LEGACY/HERITAGE: HONOR YOUR FATHER

My biological father, Evangelist Christian Chidozie Osonkie, was an ardent lover of God.

He was also a great reader and lover of books.

In the course of his lifetime, he was involved in evangelism, leadership training and missions. 

An intelligent, honest, handsome, loquacious, dark-complexioned, average-height and slender man, he was a retired telecommunications engineer and indeed a strict disciplinarian who was respected by many and perhaps feared by some, especially those who were uncomfortable with his clear-cut or principled approach to work.

Born on the 14th of November, 1950, he passed on Christmas Day, the 25th of December 2015, at about 7pm, at the age of 65 years. (Some of his relatives said he was born in 1949, so it’s 66 years; whichever one it was, it’s fine).

I remember the times that we sat down and talked, father to son, and heart to heart, where I was either asking him questions, or apologizing for something wrong I did, or explaining my point of view on something, or just listening to his speak ‘endlessly’ as it seemed for hours.

I do also recollect the very last time we sat down together and spoke at length.

Sometimes now in the middle of an activity, I may remember some things he told me, directly or indirectly—about himself, myself, people, places or some other story or subject matter—and I pause in reflection and perhaps just smile, shake my head or slightly nod at the thought.

Some very important things that he told me about myself will remain “treasure troves” to me, which I will take with me into Eternity.

I also remember things he did or said which hurt me or didn’t go down well with me—but thank God I forgave him, and we talked about them and settled it all amicably while he was still here.

I’m also glad I had the opportunity in his lifetime to put a smile on his face and, as they say, to make him proud.

I’m truly grateful and openly acknowledge the great and positive inputs that God used him to make in my life, both passively and actively. 

One of such legacies is love for reading.

He bought a lot of books, volumes and series—from Bible Stories to Encyclopedias to novels of different kinds. These books made up what we as a family then called The Osonkie’s Library.

These made up most of my childhood days. One of being indoors reading and writing, after coming back from school and even during the weekends and holidays. No parties or friends were allowed. Good or bad, it was what it was.

I literally read the Bible including otherwise boring Old Testament stories through Bible Stories written to be read even by children, which made them very interesting and relatable.

I particularly recall the shepherd story of David and how it made me understand and appreciate Psalm chapter 23, in the light of a shepherd’s relationship with his sheep back then in Israel, with the cultural and social values and contexts.

Also, he bought the first manual typewriters I used which inspired me to write and typeset my very first manuscript and book, which I titled: Ebby’s Elaborate English Encyclopedia. (Ebby, being an abbreviated coinage of my first name, Ebelenna). I learnt and wrote down a lot of words/phrases/idioms and their meanings, and some other concepts that I was learning. 

It was then at a very tender age that I began to do my organic, inwardly propelled, highly curious, heart-felt, passionate and sincere personal research on God, life, science, society, people, cultures, and the subject of religion. 

I read widely to find out what all these religious beliefs were really about, even reading historical Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and such things.

I curiously studied origins, languages, literature, philosophy, history, geography, etc. 

I just kept reading. It was “worlds upon worlds” opening up to a young inquisitive mind.

It was then my interest and capacity for reading, research and writing began to be nurtured.

I also remember some of the Christian movies he bought (which came in the old-school videotapes or video cassettes and were played-back on VHS/VCR players/recorders). 

These great, beautifully acted and excellently produced movies include: Moses and The Ten Commandments (don’t remember the number of parts), Jesus of Nazareth (parts 1 to 4), David and Goliath, King Solomon and Queen Sheba, Samson and Delilah (these last two my day didn’t allow us to really watch), etc.

I also vividly and fondly remember Pilgrim’s Progress, a movie adapted from the great Christian allegory written by John Bunyan a Purtian preacher when he was in prison for his nonconformist preaching of Christ.

There were also some children music video series, such as: Colby’s Clubhouse; The Adventures of The Donut Man and The Donut Repair Club; Kid’s Praise (with Psalty the Singing Songbook); Charity the Church Mouse and the Church Mouse Choir, etc. (These are beautiful Christian sing-along, choreographed and a cappella songs for kids I recommend you check on YouTube if you have kids. These are legacy classics that have been uploaded to YouTube. These I am now passing to you and your kids, if you would like and choose to take it).

Also, we watched recorded video messages on the Rapture, the End Time and Bible Prophecies.

To also mention, there were some videos on sermons by some foreign preachers like R. W. Schambach, Jimmy Swaggart, Benny Hinn and others whose name I don’t currently recollect.

As I discussed in an earlier blog article/social media post, titled “Idahosa and I”, I also watched Archbishop Benson Idahosa on TV. Then much later when I was no older, I bought some of his recorded messages in videotape format.

I was remarkably impacted by these men, and more I can’t exhaustively mention here and now.

However, I was so much more engrossed (from these movies) with the completely different and otherworldly personality of Jesus of Nazareth. 

I was totally transfixed, enthralled and fascinated by this Awesome and Wonderful Man. 

This Jesus! He was my Ultimate Super Hero.

From then on, I would often in deep my heart think, wonder and hold lingering thoughts of this Super Human Being. I was hooked, I guess. 

I kept thinking about this Man called Jesus.

There was an inward pull to Christ the Lord.

That was my earliest introduction to the Gospel. 

