Secondary school after the day’s assembly. I was in Secondary Class One then. Fear was all over me because such invitation to the principal’s office then was not usually an auspicious gesture. But mine was different as Omenkie who was in faraway Maiduguri as a Construction worker then had sent me a letter with 20 Naira enclosed in it. Don’t ask me the value of 20 Naira then. It was a huge amount then for my upkeep as a ‘Boarding house’ student. The joy of receiving that letter and money will remain in my memory till eternity. In that letter, he wrote only three paragraphs encouraging me to be committed to my studies. He informed me that some of us in secondary school then were lucky unlike him who did not have the opportunity to further his education beyond Standard Six despite his interest and enthusiasm for further studies. That letter was a treasure to me until I lost it over 20 years after.
He was a mentor to many youths. In 2002, he called me when I was a young correspondent with Champion Newspapers in Ebonyi State and asked me to come home and start building my country home in a particular portion of the family land. He told me that I was the fit and proper person to build in that portion. I told him that I wasn’t financially prepared for that and did not care about the particular portion of land he wanted me to build on. We quarreled over it, as I thought in my naivety that he was putting undue pressure on me. But as a man of very strong convictions, he sustained his pressure on me until I started that building. That is Omenkie for you. He was a philosopher who never gave up on what he believed in.
Memories! He worked briefly in Enugu during my University days and I recall that his one room apartment in Zik Avenue then was like a family house for the Eyas and all those connected to us. Indeed, the room was open to all, and was a handy shelter for all those who needed some kind of assistance. He happily provided for all without complaints. Omenkie was a man who never said no to any request.
His wife’s kitchen was like a free public restaurant throughout his lifetime. Omenkie’s compound, until his death, served as a village square where people usually gathered to make merry and enjoy themselves on a daily basis. In some of those instances, passersby thought the Eyas were holding an event or party. He was really a jolly good fellow and his house was indeed, a rendezvous for fun and merriment.
My memories of this icon and legend are inexhaustible. Omenkie, as you join our ancestors, tell them, particularly our dad, Gab Aana Eya that the love and unity they established and which you sustained in our family, will continue to flourish. Our mentor, as you leave us on this divide, our promise is to ensure that all those virtues of love for family and humanity which you held dear, are sustained. The candle you lit in Gab Eya’s family will continue to glow. We love you and you shall forever remain in our hearts. Our consolation is that you fought a good fight and left a good name we are all proud of. Adieu, the man of the people and father of the oppressed, till we meet on Resurrection Morning.
