Aso Temple Wenah: The oxygen many lived on!
By Kingsley Wali
Asondu lived his name in more ways than one. He lived like he was in a race to love his family, his friends and life generally. Life for him was a race to conquer all of his obstacles, but with love and not necessarily in a competition with any family member, friends or anyone in the community. And for Aso, the world was just one community and everyone deserved his attention. He was in a race to help and love without boundaries.
Aso was by no means born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He ran a race against becoming one of the statistics of out of school children. He hustled for his silver spoon, and when he got it, he was more than willing to share it with all who came in contact with him. He knew what the short end of the stick of life was, he was always willing to add his bit, so the short stick became a bit longer for those at the receiving end of the short stick of life.
Today I mourn the departure of a compassionate brother and friend, one who happens to be about the only person not in a competition with me or anyone else that I know. I worry for and sympathize with his dear wife, young children and aged mother, but what about the many others who are probably still alive because of Aso? How will they now face sudden change of their fortune? Who will now pay their medical bills? What about the widows, those whose rents will soon expire and the students under his scholarship?
I speak of these legion of dependants, because I’m aware that Aso was like oxygen to them. He provided support to many without effort. For him, it was a race of life he must win. Indeed, he was a good man who feared God and despite his privileged position, never played god.
For him, the biggest space in the world, is the space occupied by love and he almost permanently lived there. That was his comfort zone. Access to opportunities and privileges, was never for him an opportunity to dominate or oppress, but just a platform to lift others. He will rather lift others than promote himself.
I remember the pressure I personally applied to get him to accept the position of a Federal Commissioner at the Revenue Mobilization Allocation And Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). I remember him calling from the office of one of the security agencies, who were vetting him before proceeding for screening at the National Assembly. In despair, he called saying, “Senior, I told you that this is not my thing. There are people who need this. I just want dey my own dey manage my life. Come and see the volume of forms they want me to fill.” I begged him to just do it and that “Oga (Rotimi Amaechi who recommended him for the job) won’t be happy if he pulled out.” Of course, if you wanted to blackmail him, just say “Oga won’t be happy with him, if he found out”.
He later told me that a colleague who was a former public office holder equally advised him that it was better he passed the screening and resigned later, than being dropped because he was not qualified. That worked. It’s important to note, that every single kobo Aso later earned as a Federal Commissioner was shared as support to others. His life’s race was to make sure that people who came to him left happy. Lest I’m misunderstood, I’m not in any way suggesting that Aso was faultless. Certainly not. But by our standards here, Aso unarguably was an Angel.
Yes, if he loved you, he had the tendency to defend and promote you sometimes beyond your worth. But he did it sincerely and genuinely. Aso believed that loyalty was everything, and just like Malam Abba Kyari, “Duty Deserves No Gratitude”. For Aso, loyalty was a duty. Aso was not only loyal in the conventional sense, but saw the sustained support of his extended family and community as an inexplicable act of loyalty. A short trip to Ogbodo will clear any doubt about why Aso was in a race to do good to all manner of people.
Aso was a remarkable young man, respectful, humble, compassionate, caring, courteous, and affable, he was true to friendship. He was unassuming, generous, selfless, and a go-to person. His love for family, friends and community was exceptional. Aso ordered his life and his steps, as one on a mission and with a sense of purpose. His life, though short-lived, was one of tremendous impact. Within his little sphere of influence, he intentionally ingratiated himself with all who he interacted with, and leveraged on his connections to assist others in diverse ways.
Indeed Aso’s many positive attributes, far outweigh any failings he may have had. His boss and mentor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi CON, and his family have lost a trusted and fiercely loyal aide, a dependable ally and worthy brother.
For the community a big tree has fallen and on the hopes of many. The sense of loss is not only profound but unprecedented. For them, Aso was that brother who picked all calls and responded to all possible requests. The pain here is as grinding as it is in Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja. Where will the replacement come from – that’s if any will ever come again?
Like Mehmet Murat ildan said, Aso lived up to his name TEMPLE. He was a beautiful temple because his philosophy of life was built on charity and was gift to the homeless and the needy. His was not the case of white sepulcher. He always visited the innermost temples of the depressed people and helped them to heal. For Temple, everyone deserved a chance and he had no problem with giving another chance. Even if he was doing that from a position of inconvenience.
A proud father and husband who never failed to say that his wife was the gift that God gave him. And to Temple, every child was his and deserved his attention, care and love. He never failed to put a smile on the faces of parents of newborns. According to my son (Iduama) “… When he (Temple) took me out for dinner and while I was by far the youngest at the table and didn’t know anyone there, he made sure I didn’t feel left out and would change the conversations to things I could relate with.” Temple was always at home with all manner of men. Doing all he could to make everyone comfortable. Nobody was too low to relate with. The life of any party, Temple could not be anywhere and not noticed. He wanted everyone to be happy, just like he always was. According to Wale Olaleye, Aso Temple Nkasiobu Wenah was the quintessential BRIDGE BUILDER.
Being a special tribute by Kingsley Wali, National Leader of Unity House Foundation (UHF) to late Asondu Temple Wenah, a Federal Commissioner representing River State at RMAFC who died last month and was buried on December 9, 2023