My Father

Written By Janet Odidi Obuotor for Echoblog.

My Father

My dad was not a very great talker, he spoke when it was necessary and was a great listener. He would not divulge a secret, he was wisdom personified! He is a true example of quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. 

Sir Patrick Salami Odidi

I remember one time I gave him a card, I opted for the colour yellow, and inscribed on the card were the words, "Wisdom comes with the age." and in it were the words, "Happy birthday to an extremely wise person."

My little head was always in absolute wonder, for I pondered about this man who had answers to everything and knew everything. 

In awe, I went shopping for a unique birthday card. When I came across the colour yellow (different, it stood out) and the words inscribed. I said to myself, "This card, its wordings, describes my Dad, the ever-knowledgeable one. Wise guy!"

A preacher of fair play, integrity, and resilience. He believed in justice and fairness to all. He loved family life and was not given to societies and associations. He lectures against cultism and the cult. He was a very content man. Always believing that one day posterity will pay off. He loved to paste quotes on how well you should treat your fellow human beings on our walls, our sitting room. 

One such quote is: 

"Be kind to the people you meet on your way to the top, you may meet them on your down."

Such was his ever-kind heart. I still remember some of his quotes to us as children.

"A good name is better than riches."

"Blessed are those who expect nothing for they shall not be disappointed."

"Vows made in the storm are often forgotten in calm."

"Treat people kindly, the reward comes in many forms."

"Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed"...Alexander Pope

He was a staunch believer in Education, boys and girls must have equal rights to quality education, up to the tertiary level. He believed it, he practised it, and he enforced it.

He even insisted that a girl child must complete her tertiary education before tying the knot.

Such a lover of education he was.

He knelt on the sitting room floor with hands in the air to say thank you, God, when news filtered in, that his last born had graduated from the university. 

Did I hear him say, it is done? My prayers, lifelong dream achieved? An emphatic yes!

A very handsome man he was, always impeccably dressed, and well groomed.

"Never leave the house with dust on your shoes." He would say. 

He had different colours of shoe polish to tally with each shoe he had and boy does he like to polish those beautiful shoes that he had.

He made sure to always trim his hair and dye the grey. 

He loved putting on the traditional Hausa native wear and cap, the 'Kaftan and Hula.' He loved well-cut-out suits, shirts, cufflinks, plain trousers and clean shirts.

He also wished to smell good, he loved a nice fragnce but could only avoid what 'his pocket could afford.' I hope you know what I mean, for all his investment was in education.

He would admonish:

"Anything to do, do it well. 

"When told to sweep a floor. Sweep the floor, sweep it so clean. Let the floor sparkle. Let the angels in heaven look down and say, 'Never have we seen a man who swept so well, that the cleanness of the floor caught our attention in the heavens.'" 

My father believed in goodbyes, he would always ensure that he goes with you out of the house. He would patiently wait until you drove your car and you were out of sight.

 "You must see them out of the house and see them leave," he insists.

An apt display of gentlemanliness, courtesy, and care. 

At the motor park, set to travel. My father would scribble down the numbers on the number plate of the car and take careful note of the car.

"For safety!" He says. "Call me when you arrive at your destination and remember to always take down number plates."

He would apologize to me when he was wrong. He was always willing to instil knowledge and learn more. A lover of books. He loved psychology.

I asked him one time what is the meaning of Odidi, and he replied, 

"Great! Odidi means greatness." He said. 

His job at the Nigerian telecommunication Services made him reside in different geopolitical zones in his lifetime, in the Western, Southern and Northern parts of the country, Nigeria. 

He encouraged interracial and inter-tribal marriages. I remember when I asked how he felt about my sister getting married to a man from Ghana. 

"Abraham was a father of many nations." He replied. "So why should I not be?"

I always believed he was meant to be very great, and do bigger things, his wisdom to share with the whole world. When he passed on, it was a sad devastating moment. We all felt it, every single one of us, his kids felt it. 

Why did he not enter the promised land, the land of milk and honey? As I grew older I realized that he did. He may not have the physical cash or possess the material wealth but he invested in Education and always prayed that every single one of his children was educated before he passed on. This, he achieved, this one prayer was his land of milk and honey, his jewel of inestimable value. This one earnest prayer and uncountable more, God answered.

My boxing day gift to you all...Meet my father, a believer in people and greatness, a simple and humble man. A lover of God Almighty. A hard worker. Integrity personified. My number one fan. He loved listening to my stories and kept the written ones safe in his echolac luggage. He was equally a very good storyteller.

Rest in peace Baba, Patrick Salami Odidi.