The man, Chief. James Ghoye Emarievbe was a man of many facet,
he was different things to different people, a husband, a father, grand-father,
brother, uncle, a motivator, a leader, a colleague, a mentor and so on.
To us in Urhobo Progress Union Malaysia (UPU Asia), he
was a father, a patron and adviser in every areas where we need his fatherly
wisdom to come into play.
Chief. Emarievbe always opened his doors to us, his
children to gather and discuss about love, unity, togetherness and future of
Urhobos residing in Malaysia and its environs. He always made sure we had food
and drinks to eat. He taught us the values and cultures of Urhobo Nation,
thought us how to conduct ourselves as Urhobos that we are. He was instrumental
in starting and growing the Urhobo Progress Union in Malaysia and made sure we
gained recognition back home as well through his positive role play in making
sure the union is fully registered with UPU headquarter in Nigeria. But his
benevolence was not just restricted to the union, Chief. Emarievbe was also
committed to each of us individually, he took time and fatherly patience to
teach us and advise us on the path to honor and reconciliation. We have too
many numerous cases to attest to this. Not only was Chief. Emarievbe one of the
greatest mentors of our time, but he was truly a passionate man who love his
people dearly. He was just as dedicated to his family as his career, as also
his culture and Urhobo Nation. Even in death, his memory still inspires us to
this day.
No matter how much eulogies we attribute to the life of
Chief. James Emarievbe, so many of his purer virtues will remain untold because
he was a man who did so many good things and only few we have records of, I am
talking about those noble traits that marked his achievements, laid buried in
the shades of time.
His greatest joy was seeing the growth of all of us his
children, he was passionate about a united Urhobo people in Malaysia and
globally, thereby fulfilling our great motto of “URHOBO OVUOVO”.
The life of Chief. James Ghoye Emarievbe can only be
likened to the sayings of Richard Bach, “What the caterpillar calls the end of
the world, the master calls a butterfly.”
For, from the many lessons we have come to learn from
the life of Chief. Emerievbe, we come to understand that life isn’t about
waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
Allow me to draw inspiration from the words of Ben Okri,
the most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to
endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering, yes,
because when we have great mentors like Chief. James has been to us, we can
only be inspired to become the greater versions of ourselves.
Chief Mrs. Stella Emarievbe has lost a husband, his
children have lost a father, Urhobo Nation has lost a general, UPU Malaysia has
lost a mentor.
Even to his colleagues, both Nigerians and foreigners
alike, Chief. James was a rallying point, from his work ethics, his experience
in the work place as well as the exceptional wealth of wisdom deposited in him,
he was a man who inspires all.
Chief. Emarievbe always reminded us that we were never
too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream, he reminds us that death
is not just the extinguishing of a light, but the putting out of the lamp because
the dawn has come.
Chief. Emarievbe in the brief time he spent with us, has
thought us the following lessons we cannot forget, he thought us that there is
no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world. He also thought
us to be diligent in all that we do and build our integrity in the journey of
life. The lessons are many but the space to write them is so limited. His death
came as a shock to us, on a time UPU Asia had already making plans to bring our
father, patron Chief. Emarievbe to grace our Urhobo Day, normally scheduled at
the end of every calendar year in Malaysia. His passing was so painful to us,
to an extent we felt we had loss the steering in our vehicle of a union, but
then again, we remember he lived a fulfilled life, we are grateful for the time
he spent mentoring us into the global leaders we have become today and that
which we will become tomorrow.
People may come to say his death is too painful for them
to remember, but we say, he is too precious to forget.
Chief. Emarievbe Sir, softly, you tiptoed into this
world, almost silently, but the time you stayed has left so much imprint of
memories in our hearts. Thoughts of you will always remain with us your
children whom you have mentored in Asia where you spent some time of your life.
In all we say, that our great icon Chief. James Ghoye Emarievbe
(The Akarophiyo of Agbarha-Otor Kingdom)
strode the earth like a colossus and giant tree with many branches. At this
junction, after much tears rolling down our cheeks, remembering all his words
to us had braced us together, as we wipe our tears and say daddy goodnight and
travel well.
Ose Avware-ijobi
Kpori…
