Kalu Uke Kalu: Our unfinished business

By Rebecca Ugenyi

On the 28 of August 2023, I received a call from a stranger who introduced himself as Emmanuel from Isiugwu Ohafia. Emmanuel asked if I was Ohafia daughter, and I said, yes. He told me that he dropped a message for me on WhatsApp and that I should go and check it and get back to him. Without hesitation, I logged on to WhatsApp to see the message and it happened that he sent me a write-up  I wrote regarding Obai Isiugwu.

I was still wondering why he lifted the write from Facebook and sent it to me on WhatsApp when he called back. 

I picked up the phone. He asked if I authored the article and I said, yes. He said that the article attracted Elder Kalu Uke Kalu, the past Director of the African Continental Bank, the former member of the Post Graduate Scholarship Advisory Board, Federal Ministry of Education, a member of the Federal Joint Tax Management Board, a former Chairman of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and a Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON.

 Emmanuel noted also that the Elder was interested in the article and the writer, so he assigned him to search for the author.

At that point, my heart was filled with joy, and I shouted, “I’m the author.”  

Emmanuel urged me to write an essay about myself and forward it to him so he could forward it to Elder KUK. Without hesitation, I wrote a short essay about myself and forwarded it to him.

On the 2nd of September, 2023, Emmanuel forwarded a heartwarming message from Elder K.U.K to me. In the message, Elder thanked me for the writeup and the publicity I gave to Obai Isiugwu. Elder KUK requested more articles on other aspects of Ohafia. 

He invited me to his office in Enugu and lastly, he attached his phone number and said that I should call him whenever I wanted to come around.

A few days later, I called the number and it went through but Elder did not pick up my call. After some days, I called again, and this time around, he picked up. After a brief introduction, he commended my love for the Ohafia clan and Ohafia tradition and culture. He also commended my efforts in promoting Ohafia land, its traditions, and culture. He assured me of his support and asked me to visit him in his office anytime, any day.

After the call, I was extremely happy that a high-profile man like Elder K.U still loved his land of birth, the people, tradition, culture, and custom, unlike some people who will start heaping insults and blame on their land, culture, and tradition just because they attended night schools.

I was still planning on how to visit him when I received the sad news of his death.

Elder K.U. as you are fondly called, I pray you find eternal rest with your maker.

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