THE FINAL BOW
THE FINAL BOW
(THE BIOGRAPHY OF LATE SIR THEOPHILUS IKE OBI.)
PRINCESS OBI
Sir, Theophilus Ike Obi was born into the family of Mr Micheal Obi of okoro Ihekanze in Umulolo Umuehie,Anara Isiala-Mbano of Imo State through his union by marriage to Mrs Theresa Ajurucheri Nwosuzu of Umu Udo, also in Anara, Isiala Mbano,Imo state. His mother,not having the benefit of western education, used to recall that his birthday was the day “chi jiri ehihe ji" (that is the day night fall at noon) in reference to the total eclipse of the sun in 1947. As his day of birth was phenomenal so did his entire life. He was basically a man whose life story would symbolise the struggle between darkness and light, justice and injustice, resignation and determination to, not only survive but thrive against all odds.
And to his credit, like the great Mandela of South Africa, he lived a life that resonated with his conviction that even a life long experience as a victim of conspiracy against the truth, fair hearing and fair treatment; ingratitude and dishonour, are not sufficient grounds to drive one towards darkness. So he became the embodiment of endurance of ingratitude, slander and blackmail. As well as the embodiment of wisdom gained by passing through the furnace of betrayals, emotional fire storms and forgiveness. He endeavoured to see that the darkness of unforgiveness, bitterness and vengeance did not consume his soul. He would always say, ‘Chineke nwe ikpe, “judgement belongs to God"
Education and Training in Craft
His education came to abrupt end in standard six after the demise of his young father. He would go on to train as a heavy truck mechanic in Port Harcourt. At the outbreak of Nigerian Civil, he voluntarily enlisted in defence of Biafara.
After the Civil war, young Theophilus found his base in Aba, where his industry would be tested and proven. Over years he rose to become a reputed heavy motor mechanic, transport company owner and distributor of products such as vita form, coca cola etc. But his legacy lies in his conviction that as many people as possible, particularly from his immediate community and its environs, should benefit from his skill. As such, he practically had at least one person, from every family in his “okoro" either living with him and receiving training under him or receiving paid salary from him. If he made any grievous mistake in business, it was occasioned by his tenderness and unyielding inclination to staff his businesses with people he principally wanted to help out of poverty rather than people who would build up his businesses to greater height. For that, he suffered much but never stopped trying to help the less privileged. Not long before his death, despite being terminally ill, he headed to market to buy a sawing machine for a widow's daughter. His hope was to surprise the little girl on his next trip to the village. He didn't make it home. But the sewing machine did. That was his wish.
His Achievements
Family. What greater achievements can a man have than a peaceful home and well behaved children? Sir T.I. Obi endeavoured to raise his children to be hard working responsible members of the society both by his personal admonitions, life modelling and provision of quality education for them. That has enabled them to flourish in various fields of endeavour. He endeavoured, even when he met with hard times, to provide adequately for nine children. He constantly admonished his children to shun FRAUD(419), be contented and wise, insisting that ‘nwa nwagweh’ must have ‘akonauche' ( that is, ‘the child of the poor must be wise’).
Though it was tough and sometimes heart breaking, he did all he could to see that his extended family unit remained one according to the wishes of his late mother. As such his siblings always flocked around him. He was their voice and defence as well as their father, a role he assumed at a very tender age. He endeavoured, as the first son in Obi's family, to see that all of his siblings were trained in one craft or the other for them to be meaningfully engaged for a productive life. For some of them, he took it upon himself to educate, raise and position their children for better life.
Community
Anara. Sir T.I obi would be remembered as the voice of conscience, the lone voice crying in the wilderness for fairness, justice and a stand on the side of truth. During the celebrated Anara crisis, he stood out like a lone tree in the wilderness from his own community and was looked upon as a soar thumb because he insisted that umuehie must stand with the rest of Anara for a just cause. His position would later be vindicated. As a mamatte of protest against the bastardization of the noble criteria for appointment of chiefs in Igboland, he rejected the offer of chieftancy titles and choice to dedicate his energy to seeking and promoting community good without the benefit of public recognition. Thus he worked toward the actualization of the vision for a strong and united Anara at home and abroad. He served both Anara town Union and Anara Club at various times in different leadership positions at various times.
