~ By Hon. Prince Humphrey Umezulike Onyima Njoku
Surely, every man’s preoccupation in this earth is to sustain his life and to fend off death, to push death away, very far away into eternity; to reach for the gift of Methuselah if it can be reached.
It is therefore this quest for longevity that invests the medical profession with the aura as well as respectability, and reverence with which priests are invested. It is also this quest as well which compels the runaway soldier, the deserter who in spite of his oath to fight and die for fatherland if the need arises, deserts his colleagues in the thick of battle, shoots himself in the leg with his riffle and then renders himself a candidate for the hospital bed; away, and very far away from the theatre of battle.
The deserter hurts himself only sufficiently for him to be able to escape the whining of the flaming bullets at the war front, but never sufficiently for him to die. This is because the very thought of death is a dreaded dream.
For most people here, dying is surely a dreaded option. Even when for them, things may be going just topsy-turvy, when things are tough and rough. A little lean hope illuminates their hearts that if providence stays on their side, things may just turn out right and the dark clouds hovering around will vanish for the brightness of the sun to shine on them once more. For these ones, death is not a physician and, therefore the thought of suicide as a healing balm is completely thrashed out of their thought process. And those who commit suicide do so with the adequate knowledge that the world disapproves of it, and that they are doing so against the first law of nature: the law of self-preservation and against the law of the land.
It is for the same reason that euthanasia, also known as “mercy killing” is still a much debated issue in various countries of the world today. At what particular point must a man be legally killed by his doctors in order to save him? Save him from a slow and painful death?
Much for this similar reasons, abortion have become a controversial issue which has polarized the whole world along pro-abortion and anti-abortion lines, and the bone of contention has been whether life, even the life that is still in its embryo should be terminated and for what particular reason?
The very reasons why this debate may never likely be resolved anytime soon is not just that the world is desirous of upholding the sanctity of life but also that it may be emphasized that life is a treasure and not a trifle.
You must agree with me that life itself is only meaningful by its usefulness, for a useless life is like an early death. But whether life is useless or not, every mortal fears death and death, therefore becomes the killer of the fear of death.
In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar ; Cassius puts it more eloquently: “He that cuts off 20 years of life cuts off so many years of fearing death”.
For many people, the very thought of death is a big time nightmare. Even as they are sleep, wake, walk or work. They hear death flapping its wings ferociously and they become rattled and cringe. The day death flapped its wicked wings into Professor Samuel Ndubuisi’s direction, on Wednesday the 7th of July 2021. The man fought bravely for his dear life, though it was eventually abruptly cut off by wicked assailants!His precious life ticked away in seconds, cut off by the bullets of wicked men along with his dedicated police orderly!!And even as both men lay dead on bare ground, he never knew nor believed that he would die in that very manner, because Prof Sam Ndubuisi has the strongest will to live.
Prof Ndubuisi’s 59 years sourgeon on this earth was wickedly cut off, and death ceased to flap its wicked wings in his study. Little did he know that his death would be such a glorious one, little did he know that people who have never met him before but was deeply touched by him in one way or the other by his numerous philanthropic gestures would show up today and salute his lifeless corpse as it is departing the morgue for his final journey back to eternity.
Little did Prof Sam Ndubuisi know that in the hearts and minds of the people he had crossed path with, he has made impressionable impacts just like a script on the scroll of immortality. Little did he know that the numerous women, men, children and youths from far and near, would write a condolence message bemoaning their fate at the loss of a worthy friend, benefactor, true compatriot and a father.
Little did he know that people from all works of life whom he never met, would come to his humble abode in Enugu to sign condolence register and to shed tears from deep down their hearts, tears enough to sail a boat.Little did he know that countless number of men and women would throng his country home, in the deepest bowel of the country, somewhere in Nigeria to pay their last respect to his lifeless body.
Death could be melancholy, but when death becomes glorious, it is to be envied!
When in the seventies, it was reported that over four million people assembled in Cairo, Egypt to mourn and bid final goodbye to the remains of Gamel abdel Nasser (An Egyptian patriotic Army Officer and former prime minister) the whole world saw it and knew that Gamel died well.
My brother, uncle and worthy compatriot, Professor Sam Ndubuisi died a glorious death. This goes to say that when he was alive, he completely and perfectly performed his rites of passage.By ensuring that he stood up and strived for the things which is going to endure. Those very virtures which will outlive his death and then keep his memory alive like a timeless flame of the morning sunlight.This is exactly the type of rite of passage which blots out the whole difference between living and dying, between the living the dead.
And today, the death of Prof Sam Ndubuisi and his burial has made dying to look beautiful, though we are not calling for it. He was lifted very highly by uncountable hands like a matador who made a heroic accomplishment.He ensured that he stood, lived and strived for things which will endure. The very virtues that are going to outlive his death and keep his memory alive like a timeless flame from the morning sunlight.
This is exactly the type of rite of passage that blots out the whole difference between living and dying.
May I therefore, on behalf of the immediate family of the late Professor Samuel Ndubuisi, the Mgbowo’lese communities and Awgu Local Government Area, hereby humbly plead for the followings:
- The establishment of “SAM NDUBUISI MEMORIAL FOUNDATION” which can carter for the needy and the less privileged whom the late Prof left behind and who are also under his care. To be superintended by the Dr. Mrs. Sam Ndubuisi as the executive Director|Chairperson of the Foundation.
- May I also humbly plead with the Federal Government of Nigeria on behalf of the Mgbowo Communities, to establish a Science, Technology and Innovation related Federal Government Institution in Mgbowo, in memory of the late Prof Sam Ndubuisi.
- Furthermore, may I also humbly plead that the road leading to the Prof Sam Ndubuisi’s house in Mgbowo be included in the national budget for construction by the National Assembly Members from his constituency as part of their constituency development project, and as a mark of honour to our fallen hero who died in active service to the fatherland in the line of duty.
I am Hon. Prince Humphrey Umezulike Onyima Njoku, Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Enugu State on Media And Public Affairs, the Publisher/CEO of Leadership Scorecard Magazine, & the Secretary General, Mgbowo Development Foundation (MDF)
