WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR

  



                          WEEP FOR  EZEJIOFOR









                                            1



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR, HE IS GONE!  



OGBUEFU EZEJIOFOR,



NOBLE OF ADAZI CLAN;



MAN OF VALOUR



FIRST COUNT AT BATTLES CALL



MAN OF VALOUR



WITH WHOM THE PACK IS FULL



MAN OF VALOUR



WHO WHEN REMEMBERED



SO STRONG OUR HEARTS ARE MADE



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO .



                                                 2    



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR; HE IS GONE



OKANMUTA EZEJIOFOR



OKANMUTA NKE NNUKWU



PROFESSOR GREATER THAN PROFESSOR



ONE SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS



YOU HELD FORTH



A GIANT PROFESSOR



IN OUR CITADEL BELOVED



HID AWAY AMONG THE HILLS



GATHERING THE GREATS



A HEAD ABOVE THE REST



OUR CONCLAVE AT ENUGU



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                              3



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR HE IS GONE



COLLOSUS; YOU BESTRODE LAW



WITH IMPRINTS INDELIBLE



LARGER THAN LIFE



LOOMING OVER US



YOU LIVE AT ALL TIMES.



ERE YOU SWAM ACROSS THE NIGER



TO ENCAMP WITHIN THE HILLS



A MARK GREAT AND CLEAR



YOU HAD STAMPED



FAR AWAY IN EKO



AND THUS MOVED YOU..........



ON AND ON AND ON



EVER FAITHFUL, EVER SURE



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                                4



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFO, HE IS GONE



ONYE NKUZI............................



THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS



YOU FED IN THE CLASSES



INNUMERABLE MULTITUDES



DID YOUR INK NUTURE



EVERFLOWING, NEVER DRYING



A PEEP AT THE LIST STUNS



INDEED THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS



INNUMERABLE MULTITUDES



YOU DID FEED AND NUTURE



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                                5



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFO; HE IS GONE



ONYE NKUZI



MWALIMU



WORKING FOR US



WORKING WITH THEM



YOU GAVE US THIS GLORY



OYE CHUKWURA



ACHIKE



BEN NWABUEZE



IWOBI



CYPRAIN OKONKWO



NWOGWUGWU



UDENZE ILOEGBUNE



EWELUKWA



OBINA OKERE



OGWURIKE



AND STILL MANY MORE



MANY MANY MORE



WITH YOU ROSE, LABOURED AND BUILT



A GREAT SPOT IN  A GREAT LAND



REMEMBER HIM................



YOU ALL THINK ON HIM



NOT ONE DAY DID HE SHRINK



NOT ONE LABOUR DID HE LOOSE



EZEJIOFOR;



SO LONG WE AND THE LAW LIVE



SO LONG DEATH IS BENEATH YOU



SO LONG SPEAK YE ONLY IN WHISPERS



"DEATH, GRAVE, DARKNESS"



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                               6



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR HE IS GONE



YOU BEAT DEATH WITH LIFE



A LIFE THAT NEVER WILL DIE



ENDLESSLY IT IS ENDOWED



WITH LIFE AND MORE LIFE



AND SO PASS ON GREAT SOUL



AS WE ONLY STARE HELPLESS



ON AGAP IRREPLACEABLE.................



THEN CALL IT NOT DEATH



HE MERELY WENT BEFORE



TO REST FROM ALL LABOURS



YOU WILL NOT WAKE TO WEEP



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO.



                                               7



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR; HE IS GONE



OKA IWU!



SENIOR ADVOCATE NA NIGERIA



FORESTER IN LAW



WITH FEET WELL PLANTED



NO MAN CAN FOLLOW YOU THERE



SOME DARED AND CAME AWAY



SOLITARY THOUGH NOT WITHOUT PEER



TREE OF TREES



FROM YOUR ROTS



MANY TREELINGS SAPPED



ON YOUR BRANCHES



MANY YOUNGS GREW



ADVOCATE AMONG ADVOCATES



YET A BEST IN THE CAVE OF LEGAL THOUGHT



JURIST!



MORALIST!



EMBODIMENT OF ETHICS!



FULL OF INTERGRITY



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO.



                                                  8



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR, HE IS GONE



WATCH AS ALL MEN BEFORE US



RAISE THEIR HANDS SAYING.................



