By Emmanuel Chinonso Emmanuel
Many times we wait until a friend has died to tell the world what a wonderful
person they were, and I‟m just as guilty as the next person about that. I write
this with great sadness over the unimaginable loss of a rising „star‟ someone I
considered to be a young man touched by God Himself.
I logged onto whatsapp in on Wednesday 27th of June, 2018 time was 11:45am.
While I was on whatsapp I saw something wrong, dreadfully wrong. A mutual
friend of ours had just uploaded his picture as an update with a caption „Rest in
peace‟. I said to myself “this is impossible, it can‟t be…”
Onyedika was far too young to be dead, only in his mid 20s. I asked our mutual
friend what had happened and she said he was involved in a car accident while
driving thereby confirming my worst fears. I dropped my phone in the next few
seconds tears came down my eyes.
Meeting Onyedika
Onyedika and I met as back in 2011, in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. I
was in 100level Sciences he was in 200level Engineering. Because he and I
were not in the same faculty we didn‟t formally meet until the following year,
2012.
I was in a friend‟s room who happened to be in the same faculty as him, this
friend‟s name was Chidozie [nick name Dosky]. As at that time the room was
where I could go and chill, chat, watch movies, collect movies and play video
games. Onyedika was in the room that evening and watching a movie when I
came to join them and that was when our friendship started.
Staying In Touch
Throughout the university, we were in touch and our friendship grew from
being a friend of my friend‟s to being my friend. I addressed him as Engineer
while he called me Sylar [ he actally never got the pronunciation as he kept
telling me to change the name but still he never stop calling me Sylar]. In my
final year He thought me certain things I know about Microsoft office and also
helped me stop my laptop from being damaged by a beverage drink that poured
on the keyboard. We both graduated together because unlike him I read a 4
years course.
After graduation due to social media we were still in touch and this year 2018
we spoke twice on phone. He called to hear from me and because he needed
help with getting his transcript from the University of which my Younger
Brother was going to assist him in obtaining. The second time he called was in
the month of May, 2018. He told me certain things about himself; I said to
myself I am beginning to have friends in high places. I didn‟t know this day
would so soon.
Remembering Onyedika
The comfort of having a friend may be taken away, but not that of having had
one. I want to close with a brief tribute to my friend Onyedika, who died far too
young and with much brightness ahead of him. If I were to see him now , this is
what I would tell him;
Many times we wait until a friend has died to tell the world what a wonderful
person they were, and I‟m just as guilty as the next person about that. I write
this with great sadness over the unimaginable loss of a rising „star‟ someone I
considered to be a young man touched by God Himself.
I logged onto whatsapp in on Wednesday 27th of June, 2018 time was 11:45am.
While I was on whatsapp I saw something wrong, dreadfully wrong. A mutual
friend of ours had just uploaded his picture as an update with a caption „Rest in
peace‟. I said to myself “this is impossible, it can‟t be…”
Onyedika was far too young to be dead, only in his mid 20s. I asked our mutual
friend what had happened and she said he was involved in a car accident while
driving thereby confirming my worst fears. I dropped my phone in the next few
seconds tears came down my eyes.
Meeting Onyedika
Onyedika and I met as back in 2011, in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. I
was in 100level Sciences he was in 200level Engineering. Because he and I
were not in the same faculty we didn‟t formally meet until the following year,
2012.
I was in a friend‟s room who happened to be in the same faculty as him, this
friend‟s name was Chidozie [nick name Dosky]. As at that time the room was
where I could go and chill, chat, watch movies, collect movies and play video
games. Onyedika was in the room that evening and watching a movie when I
came to join them and that was when our friendship started.
Staying In Touch
Throughout the university, we were in touch and our friendship grew from
being a friend of my friend‟s to being my friend. I addressed him as Engineer
while he called me Sylar [ he actally never got the pronunciation as he kept
telling me to change the name but still he never stop calling me Sylar]. In my
final year He thought me certain things I know about Microsoft office and also
helped me stop my laptop from being damaged by a beverage drink that poured
on the keyboard. We both graduated together because unlike him I read a 4
years course.
After graduation due to social media we were still in touch and this year 2018
we spoke twice on phone. He called to hear from me and because he needed
help with getting his transcript from the University of which my Younger
Brother was going to assist him in obtaining. The second time he called was in
the month of May, 2018. He told me certain things about himself; I said to
myself I am beginning to have friends in high places. I didn‟t know this day
would so soon.
Remembering Onyedika
The comfort of having a friend may be taken away, but not that of having had
one. I want to close with a brief tribute to my friend Onyedika, who died far too
young and with much brightness ahead of him. If I were to see him now , this is
what I would tell him;
Onyedika, Chizzy and Chidozie [Dosky] after final exams.
Engineer, I can’t believe that you’re gone. I can’t believe that I’ll never be able
to see your ideas and thoughts come to life. I can’t believe you will not be able
to do all the great things I imagined you do.
My heart still bleeds as I write these final words. Goodbye Engineer, goodbye
my friend. I hope that wherever you are, you finally have peace in your heart
and in your soul.
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