Please, Don’t Wait To See The Obituary Notice

By Cami Ezenwa

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I may be wrong but I have come to the conclusion that some of the dear friends, acquaintances, colleagues and

By Cami Ezenwa

relations we have lost in the course of this obviously short sojourn on earth would probably be living, if we had cared enough.

They are dead not because they should die by this time, but because while they sought just a little comfort here, a little support there, we did nothing. We just carried on as if nothing was at stake.

We did conclude that, well, it is their life, their problem, and we had our own lives to live, our own cross to carry.

It is correct but not totally so, especially where reaching out, would not in any significant manner, rock our own boats. Please, do not be too quick to interpret “caring enough” here to imply investing substantial substances on them; it’s a part of it no doubt when we have the means, as literarily little or nothing in our overtly materialistic world, can be accomplished without money.

But, we have failed more in sincerely looking over one another’s shoulders, expending genuine care able to re-energise the weary pilgrims in our midst when we should. And what do we reap in return, incessant obituary notices that themselves numb the nerves of the living.–

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News of the recent passage to the other side, of Amiable Nkem Osuagwu, a lady of alluring feminine featuresl of principle and grit, an NIJ alumnus; formerly Desk Head at the then high-flying business intelligent newspaper and front-liner for as long as it remained on the newsstands, Financial Standard; remain a trigger to this thought line.

As I groaned and grieved over Nkem and others that have gone her way, two other particular instances flashed through my mind, this time, convicting me much more directly, how in reality we had not cared enough.

Probably for another day, but pray, do you know, being broke, down right broke such that you do not only lose what remains of your self-esteem, but even begin to think tragically, is a common experience with all of us, at different times and in differing circumstances. Big question, is, what do our acquaintances and trusted friends do at such times?

Here I salute some including  Ebere Wabara, ex-Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN) and currently Sun newspapers’ columnist, in fact, former NUJ Lagos Council Assistant Secretary; the man we call the Ambassador, Louis Ibe, formerly of the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and now Corporate Affairs Manager at First City Monument Bank (FCMB; and more lately,  Comrade Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) gubernatorial candidate in Ogun State, who have proven competent and dependable in timely checkup on friends, and in fact doing anything else needed to strengthen their survival resolves.

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With the pitiable dawn that our Fourth Estate, the very sector which connects many of us, had become, we truly cannot afford to do less. We cannot afford to look the other way, when life appears to be dealing oddly with pals.

I do not have to sell an acre to show genuine care. I do not have to break a bank to reach out, but I must make efforts when the need calls for it, to be someone else’s answered prayer, to be the reason why a fellow out there, is re-energised, and re-fired to continue to trudge on.

That was how, last month, once I sighted within our (Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ)) premises, this fellow that had become a regular visitor, in search of ‘just any amount bros, anything to survive today”, I quickly prepared my mind. Not again, will I not make effort to be of assistance. As a matter of fact, even if it means putting something aside when possible, why not!

And do you know what, here was a good epitome of panache and pleasantness in the epic days of our newsroom sojourn.  I could still see in my mind’s eye, his confident strides to the newsroom scribble his stories, to the production department to supervise their pages, boisterous dispositions by the fruit seller’s shed, or just dashing out to the beat, to catch an appointment.

All the appealing features of an amiable handsome young man driven by unusual journalistic exuberance, have given way to a forlorn outlook, foisted by a challenging dawn. And on him, you could sight obvious signs of a lack of nourishment, with beards in dire need of trimming and apparels that have obviously seen better days.

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What else do you need to realise that this pilgrim is in a desperate situation and could do with some humanitarian support no matter how?

With him at the back of my mind, I have stumbled a personal manifesto whose summary is: Mr Cami, you must, more than ever before do all within your power to be of assistance, to anyone needing it, especially pals, who by the coercive circumstance of this time, now depend on others’ goodwill for daily survival”

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It is so, that, whenever and wherever, you won’t be weighed down by an iota of regret in failing to do, what you ought to have done to keep the hope of some challenged one alive. So, help me God.

Dear reader, can you in any way, relate with the above? Do please, share with us, what you think, in the response box, below. Thank you for your time.