MY HERO WAS LAID TO REST.
Last Friday in the the famous City of Manchester we laid my Hero to rest, he is now resting at the bossom of his Lord. And finally with Milly, his darling wife and the love of his life from his youth.
The older I get, the more I appreciate this Hero of mine.
To me, now, at my age. And after laying him to rest.
I can say that he is one of the most successful men that, I ever know.
Although people tend to equate wealth and power to success.
No, those are illusive and fleeting success.
The real
thing is a successful home and family, plus successful children.
That is real Success.
My Hero had been a Man that had always been there for his wife Milly, and their half a football team children.
He never complained about anything.
He just gets it on, in all circumstances.
Although I first saw him on the 3rd of October 1970 at the Airport Hotel Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
Although I have heard of him since my childhood as "Baba Manchester"
My uncle that lives in the UK.
Meeting him, my Aunt and my Cousins all together, was magical.
Since we met, nobody could separate me from my cousins. My parents have to leave me behind, they went home alone.
I was with them every day of their stay in Nigeria.
Even when they moved to their house l moved in with them.
I am a thoroughbred Lagos boy in those days I don't even know Ibadan.
I use to take my Cousins to all kind of places around Lagos.
One day we all including my Aunt and my Uncle, went to the Beach in Victoria Island in Lagos. Popularly known as the V. I.
A rich part of Lagos.
We were at the beach enjoying ourselves in the water, my aunt and uncle sun taning a few feet away, with an umbrella beside them.
Every thing was peaceful and relaxed.
Out of nowhere came this Loud shout in Yoruba language 'Get out off the waters' 'How dare you, compare yourself to the White Children'
This Stupid Black Man, ran towards me with a cane in his hand, he wiped me three times with the cane, I screamed loudly because the cane on a salty body is none palatable.
My uncle heard my cry. He jumped up from his sun tan bed and shouted 'Somebody call the Police' my uncle came towards the man angrily.
He challenged the man, told him to apologise to me or he will take him to the Court of Law.
I was so proud that day because this is the first time anyone has ever Stand Up for me. From that day, I see my Uncle as my Hero.
Though unknown to himself and myself that what he did that day would have a far reaching effect in and on my life.
Because none of us knew that I would be traveling out of Nigeria in a few years from then.
Nor, that I would be facing serious racism; that, which the African Americans went through in the 1920s and 1930s, that I will go through same in the 1970s Greece.
That lesson that I learnt from him at the beach in Lagos kept me going till this day.
I became allergic to racism.
If you wiped me with the cane of racism
You must apologise or I take you to the Court of Law.
In conclusion and to crown it all, that my Hero is one of the most successful men that ever lived, he brought up all of his children well. Thanks to God none of his children ever went to the Prison. and they were all brought up in the Loingsigh Area of Manchester.
Though Longsight was a great neighbour hood when my cousins were growing up, but still a part of Manchester with the reputation of the Gangs we hear overseas.
God testified to the successful life that my Hero had.
The officiating Minister at his burial was one of his sons.
My cousin Paul.
I can not fathom how Paul was able to handle everything so perfectly. It can only be the power of the Holy spirit.
Really, how many Ministers have you known officiating at their own Father's Burial. Not many I guess.
I believe that this is an affirmation from God himself that my Hero lived his Life According to God's Will.