"LOOK, IN IT IS OFO"



BUT OFO KNOWS WELL



IN WHOSE HANDS IT IS



HERE WAS A MAN



WHO TRUE TO HIS NAME



WAS NOT ONLY KING



BUT ALSO HELD FAST TO OFO



"NO PERSON WOULD HAVE AN ADVANTAGE



FOR KNOWING ME;



NONE, A DISADVANTAGE FOR NOT KNOWING ME"



THOSE WERE HIS WORDS TO TO ME



AND BY THEM HELIVED



BY THEM HE SPEAKS THOUGH GONE



BY THEM HE WANES NEVER



BY THEM OUR SCALE AND BALANCE HE IS



BY THEM HE REMAIN, PERMANENT THOUGH GONE



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                                9



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR, HE IS GONE



PATRON OF MY LEAGUE



IKENGA IN UNEC



WAKE UP PROF AND SCOLD US



_________STUDENT POLITICIANS



WAKE UP AND DO YOUR JOB



NONE CAN DO IT



WHO SHALL YOUR PLACE FILL?



YOUR SHOES WHO SHALL WEAR



WAKE UP AND ANSWER US



COME! DO YOUR JOB AGAIN



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                               10



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR, HE IS GONE



LION THAT KILLS TIGER



BREAKER OF IRON



LIFE WITHOUT FEAR



FULL OF COURAGE



EVIL DOG;



WARMING HIS BODY THROUGH THE HEAD



OIL BEAN;



SPLITTING FOR ALL



ORACLE;



ONLY DIVINING TRUTH



YOU HAVE NO PLACE HERE



WHERE MEN LIE AND CHEAT



YOURS IS NOT HERE



FOR THESE PARTS YOU WERE NOT MADE



GO ON INTO YOUR REST



AND REST UNDISTURBED



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                             11



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR, HE IS GONE



STANDARD BEARER



TORCH OF DISCIPLINE



WHO WILL AGAIN RELUME THEE



EXCELLENT NATURE



YOU INSISTED ON FAIRNESS



PLAIN FAIRNESS



FROM YOUE FIRST



TO YOUR LAST TICKS



DERIDED BY MANY



YOU YET BORE AND FORGAVE



SCORNED AND HATED



YOU YET FOUNDLOVE FOR ALL



CONSISTENT



STRICT TO THE LETTER



YET STILL HOSPITABLE



MORE THAN ONCE



DID YOU EXPOUND TO US



HOW DEARLY YOU WISHED THAT ALL MAY PASS



REST THEN FOR WE ALL HAVE PASSED



EVERYMAN WITH A PIECE OF EZEJIOFOR IN HIM



REST THEN FOR WE PASSED WELL



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                                  12



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFR HE IS GONE



STRIVER FOR EXCELLENCE



EAGLE ON THE IROKO



CELEBRATED LIFE



TRULY GREAT



I HEAR YOU NOW AGAIN



AS YOU ONCE SPOKE ABOUT YOUR SELF



"LUX FIAT" .........YOU SAID,   SHOW THE LIGHT



"THAT HAS SPURRED ME ON IN EVERYHING



THAT HAS SPURRED ME ON EVERYDAY



THAT HAS BEEN MY BETHLEHEMIC STAR"



YOU LEFT ONITSHA, SET TO SHOW THE LIGHT



NAY YOU WERE THE LIGHT



IN LONDON YOU WERE THE LIGHT



IN HULL YOU WERE THE LIGHT



IN LAGOS YOU WERE THE LIGHT



AMONG THE HILLS IN ENUGU.................



YOU WERE THE LIGHT



CEASELESS BLAZE



SHATTERING ALL DARKNESS



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                               13



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR HE IS GONE



PILLAR OF JUSTICE



WHAT YOU ARE TODAY



THE SAME YOU WILL BE ON THE MORROW



DISTINGUISHED AMONG MEN



TEACHER OF TEACHERS



BREEDER OFLAWYERS



ALL HEARTSBLEEDFOR YOU



OUR HEARTS BLEED INCONSOLABLE



BUT FOR YOUR LIFE.............