Umuehie. Sir T. Obi contributed to the development of Umuehie in various ways. The most important being the empowerment of several youths with motor mechanic skills which he hoped would enable them to succeed in life like he did. He enabled many of them who trained under him to establish their own businesses. He was a member of the group that initiated the vision of bringing electricity to Umuehie and was a member of the committee that worked very hard for its actualization. He had a strong desire to see every household enjoy electricity so he decided to provide electricity with generator for several homes at umulolo whenever he returned to the village.
Till death he remained the people's counsellor, the widow's helper and the hope of the fatherless. A young man cried at the news of his death, “who do I turn to for counsel?” He recalled a rather sad experience he had once when he desprately needed counsel and Sir, T.I Obi was not around to hear him out. “I left our house in rage,’ he recalled. ‘I needed someone to talk to that night, the young man said, ‘I walked all the way to the community square, all the while scaning in my mind for someone I could go to in Sir T.I. Obi's absence. I gave up the futile effort and returned home with my pain.” An example bears out his heart for widows and the fatherless as demonstrated shortly before his death. Though very sick, he managed to get to market with one of his daughters to personally select and buy a sewing machine for a widow's child in hope he would carry it back to village on his next trip. As ealier said, the sewing machine made it to the village without him.
An aged woman,at the news of his demise, cried, “wisdom is gone."
Efforts at Holy Rosary Catholic Church Umuehie
Sir T.I Obi was not just an ordinary parishioner. He practically relocated from Aba to Umuehie because of his involvement in the parish. In recognition of his endeavours for the development of the church and the building up the family unit, he was given the respected ‘Ezinna' title. He is the first Catholic knight produced by Umuehie. He was knighted in 2001 as a Knight of St. Mulumba where he rose to the third degree, awaiting his investiture into the fourth degree come July 2019. But alas, death.
He was the chairman of the Christian Men's Organization(CMO) in his parish. He was also the Parish Pastoral Council Chairman.
Business
Though later in life he fell on hard times, he established T.I. Obi and Sons Enterprises. But most people will remember him as excellent Toyota truck Mechanic in Aba and owner of ‘Trust in God motors' which had a fleet of haulage trucks and Tippers. He enaged also in distribution and sale of vita foam and coca cola products.
Alaoji Mechanic Village Aba
Being one of the pioneers motor mechanics relocated by the government from Port Harcourt road to the Alaoji, along Aba-Port Harcourt Express, he remained in the struggle for the recovery of portions of the government approved land which was fraudulently frequently taken back by the original owners. His desire was to see the end of the court case and the return of the annexed portions to their rightful owners as approved and apportioned by the government.
Conclusion
How does one conclude what has been, by human design, determined to be inconclusive? We have only one hope that conclusion will come someday.“It shall come to pass" as it inevitably will on that day:
When honour will be given to who honour is due;
When justice and fairness will rain and reign over the entire land and;
When wisdom is placed far above all riches and earthly possessions and attainments.
When contentment will swallow up envy, jealousy and malice.
Yes! We say yes to that day when:
Gratitude will no more be a scarse commodity. When ‘thank you' will not be so expensive or out-of-stock.
Yes that day shall come when gratitude shall fill the earth with praise, adoration and thanksgiving to the all wise God, for doing all things well and for planning our lives and that of many others, in such a way that Sir Theophilus Ike Obi was allowed to play vital roles that contributed to the actualization of our destinies.
That day will come when Jesus Christ shall return for all who put their total confidence in him for their salvation.
Even so, Come LORD JESUS! Maranatha!
Signed
Kennedy Obi(Dip.Theo.,B Sc.,MA,)
PhD scholar,
Linguistic and Communication Studies
University of Port Harcourt
Rivers State
Nigeria
Email: Kennedy_obi@uniport.edu.ng
Phone: +234 803 529 1667
Lead Pastor
Supreme Love Chapel
a.k.a
Ever-increasing Glory International Ministry,
132 Jakpa Road, Warri,
Delta State, Nigeria.
