TRIBUTE: LATE HIGH CHIEF RAYMOND ALEOGHO DOKPESI: THE WARM AND GENTLE SUN SHINES ON.

By Clement ‘Afe Afemikhe

It’s been one full year without you, great High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi. How time flies! Your death continues to remind me that heaven is indeed far from earth, but that despite the long and lonely way to heaven the road is always quick.

I can’t ever forget that bright and sunny day in Agenebode.
That town by the River Niger was unusually alive on Friday June 23, 2023, when your remains was to be committed to mother Earth. It’s was
one hell of a lugubrious day for both the locals and visitors as well as for people in far away lands who had recorded your burial date on their diaries.

I remember that from the St Peters secondary school field in Agenebode where a requiem mass was held down to your country home, people lined both sides of the road– walking, running, riding bicycles and motorcycles, driving vehicles– just to pay their last respect to you, the great son of son of Weppa Wano who has been the handkerchief cleaning the pains and sufferings from their faces.
I remember the occasional loud sternutation as some helicopters/choppers passed over that town situated on the edge of the River Niger.

I remember myself standing , waiting at a spot about a few meters away from your country home for the casket bearers to arrive. I yet remember how I stood still in the hot shade of trees, watching the motorcade as it crawled on like some over fed snakes towards the gate to your country home. I watched in grief as the young men beside the wagons, wearing melancholic looks, kept dabbing their faces with white handkerchiefs, to get some relief from the baking Sun.

I remember how that day one of my feet was quietly moving to the sound of grief in my head; unconsciously I joined the throng of mourners, slowly moving forward, edging towards the main entrance to your beautiful home in Agenebode.

I remember that on sighting the motorcade l silently said to the undertakers to drive slowly because I hated to see that your body they were trucking go; but they proceeded to the graveside, your final resting place after the hard fought life’s battles and the many victories.

I can’t forget how all your loved ones, Raymond Dokpesi Jr leading the pack, stood in the circle around the grave. Together we witnessed the undertakers wobble down two ropes into the cold grave and your body was lowered to the earth. I was there to fetch the sand which was thrown on your casket and every quantity shovelled into that grave tore at my heart, wrenching it.
In my head I was singing the Christian hymn, “Nearer My God to Thee.” And once the last heap of sand was tipped into your new lonely house I looked up to the sky and I asked, “God, why did you take High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi away from me, from his lovely children, from his extended family, from his circle of friends, and just from everyone else?”

Oh, that hot afternoon, I wondered to myself; will the cycle of life and death ever be broken? Hmm, oh, I am aware, Lord, that, by and by, there’s a better home waiting in the heavenly place, up there with our Creator, for all humanity.

Like everyone else I have struggled to keep pace with the time without you. How very sad that at the end of man’s earthly strivings he eventually returns to where he began life’s journey. True, the distance for everyone in life has been determined; life’s distances are deceptive, they give us no time to reflect through the years to ascertain how far we’ve gone and how well we’ve done.

I know what it’s been like without you, the great Ezomo who always popped up his face in the newsroom at every available opportunity. Each passing day since that May 29, 2023 date, I keep savouring the sadness of your death, relieving your memories, contained in my deepest grief.
Our great late High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, if you tell me to, I will stop grieving over your departure from this world. But you give me and millions of others a need for grief.
The restless hollow ticking of the alarm clock in my living room constantly reminds me of you and your good nature. I loved you then and will always do, my saint out of bondage.

Constantly, too, the birds darting and fluttering in the DAAR premises in Asokoro bring back memories of you; memories that are now covered and hidden in my over-aching heart like some birds by the limbs of the trees around the James Ibori building housing the AIT News 24 and the newsroom.

Time has tried to render memories of you vague and blurred in me but they constantly flash through my heart like the birds over the shades of the blooming trees dotting the landscape of our corporate headquarters in Kpaduma hill. I yet think of you as always, the go-getter, great son of Agenebode, who went fearlessly into any legitimate venture.

In my memory, you stand tall, dripping with sweat, smiling. You were sturdy and butterfly-like. Your rotund face always alit with easy and hope inspiring smile, smile that encouraged everyone in the Daar family to duty and industry.
I remember our huge frame, big chest, strong arms and a pair of athletic legs that usually saw you moving hither and thither the Daar communications PLC premises across Nigeria and beyond.
Ah, my saint out of bondage, DAAR, you were indeed a motivator and companion to the wretched of the earth.

I still imagine your big and kindly hands resting on the massive conference table in the boardroom whispering questions and suggesting answers; making your opinion on issues and giving directions on how your beautiful bride, DAAR Communications PLC, can indeed remain the pacesetter and trailblazer in the Nigerian media
landscape. You were and still remains the ball bouncing over words and actions for the Daar conglomerate.

Before May 29, 2023, you were with us, guiding, planning, directing and instructing. You were with us laughing and teasing members of staff, encouraging Management to strive to break new grounds in Nigeria’s media landscape. It’s to your credit that the Daar group, under your watch, has grown to enviable heights. You tried your hands on everything humanly possible to stabilize the organisation and to continue to grow it.

Eramah, I remember you now as always. You emerged from a poverty ridden polygamous family to become a famous shipping magnate, renowned media entrepreneur and astute politician.

You indeed placed very high premium on the sun set years of your earthly sojourn hence the great life you lived and the good life you gave to people in fulfillment of the covenant you had with God that, you will bring succour to the needy, weak and poor if you succeed in life. You indeed kept to that solemn promise to God by dedicating your time and resources to Philanthropy. You had sufficient progressiveness to tilt life’s oddities in favour of the down trodden and helpless. Well done my benefactor for all seasons. Through you, most of us recognized that the shadow of the darkest night will never be understood without the appearance of the dazzling light of the morning.

As we mark the one year anniversary of your death, the picture of you in my head is one of courage and hope, and it reminds me of big and significant you have been to our success story in the Daar family…. God truly loves you, the Ezomo of the universe and I trust that He will yet continue to guide your son, our chairman, Raymond Dokpesi Jr, to take your legacies to greater heights. “You give them a drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.”(Ps.36: 8,9).

Ezomo, it’s true you’re now no longer with us but your warm and gentle sun continues to shine, illuminating lives, energizing and giving us all reasons to hope and to continue to strive.

I love you Eramah, but God loves you more.

Continue to rest peacefully with your Maker, great Ezomo.

…..End ….
7/5/2024