There is nothing as earth shattering as the manner in which I learnt of your demise.Usually, Betty sends me news links, so when she sent me one that black day about a soldier killed by Boko Haram, I didn’t really take it as something that needed my urgent attention (goes to show how much we never appreciate the travails of our soldiers). But she had followed it up with a request that I call her. So I called and her voice was so low that I could barely hear her. But I did make out the expression “Have you seen the link I sent?”, and in a bid to show that I had gone through the link, I quickly clicked on it. Your pictures assaulted me, and the news that followed the pictures took the wind off me. I needed it to be a dream; I wanted so much for what I was reading to be false.

A blanket of anguish seized my heart, knotting it in pains. Otos was gone.I felt winded, and the tears came despite my attempt at being a “man”.

The first thing to do was to put a call through to Ufuoma, but what was I going to tell a 33-year old, who suddenly found out that she is a widow? Was I going to tell her that everything will be alright? How in hell can anything ever be alright?

When I finally called, I blurted out “How are you doing?” And she gave me the apt answer; “How do you think I’m doing?”

The days that followed have been horrible days. In dealing with my own pains, I tried to imagine what Ufuoma will be going through. I pick my phones daily to reach out, but again, what do I tell my young sister? How do you build strength in a 33-year old? How is she to deal with this cruelty? What do you say; what do you do?

Otos,God, or the Fates bleeped shit up here. Daylight was cut short at midday.

But it could have been better, you would have still been here with us if at least the blabbering government had equipped its military with all that is necessary. As I heard, you bled out, why wasn’t there an equipment to aid in stemming the bleeding until you could get better care? We have questions, but I am more interested in calling out a government that defeats insurgency only in the...

Credit: http://ikengachronicles.com/otos-umusu-now-your-watch-is-over-warrior-nnaemeka-oruh/

Such a terrible shame...rest on sir.