(THE BIOGRAPHY OF LATE SIR THEOPHILUS IKE OBI.)
PRINCESS OBI
Sir, Theophilus Ike Obi was born into the family of Mr Micheal Obi of okoro Ihekanze in Umulolo Umuehie,Anara Isiala-Mbano of Imo State through his union by marriage to Mrs Theresa Ajurucheri Nwosuzu of Umu Udo, also in Anara, Isiala Mbano,Imo state. His mother,not having the benefit of western education, used to recall that his birthday was the day “chi jiri ehihe ji" (that is the day night fall at noon) in reference to the total eclipse of the sun in 1947. As his day of birth was phenomenal so did his entire life. He was basically a man whose life story would symbolise the struggle between darkness and light, justice and injustice, resignation and determination to, not only survive but thrive against all odds.
And to his credit, like the great Mandela of South Africa, he lived a life that resonated with his conviction that even a life long experience as a victim of conspiracy against the truth, fair hearing and fair treatment; ingratitude and dishonour, are not sufficient grounds to drive one towards darkness. So he became the embodiment of endurance of ingratitude, slander and blackmail. As well as the embodiment of wisdom gained by passing through the furnace of betrayals, emotional fire storms and forgiveness. He endeavoured to see that the darkness of unforgiveness, bitterness and vengeance did not consume his soul. He would always say, ‘Chineke nwe ikpe, “judgement belongs to God"
Education and Training in Craft
His education came to abrupt end in standard six after the demise of his young father. He would go on to train as a heavy truck mechanic in Port Harcourt. At the outbreak of Nigerian Civil, he voluntarily enlisted in defence of Biafara.
After the Civil war, young Theophilus found his base in Aba, where his industry would be tested and proven. Over years he rose to become a reputed heavy motor mechanic, transport company owner and distributor of products such as vita form, coca cola etc. But his legacy lies in his conviction that as many people as possible, particularly from his immediate community and its environs, should benefit from his skill. As such, he practically had at least one person, from every family in his “okoro" either living with him and receiving training under him or receiving paid salary from him. If he made any grievous mistake in business, it was occasioned by his tenderness and unyielding inclination to staff his businesses with people he principally wanted to help out of poverty rather than people who would build up his businesses to greater height. For that, he suffered much but never stopped trying to help the less privileged. Not long before his death, despite being terminally ill, he headed to market to buy a sawing machine for a widow's daughter. His hope was to surprise the little girl on his next trip to the village. He didn't make it home. But the sewing machine did. That was his wish.
His Achievements
Family. What greater achievements can a man have than a peaceful home and well behaved children? Sir T.I. Obi endeavoured to raise his children to be hard working responsible members of the society both by his personal admonitions, life modelling and provision of quality education for them. That has enabled them to flourish in various fields of endeavour. He endeavoured, even when he met with hard times, to provide adequately for nine children. He constantly admonished his children to shun FRAUD(419), be contented and wise, insisting that ‘nwa nwagweh’ must have ‘akonauche' ( that is, ‘the child of the poor must be wise’).
Though it was tough and sometimes heart breaking, he did all he could to see that his extended family unit remained one according to the wishes of his late mother. As such his siblings always flocked around him. He was their voice and defence as well as their father, a role he assumed at a very tender age. He endeavoured, as the first son in Obi's family, to see that all of his siblings were trained in one craft or the other for them to be meaningfully engaged for a productive life. For some of them, he took it upon himself to educate, raise and position their children for better life.
Community
Anara. Sir T.I obi would be remembered as the voice of conscience, the lone voice crying in the wilderness for fairness, justice and a stand on the side of truth. During the celebrated Anara crisis, he stood out like a lone tree in the wilderness from his own community and was looked upon as a soar thumb because he insisted that umuehie must stand with the rest of Anara for a just cause. His position would later be vindicated. As a mamatte of protest against the bastardization of the noble criteria for appointment of chiefs in Igboland, he rejected the offer of chieftancy titles and choice to dedicate his energy to seeking and promoting community good without the benefit of public recognition. Thus he worked toward the actualization of the vision for a strong and united Anara at home and abroad. He served both Anara town Union and Anara Club at various times in different leadership positions at various times.