Then, a Gospel message by Rev. Ikechi Eze, after which I publicly acknowledged Christ as my Lord at an evangelistic crusade which which took place at the open grounds of All Saints Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, Nigeria in March 1989, and which my dad took us as a family to attend. He would later tell me that he was pleasantly surprised and deeply grateful to God to see me respond to the open invitation and prayers.

Thereafter, I read a little book in our family library written by an unpopular man of prayer, Matthew Skariah, on “Salvation—Free But Not Cheap!”, which talked about the Work of Christ and referred to the Cross as the “symbol of God’s Love for Mankind”. This made an indelible impression on my mind.

Following this, I sought God in private prayer that led to a unique encounter I had as a child which I have held secretly in my heart and from which I saw these three things: Jesus is real, Jesus loves me, and Jesus died for me. 

A trinity of illumination which, after all these many years, I have only now fully articulated. 

I recognize and admit that something happened to me then that changed my heart and entire disposition. Although I can’t fully explain it. And I have had some marked experiences thereafter.

There has been a progressive awareness and personal growth process. It has been a long, arduous and metamorphic journey, till date. 

Many divergent episodes of life. Some places have been very smooth and bright, and some very rough and dark. Both mountain-top and rock-bottom situations abound. The great experiences with God and in life as well as the prodigal experiences in sin and in life’s sorrows.

But this is the greatest legacy I would say my dad laid for and in me—through great Christian materials and resources—namely: love for God.

Today and as long as I have known myself, I have been a “shameless lover of Christ”, an ardent reader, and lover of books and learning.

Again, I am deeply grateful for this great personal and spiritual legacy and heritage.

Above all these, I thank and praise my God and King for the Revelation of Christ in Scripture.

*******

Back to my dad, and seeing how these connect.

Bro Christian or Evangelist Christian or Bro Osonkie, as he was called by church folks, was one of the twelve-member Pioneer Team of the “Great Anglican Revival Team” (GART), which was formed in March 1993 and charged with the focused mandate “to facilitate the then ongoing revival in the Anglican Communion worldwide”.

The alleged revival was marked by the influx and steady stream of Anglican returnees to their parent denomination—the Anglican Communion—from other (mostly Pentecostal) denominations where they had scattered or stayed into.

It started in October 1987 with the establishment of St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, Nigeria (under the pastorate of founding minister, the then Rev. Isaac Tejevbo) with the vision of “seeing to the revival of the Anglican Communion, especially in the Niger Delta Diocese”.

The team of which my dad was the General Secretary organized several evangelistic crusades and missions work in the Diocese. 

They also developed and executed enriching and enlightening “evangelism, missions and Christian leadership training” programs, courses, meetings, conferences and events.

I remember that I attended the premiere Great Anglican Revival Crusade that was held at the Alfred Diete-Spiff Sports Complex (Port Harcourt Civic Centre), with Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai as the guest speaker and Panam Percy Paul as the music minister, amongst other officiating ministers and anchoring leaders.

It was in one of those crusades, when it came to our province and parish, that I felt inwardly prompted (even before the open invitation was given) to come out for the prayers, as I earlier mentioned. 

I had this instantaneous powerful thought, desire to, and consciousness that I was taking a public stand for Christ, not just before men but in the presence of spirits—both angels and demons.

I clearly recall that my father was a very active and dedicated member of that team (GART) and in the work they did in evangelism, missions and training, which saw him traveling to different parts of the country, including remote villages and riverine communities, even at the expense of his family and his personal wellbeing.

May his labors in the Kingdom be richly rewarded upon evaluation by God in Eternity.

I wish to use this medium and great opportunity to specially mention his beautiful wife and my lovely mother, Mrs Ifeoma Osonkie, who was an accomplished registered nurse and trained midwife, and was his main personal support system and lifetime companion until his passing.

I also wish to use this opportunity to also salute all ministers of the Gospel, and to pray that our labors for God and souls will not be in vain.

May my dad’s memory be blessed. And all who follow after this spiritual or godly legacy. Amen.

Finally, it is worthy of note to say that his own father, who is my grandfather, Simeon Animaluonyenjo Osonkie, was also a minister in the church. He served as a catechist in the Anglican Communion, himself being a pioneer Christian in his extended family and kindred. My dad was a lay reader in the Anglican Communion and later an itinerant evangelist/missionary. 

My grandfather was fondly called “Onye nkuzi” (an Igbo term meaning, Teacher). He was known as an honest man. A man of truth. Just like my dad. And just like me. 

One of the things a notable who came to visit us when my dad passed said: “Your father was a man of truth, he spoke the truth, and people don’t like those who speak the truth.”

As the adage goes: No legacy as rich as honesty.

I am the third in line to “preach the Word”.

As (unconventional) ministers of Jesus Christ.

Witnesses of Truth.

Is there not a cause? 

It’s beyond me—it’s intrinsic and divine.

A trend, a track, a trail, a tapestry.

Simeon, Christian, and Chidozie.

Funny how it sounds to me like:

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  

The trio or trinity of sorts is complete.

Generational mandate, impact and legacy.

No legacy as great as truth.

Christ came “to bear witness to the truth”.

He left that legacy for His disciples.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

_____________

DOZIE OSONKIE

TRUTH Advocacy!

Thought Leadership

Ex Energy Professional 

Entrepreneurial Enthusiast

.