On November 14, 2019, another colossus who bestrode this space from 1940 to the middle of this year, Elder Chibueze Monday Nwachukwu, will be committed to mother earth at his Agburuike Achara country home in Agburuike Autonomous Community, Obingwa Local Government Area, Abia State.

Nwachukwu, a devout Christian and elder of The Church of God (Seventh Day) faith, was a wordsmith, and influenced humanity positively with his pen.

Years after this icon is gone, and like other words smith who edged their thinking on the marbles, Nwachukwu’s philosophy on the opportunity of witnessing a new day propounded in 2014, will be edged in the marble thus: “This is the beginning of a new day. God has giving me this day to use as I want to or as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I have exchanged or traded for it. I want it to be gain not loss Good not evil. Success not failure in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it.”

Nwachukwu, like many successful individuals, didn’t witness a rosy childhood. His was synonymous with hardship occasioned by the early demise of his father. His poor mother was not deterred by this circumstance as she subjected herself to discomfort in order to provide comfort for the little Nwachukwu.

Ordinarily, Nwachukwu’s background could have denied him access to education but the reverse was the case. His academic pursuits took him to faraway United States of America, where he bagged a Master’s degree in Language Arts/Reading Education from Boise State University, Boise Idaho, after bagging his Bachelor’s degree in Language Arts in the same university in 1976.

Before he left the shores of Nigeria his kitty was almost full with academic laurels ranging from Teachers Grade 11 Certificate to University of London General Certificate of Education, and First School Leaving Certificate.

Nwachukwu held several appointments. He was the Secretary/Treasurer of his religious faith, The Church of God (Seventh Day). He worked as Graduate Assistant with responsibility in supervision of Freshmen in Primary School Teaching, Language Laboratory Assistant (Diagnosis of Reading Difficulties in Primary and High School Levels) with Boise State University. He was employed by the Ministry of Education, Cross River State, where he taught English and Oral English in Secondary Schools.

His teaching services took him to Education Services Board, Imo State where he taught Language and English Language Methodology at Teachers College, Uzuakoli. He rose to become the Vice Principal of the same institution.

His membership of panels and professional bodies cuts across Review Panel for SSCE/GCE Oral English Syllabus in West African Examinations Council; International Reading Association, Delaware, Newark, USA; Principal Supervisor of Education, Zonal Education Board, Aba; Education Secretary, Obingwa Local Government Education Authority.

He served in various public enlightenment committees, and was also appointed Chief Education Officer and Head of Schools Services, Secondary Education Management Board, Aba Zonal office. He was Fellow, Institute of Public Administrators of Nigeria (FIPAN); Fellow, Peace International Academy; Patron, Institute of Economics Management of Nigeria.

Nwachukwu received the following awards: Award of Excellence in School Administration by the Institute of Economics Management of Nigeria; BEST Performing Nigerian Public Officer AWARD of the year, 2001 by the Institute of Public Administrators of Nigeria; Certificate of Merit for valuable Contributions for the upbringing of Students’ Police Relations, among others.

He will be missed sorely by his relatives, especially his beloved wife, Deaconess Helen Nkeonye Nwachukwu.

Indeed, Nwachukwu is not dead but lives in the minds of his dear ones.

Our dead is never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.

— George Elliott

“To die completely, a person must not only forget but be forgotten, and he who is not forgotten is not dead.

— Samuel Butler

Warm summer sun, shine kindly here;

Warm Southern wind, blow softly here;

Green sod above, lie light, lie light...

Good night, dear heart, good night, good night.

— Olivia Susan Clemens (1866-1890) Daughter of Mark Twain

•Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu, a public policy analyst, writes from Aba, via keshiafrica@gmail.com

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