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
15
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
.