Umuehie. Sir T. Obi contributed to the development of Umuehie in various ways. The most important being the empowerment of several youths with motor mechanic skills which he hoped would enable them to succeed in life like he did. He enabled many of them who trained under him to establish their own businesses. He was a member of the group that initiated the vision of bringing electricity to Umuehie and was a member of the committee that worked very hard for its actualization. He had a strong desire to see every household enjoy electricity so he decided to provide electricity with generator for several homes at umulolo whenever he returned to the village.
Till death he remained the people's counsellor, the widow's helper and the hope of the fatherless. A young man cried at the news of his death, “who do I turn to for counsel?” He recalled a rather sad experience he had once when he desprately needed counsel and Sir, T.I Obi was not around to hear him out. “I left our house in rage,’ he recalled. ‘I needed someone to talk to that night, the young man said, ‘I walked all the way to the community square, all the while scaning in my mind for someone I could go to in Sir T.I. Obi's absence. I gave up the futile effort and returned home with my pain.” An example bears out his heart for widows and the fatherless as demonstrated shortly before his death. Though very sick, he managed to get to market with one of his daughters to personally select and buy a sewing machine for a widow's child in hope he would carry it back to village on his next trip. As ealier said, the sewing machine made it to the village without him.
An aged woman,at the news of his demise, cried, “wisdom is gone."
Efforts at Holy Rosary Catholic Church Umuehie
Sir T.I Obi was not just an ordinary parishioner. He practically relocated from Aba to Umuehie because of his involvement in the parish. In recognition of his endeavours for the development of the church and the building up the family unit, he was given the respected ‘Ezinna' title. He is the first Catholic knight produced by Umuehie. He was knighted in 2001 as a Knight of St. Mulumba where he rose to the third degree, awaiting his investiture into the fourth degree come July 2019. But alas, death.
He was the chairman of the Christian Men's Organization(CMO) in his parish. He was also the Parish Pastoral Council Chairman.
Business
Though later in life he fell on hard times, he established T.I. Obi and Sons Enterprises. But most people will remember him as excellent Toyota truck Mechanic in Aba and owner of ‘Trust in God motors' which had a fleet of haulage trucks and Tippers. He enaged also in distribution and sale of vita foam and coca cola products.
Alaoji Mechanic Village Aba
Being one of the pioneers motor mechanics relocated by the government from Port Harcourt road to the Alaoji, along Aba-Port Harcourt Express, he remained in the struggle for the recovery of portions of the government approved land which was fraudulently frequently taken back by the original owners. His desire was to see the end of the court case and the return of the annexed portions to their rightful owners as approved and apportioned by the government.
Conclusion
How does one conclude what has been, by human design, determined to be inconclusive? We have only one hope that conclusion will come someday.“It shall come to pass" as it inevitably will on that day:
When honour will be given to who honour is due;
When justice and fairness will rain and reign over the entire land and;
When wisdom is placed far above all riches and earthly possessions and attainments.
When contentment will swallow up envy, jealousy and malice.
Yes! We say yes to that day when:
Gratitude will no more be a scarse commodity. When ‘thank you' will not be so expensive or out-of-stock.
Yes that day shall come when gratitude shall fill the earth with praise, adoration and thanksgiving to the all wise God, for doing all things well and for planning our lives and that of many others, in such a way that Sir Theophilus Ike Obi was allowed to play vital roles that contributed to the actualization of our destinies.
That day will come when Jesus Christ shall return for all who put their total confidence in him for their salvation.
Even so, Come LORD JESUS! Maranatha!
Signed
Kennedy Obi(Dip.Theo.,B Sc.,MA,)
PhD scholar,
Linguistic and Communication Studies
University of Port Harcourt
Rivers State
Nigeria
Email: Kennedy_obi@uniport.edu.ng
Phone: +234 803 529 1667
Lead Pastor
Supreme Love Chapel
a.k.a
Ever-increasing Glory International Ministry,
132 Jakpa Road, Warri,
Delta State, Nigeria.
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