Dear Dad

Wow, I never pictured my first article of the year to be about the loss of life, but about celebration. I planned to start it with my birthday but I guess life had other plans for me, I lost my dad on the 27th of May, and I know Children’s Day, that's a big way to tell your child he is no longer a child.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

Words cannot even describe how I feel writing this, tears from my heart have turned into anger, and I wake up to the fact I’ll never see my dad again. Most mornings I wake up thinking it was all a dream because I never saw this coming, my dad is always so strong, I spoke with him on Sunday leading to his sleep which was Monday, and we talked, laughed, and ended our call only for me to wake up the very next day hearing my dad is gone “This is nothing but a mad joke, it can’t be possible” in pawpaws voice. But indeed it was possible. Immediately they told me I busted into prayers, and with my level of faith I could not believe it, I prayed and prayed and had faith, but the lord wanted my dad to be at his side, so who am I?

Enough about his death, let’s talk about my pops for a minute. My man’s beautiful name is Basil and as his name is gorgeous so was he. My dad was the best, the G.O.A.T. Anyone who knew him personally can testify to this my dad wasn’t my father he was my gee, my senior brother, my best friend in the entire world. My dad is always there for me When I got into tech he was there and supported me when I launched AnimeCity he supported me when I even entered my first relationship I told this man, and he still gave me the go-ahead, when I broke up I told him, he laughed at me ehn but was there regardless, my dad is the type of person I can tell and show everything. If you know me, you’d be aware that I’m jovial, I got all that from my dad. My dad loved teaching, loved youths and if god blessed him more than he did, I’m pretty sure he would have done more than he wanted.

It’s all funny how everything happened, this year I decided to man up a bit and stay in Calabar during the holidays “I can’t always go home after holidays like a child I need to man up” I said to myself and that’s how I didn’t see the man I love all year only to see him next on a stroller, I keep asking myself why, like why was I so foolish, now the manhood has come and I’m scared and looking for ways to dodge it, I worked so hard this year both Academically and Financially so I can come home and start something with my man, My recent result so beautiful I’ve been waiting for them to release everything so I could show this man, A’s and B’s haven’t seen a C I wanted him to see that result, now he can’t see it. I kept getting this spirit to hate myself, I was trying to be a headache to this man every day playfully, and now I can’t even play with him anymore.

My Dear Dads;

1. Dear Dad, I’m grateful I had you as my dad, You always encouraged me whenever I was down, no one could ever hide their true feelings from you.
2. Dear Dad, I am grateful you allowed me to spend the little money I had on you this year, at least I can beat my chest and say you ate my money, but the money coming in the future is the one I wanted you to eat
3. Dear Dad I am grateful I got to drive you at least once, you sat in the passenger seat
4. Dear Dad, I’m pleased that it didn’t matter if I was stubborn or not you loved me regardless
5. Dear Dad, I’m grateful for all the wisdom and knowledge you passed to me when you were with me
6. Dear Dad, I’m thankful for your smile even when things are down, you always smile, and I’ve always loved you for that
7. Dear Dad, I’m thankful for myself, i never suffered growing up anything I wanted I had, and you provided for me, i can boast and say I didn’t come from a humble beginning my papa guided me well.
8. Dear Dad, Your Son Divine Ekeh proudly calls you his son.

If I continue I won’t be able to stop, LOL. Going through our conversations on WhatsApp recently and, wow we sure are clowns. I saw when I had no cash on me and we ran out of gas I didn’t want to call him, I was in my you can do this yourself mode. After shege dealt with me the first day I texted him the very next day, and his reply“Full counter, now approach your mum” I laughed so hard because I only told him the meaning of full counter once, and I can’t believe he used it against me. I went through his old albums and God I wanted to cry so badly but need to be strong for my mum, my pain slowly turned into anger, and everything felt like a disturbance. But like they all say it is well, Writing is the only way I can express my feelings without punching someone so I decided to write a little.

Daddy, you were the best of all your brothers, and not only I can testify to this, but your death also hit the family so hard, that it even connected every single one of us together, I got calls from my cousins, aunties, uncles that I have never even seen or heard of, your friends leaving the US to come and see your wife and children, you were that influential in our lives that your hometown had to block the road for you, you were the best and ill be the best because of you, I love you, dad, I’m proud of you, I wish I could tell you this physically and not always play the hard guy, I know I’m not.

I take countless risks no one knows not even my best bud Morty, but only my dad and he would support me. I touch money even though, at certain times it doesn’t show on my body, but whenever I get money I push it into certain things and I run out immediately, I pay my tithe to my dad so he has an idea of how much I make daily. So once I run out of money I’m not scared because I have someone to call and ask for cash. It’s so funny that most days when I call him, he’s like “Oboi watin you use your money do now” and we would laugh about it. The memories are endless, The point I’m trying to make is that right now, I am so scared to take risks the hand holding me at my back is gone. But even in fear, I will move forward for he watches over me now, Thank God for the friends I have who truly know me and helped me during the period. Almost lost Mum as well but my God pulled up. Thank you, David, Eddie, and Bryan for all your support it wasn't easy, but I showed my mum love thanks to you'll and she got herself, damn It was so bad I had to put her on drip. But I'm never losing anyone again.

Pops I’m proud to be your son, you’ve gone to rest, and your leaving peacefully was a sign you trusted me with the upkeep of the house, so don’t worry about Mumsi or Chu, I’ve got them you rest easy now. I’ll take it from here.