WE HAVE CONSOLENCE



MANY WERE YOUR DAYS



TRUTHFUL YOUR WAYS



UNWAVERING YOUR PRINCIPLES



IRREDUCIBLE, YOUR CANONS



INDIMINISHIBLE, YOUR STARTURE



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                             14



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR HE IS GONE



BUT DO NOT WEEP WITHOUT HOPE



DEATH DOES NOT HOLD HIM DOWN



NNEKA



UJU



NNANYELUGO, AND OTHERS



YOUSHALL HAVE NO FEAR



WHAT EVER MAY BETIDE



GOD SHALL KEEP THEE WELL



OH FATHER TO THE FATHERLESS



MOTHER TO THE MOTHERLESS



HIS TENT IN YOUR MIDST ABIDES



AND IN HIS HANDS SECURE



DO YOU DWELL AND MOVE



AND BY HIS GRACE ALONE,



ALL, ALL SHALL BE WELL



DEATH DOES NOT HOLD OUR FATHER



STAND TALL



WIPE ALL TEARS



INDEED GREAT IS YOUR STOCK



DO NOT THINK HIM



IMMURED IN UNGODLY TARTARUS



BUT KNOW YE,



THAT OUR FATHER, IN BLISSFUL ELYSUIM RECLINES



CONCORD OF THE BLESSED



WITH SAINTS INNUMERABLE



AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD ALONE



ALL, INDEED IS WELL



NO LESS A COMPANY



MAY HARBOUR YOUR SOUL



IKENGA IN UNEC



THE SEDS YOU SOWED



THE TREES YOU WATERED



SHALL SEE NO DRAUGHT



AND IN EVERY SEASON



THERE SHALL BE EZEJIOFO



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



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WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR HE IS GONE



WHEN OUR FIRMAMENT, DRY AND LONELEY SEEMS



WHEN VOICES GO SILENT



LIKE THE RAINBOW



YOU USUALLY EMERGE, AS THE WINDS RECEEDE



IN FULL MAJESTY



ON THE PAGES OF WORLD JOURNALS



STAND POINT IN LEGAL TORRENTS



ALWAYS DID YOU CLEAR RECONDITES



ALWAYS DID YOU PROBE FURTHER



ALWAYS WAS THAT WIDENING QUESTION IN YOUR MOUTH



HAS THE LAST WORD BEEN SAID?



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                                  16



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR HE IS GONE



BUT WE NEED HIM STILL



OH SEND HIM LORD AGAIN



AGAIN AND AGAIN TO US



AGAIN AND AGAIN WITHIN US



SEND HIM TO OTHER COLLEGES



TO ABIA, IMO, AND OTHER STATES



SEND HIM TO MALI, GHANA, LIBERIA



SEND HIM TO ALL PLACES



WHERE MEN OF TRUTH ARE NEEDED



SEND HIM FROM THE BUSHSTEAD



SEND HIM FROM THE HOMESTEAD



SEND HIM ACROSS THE PLAINS,VALLEYS,RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS



BUT LET HIM BE EZEJIOFO STILL



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO



                                             17



WEEP FOR EZEJIOFOR HE IS GONE



PATRON SAINT,



YOU NOW BELONG TO THE AGES



COME BE OUR WATCHWORD



IN ALL THINGS A MAP



AN ATLAS FOR JUSTICE



A COMPASS FOR FAIRNESS



A YARD FOR EQUITY



A MEASURE FOR EXCELLENCE...............



AND FROM THIS GREAT LIFE



LET US CONTINUAL DEVOTION DRAW



AND FROM THIS GREAT LIFE



LET US TO BE TRULY GREAT LEARN



MAY IT NOT BE IN VAIN



THAT THE TROUBADOUR GAIUS



STOPPED TO SOJOURN AMONGST US



IN OUR DAILY WORDS AND THOUGHTS



LET EZEJIOFOR BE EVER NEAR



MAY HE TO ALL GENERATIONS BE RECOUNTED



AT THE PRESENT AND AT THE PRESENT TO COME



MAY NONE COME AND GO



AND YET KNOW HIM NOT



MAY ALL THAT COME AND GO



BREATHE IN HIS SPIRIT



ARUSI NA LAW FACULTY



JEE N'UDO

  



  



  



  



  



                                                



  



  



  



  



  



                      



                                            



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Author's Notes/Comments: 

Professor G. Ezejiofor, S.A.N.' death came to me as a rude shock. This dirge celebrates his life and ideals. the phrase "arusi na law faculty-jee n'udo", mostly in the vernacular, is to be translated..."idol in the law faculty, go in peace."
The late Don was severally Dean, Faculty Of Law, University Of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, where I had my bachelors in Law studies.

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