Sir Charles Chukwuemeka Nmesirionye

By Tony Icheku

When the news of my Uncle, Sir Charles Chukwuemeka Nmesirionye's passing on filtered home to us, I experienced immediate emotional paralysis, a kind of numbness creeping over me. Then a pang of fear struck me like an electric shock. It was for my aged mother who has  just lost her only  brother.

De Emeka and my mother were as close as one coin with two sides. He literarily stood in the gap for her, for us, her children. A pillar of the house has just fallen!

De Emeka struck out on  life's adventure from the disadvantage of losing his own father early, but his youthful  shoulders quickly emerged broader and stronger to bear the burden, not of a son, but as 'husband' to his mother, and father to his little sister, my aunt Eunice who had  passed on as a result of illness. He was also father to his eldest sister, my mother. And now he had gone to the unknown beyond

 "Life happened. In all its banality, brutality, cruelty, unfairness. But also in its beauty, pleasures and delights. Life happened",  wrote Thrity Umrigar, the Indian-American journalist and novelist.

In this instance,  death again showed up in  its banality, brutality, cruelty and unfairness. Indeed, nothing happens until it happens to us

I began to live under De Emeka's care at about ten. In a sense  he was my real Father. Looking back now,  his gregariousness stands out as one of his outstanding qualities. He was a friend to all: young and old, he was caring and easy to get along with: Anybody from our part of the world who finds him/herself in Warri made it a point of duty to pay a call on him.

 He was a focused person, concentrating on whatever task that is at hand. There was also his determination to make his mark in life. He was not easily fazed by obstacles, he was daring and a man of courage

De Emeka was barely in his twenties when the Nigeria-Biafra War ended. From there his life started from the bottom of the ladder, and he got as far as he could go up the ladder. He served diligently his community and church

A dedicated member of the Methodist Church, Warri, he served as the Warri Circuit Steward; A member of the Ilesa Diocesan Synod and was a member of Conference for six years.

He also served as the President, Circuit Men Fellowship and was a member of the proposed Edo-Delta Diocese organising committee amongst others

He  was a Knight of the Methodist Church and beginning 1993, he became a Fully Accredited Lay Preacher. 

De Emeka was born on February 4, 1949 to the family of late Mr and Mrs Nwada Nmesirionye of Mbakamanu, Amawom Autonomous Community, Ikwuano LGA, Abia State.

He was briefly ill before his passing on. He is survived by his wife, two elder sisters, six children, numerous nephews and cousins, and other relatives. 

Goodbye my Father: You came, you saw and conquered. Yours was a triumphant life. Fare well Sir Charles!