joshuaTRIBUTE TO A COMPATRIOT AND SOLDIER OF HUMAN KINDNESS, RT. HON. ENEMA PAUL
Never in my wildest imagination did I believe that I will be writing a tribute to bid a compatriot and a renown soldier of human kindness, Rt. Hon. Enema Paul, farewell to this sinful world so soon.
Both in his accomplishments in politics and academic attainment, he remained humble and dutiful to human kindness.
As a former Special Adviser, Commissioner, a two term Member, Kogi State House of Assembly, and the immediate past Deputy Speaker, he was a legend of humility and humanity.
I remember how, on several occasions he limped, struggled and climbed to my office, all in the bid to seek employment opportunities for members of his consistituent.
Those gestures are further testimonies and a propeller for the appreciation of the memorable encounter I had with him much earlier.
I describe the encounter as the period when I set a very difficult examination in humanity for him, and he passed effortlessly with a Distinction.
My dear Rt. Hon. Paul Enema, I can attest to the fact that you have dutifully served humanity for which I have no doubt in my mind that God in His infinite mercy will reward your kind deeds on earth with a special place in heaven.
I can recall with nostalgia sometime in the year 2019, the episode that happened when my wife delivered our last child through the Cesarian Section (CS) at the Kogi State Diagnostics and Referral Hospital, Anyigba.
Beside my wife in the hospital ward was a woman who was also delivered of a baby through the same procedure, but was held down for about five (5) days due to the unsettled medical bill.
While I was running up and down to buy the prescribed drugs for the healing of my wife, someone beckoned on me and said, “are you Ogbo Lecturer of KSU”? I told her “yes, I am the one Ma”.
She followed up with the reason for the inquiry by saying that, “I know you can help, that is why my spirit led me to you. The woman beside your wife in the ward has been held down for days with the innocent child due to her inability to settle the medical bill. Kindly help in any way you can”.
Even as I was battling on how to handle my personal issue, I felt a heavy burden on my mind.
I pondered as to why the supposed burden of joy for the family had become a source of worry with the consequential imprisonment of the innocent child.
The urge to solve the riddles of joy of the gift of nature and human challenge heightened my desire to get the innocent child out of the hospital without any further delay.
So many thoughts and the corresponding options continued to run through my mind, including the options of selling my television set to offset the bill.
Amongst other several thoughts that ran through my mind was the option of contacting Rt. Hon. Enema Paul, who was then the Hon. Commissioner for Rural Development under the Government of the then Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
I dialed his line, and he picked once with pleasant remarks of “our own Doctor…..”. I followed up with my ‘save a soul’ request and he responded with a pleasing remark that, “I will send my Personal Assistant (PA) to you very soon”.
My insistence that he should come personally to see the woman made him to come to the hospital at about 7 pm with one red-colour Toyota Tundra model on that day.
I led him to the hospital ward and informed the concerned woman for the first time of my identity and that of the august visitor as well as our mission.
Rt. Hon. Enema Paul immediately handed over 30, 000 naira mints notes of 200 naira denomination to the woman to offset the 27,000 thousand naira hospital bill.
Immediately, the woman broke down in tears. This brought a momentary emotional moments to the hospital ward, with everyone expressing their heartfelt appreciation for the kind gesture.
While on our way out of the ward, RT. Hon. Enema Paul retorted “Doc. this is the reason why I had wanted to decline from coming to the hospital but your respect brought me”.
At about 5 am of the following day, my phone rang and woke me from sleep. The call was from the man that sold the land where I built my house at Anyigba to me. I wondered what could have made him to call me at such odd hours.
When I summoned courage and picked the call, he was crying on the phone. I asked why he was crying and if there was anything I could do to be of help? He told me that he was actually shedding tears of joy for what I have done for him. Even as I could not remember what exactly I might have done for him so recently, I waited for him to finish his expression.
After a momentary consolation, he thereafter broke the news to me that, the woman that I brought Hon. Enema Paul to pay her hospital bill was his wife and that he was actually helpless and stranded, especially where to raise the funds to settle the bill.
He thereafter, poured out his heart in prayers for the act of giving and kindness extended to him and the family, most especially as we had no reason to trace the woman and the innocent child to him.
Three (3) days after the incident happened, the then Vice Chancellor of Kogi State University, Anyigba, Prof Mohammed Sani Abdulkadir and the Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr. Simon Akogu, visited my wife at the ward. The Medical Director calmly whispered to me that, “I have directed that your wife’s medical bill should be forwarded to me to pay as part of my own support to your family”.
I can not imagine the strong coincidence of a humanitarian gesture that plays out. I was the instrument of assistance through Rt. Hon. Paul, and I was miraculously helped in the process.
It beholds, therefore, that selflessness breeds human kindness beyond elasticity.
My Dear Rt. Hon. Enema Paul, it obviously dawns on us that the sun is set at noon for you to be lowered beneath the earth. I am however, confident that, beyond the inevitable “dust to dust” and “from ashes to ashes” biblical funeral oration that may be said to your mortal body, your spirit liveth forever. Your spirit shall continue to enjoy the favour and flavour of the seeds of humanity and human kindness you sowed.
Your offspring will someday and somehow enjoy the fruits from generation to generations. They shall continue to swim in human kindness and benevolence. Aameen!
Congratulations for passing the difficult examination in humanity effortlessly and for obtaining the terminal Degree of selflessness even before your departure from this sinful earth.
Rest in Peace, my dear brother and compatriot of human kindness.
Professor (Chief) Salisu Ogbo Usman
Rector, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja and Oma’Oja Ata Igala
