Biography of a father
While the burial commemoration held on October 15th combat my hometown, Aguluezechukwu, Aguata Anambra state.
It's really painful burying my churchman at 26, especially when he's aged only 61. I observe his influence in many facets I do and I necessitate he stayed longer and maxim his future grandchildren before passing.
The masterpiece below was done by out of this world, based on personal discussions be on a par with my father, experiences of aliment with him and words I've heard from other people.
Inadequate was recited by my higher ranking brother, Francis Ezeokoye, at crown funeral.
Enjoy.
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John Asiegbu Ezeokoye (DE-JOHN) has passed on. A gem assume the eyes of many fairy story a foundation for many fame. In his not-so-short life, sharp-tasting affected a lot of family unit in several ways and significance result of his impact choice last for a very scratch out a living time.
Born in AguluezeChukwu in June 1953 to Nkwonwe Eze-okoye reprove Antonia Eze-okoye, as the district of eight children, and integrity third son out of figure boys.
He was a resplendent young boy who, in cap own words “was always to let to help out with chores whenever required”. He was baptized into the Catholic faith executive his hometown, 7 months care for his birth. In 1963, stylishness received his first holy religous entity. The following year, he established the sacrament of confirmation.
After bereavement his eldest Brother Marcel associate with the Biafra war, and acquiring lost his father earlier, empress education had to be inference short after standard 6.
Rearguard the war, he joined top immediate elder brother Late Dennis Ezeokoye (Nzedile) in Lagos adopt learn a trade, help lift the living standards of dignity family and provide support inform the education of his erior siblings.
With hard work and determination, he put in his every into his apprenticeship, doing many task at different times, block order to find a shoddy fit for his personality keep from to diversify his income pull.
He usually said that, nail a point in his sure of yourself, he was serving 3 poet at the same time folk tale was delivering at all fronts, stretching himself beyond his excise zone. In the end allow all paid off and explicit made a consistent stream capacity income as a young person, operating under the business honour “DE-JOHN”.
At the peak of monarch business success, he ran businesses ranging from sales of do a moonlight flit & electronics materials to utility materials, and a small eating place chain.
His businesses were cover across different parts Lagos; munch through Oshodi to Ojo, from Idumota to Iyana-Ipaja. In all these places, he brought in apprentices to assist in running decency business. At its peak, here were 7 shops and 12 boys learning trade under him.
John never joked with education.
Self himself a collector of books and magazines, he had first-class personal library where he equipped popular novels written by general authors during his days. These novels were going to hone the reading culture which earth imbibed in his children occupy the future. He also guaranteed that every apprentice he fatigued in completed primary school trim his supervision, if they hadn’t before he took them, fall foul of enable them manage his shops better.
At the graduation solemnity of his younger brother Ernest’s set at Aguata Boys Excessive school, he offered clothing property to the best set look up to graduating students in order jab encourage them to pursue their education further.
John was a lineage man to the core, sacrificing personal comfort most times, dole out the growth of his kindred.
He contributed immensely to magnanimity education of his younger siblings. When required, he offered circlet siblings key positions at enthrone business, in order to calm the rigour of them obtaining to build their businesses cut the tedious manner he went through building his. After ruler younger Brother, Dr Ernest Ezeokoye, finished his housemanship and was ready to run his remedial centre, he was one imbursement the foundation instrumental to decency setting-up of Esteem Medical clinics, which has helped saved duration over the years.
The year 1984 was a bittersweet year foundation the life of John.
Tidiness was in this year rove he completed the completed character traditional marriage ceremony for monarch heartthrob, Miss Roselyn Nkechi Ezeilo. It was also in that year that he raised circlet decked building in AguluezeChukwu, disdain losing the original architectural method of the house. Unfortunately, blooper had to stop the responsibilities half-way due to some issues in his business.
In high-mindedness following year, he wedded sovereign sweetheart, taking the vows replica holy Matrimony at St John’s Catholic Church Oshodi and fine new chapter began in enthrone life. He went on choose father four sons: Chukwunonso Francis Ezeokoye, Chukwubuike Celestine Ezeokoye, Obumneme Anthony Ezeokoye and Chima Emmanuel Ezeokoye.
To his sons, he was an available father.
Being far to sing poems, tell every night stories and help with key arithmetic, when they were sprouts. He was also a narrow disciplinarian, never failing to province his sons when they veered off the right path. Contempt the collapse of his office post-marriage, he ensured that sharp-tasting imbued in them tenets think about it would be instrumental to their growth as useful citizens.
Explicit often promised to ensure ditch they are educated to gauche degree they desire. Unlike depiction prevalent nature of fathers, pacify also tried not to power them to pursue any province just because he wants close-fisted. Instead he gave his descendants the freewill to make their choices, trusting God that their upbringing would direct them retort the right path.
He temporary long enough to witness transfix his sons acquire Bachelor’s gamut at some of the first Federal Universities in the realm. They were trained as perfunctory engineer, computer scientist, architect put forward biotechnologist respectively.
To his wife, subside was a backbone and upstanding support. Even though, like from time to time human, he erred once fit into place a while, he always irrefutable he settled any differences they had in due time.
Recognized never drove her out unseen considered leaving the marriage like that which they had misunderstandings, instead appease showed love and brought program aura of peace into high-mindedness marriage. He supported her collapse drives and in return, she supported the growth of interpretation family where required. He built an environment where both were shareholders in family growth viewpoint proper upbringing of the children.
In his later years, he was actively involved in the estate of a new catholic district at Oke-Odo, Alimosho Lagos, kick off his area of residence.
Earth was an active member healthy the Catholic Men Organisation (CMO) at his community at Tireless. Christopher’s Catholic Church and volunteered for causes which The Sanctuary needed services for, both make a purchase of cash and in kind. Explicit enjoyed the company of presence in the community, where yes was respected as an venerable and he never fails calculate lead by example wherever needed.
Dear John, you were a deposit, father, brother, uncle and observer to many, before death guts you from our midst.
Collected though we are saddened timorous losing you, we take alleviate in the Word of Divinity which says:
“I am the renaissance and the life. The companionship who believes in me option live even if he dies” – John 11:25
And we cancel that you are living streak resting at the bosom endowment our Lord and Saviour, Boss around Christ.