There is a well-known saying in Nigeria that those the gods love die young.
Sam Ifeanyi Akunna was my bosom friend. I can't remember how our friendship started. As I write, my mind has gone to his gold-rimmed glasses and attention to detail in Technical Drawing.
All our school memories put together cannot be compared to the day I bumped into him on Broad Street, Lagos in 1990 after we had lost touch for many years. Sam told me that he was preparing for his wedding and had wanted me to be his best man but did not have any idea where and how to reach me. He delayed choosing a best man until a few weeks to the wedding when fortune brought us together again.
Shortly after that, I was there by his side when he said, "I do," to a lovely, kind-hearted lady, Felicia Njideka.
I have never forgotten what deep and lifelong (and beyond life) friendships our years in Federal Government College, Port Harcourt enabled us to cultivate.
We parted again when I relocated from Lagos to Port Harcourt. On a trip to Lagos some years later, I visited Sam in his office and was shocked to see him looking so lean and weak but still full of cheer. Charles Egbudom, friend and business partner was closer than a brother. I got to know the health challenges Sam had faced and the sad reality of healthcare in our fatherland.
Sadly, Sam passed away on the operating table in UNTH while he was undergoing corrective heart surgery, leaving behind a beloved wife Felicia, his siblings and parents.
We will not mourn like those who do not believe because Sam had become a spirit-filled, born again Christian, completely sold out to the Lord. Even on his last legs, he was sharing the good news with other patients on the hospital ward. He was bold and approached the finish line with the words of Apostle Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil 1:21)
Thanks, Sam for being such a great friend through good times and bad... You asked for nothing in return. One day, we will meet again. I know you are in heaven. By His grace, I will not miss the mark. Yes, we will meet again. Of course you know, Samaku that Glory, Amenchu, O'magne and the rest of the class miss you too.
If I was ever asked the question of "who did you secretly admire?" I would say it was Samuel Akunna. There was something so friendly and intelligently understated about him that I was drawn to him in more ways than one. It is no secret that I was never one of the math, math, physics wiz kids; and neither did I belong to the phychembi club. But… I had work to do, books to read, exams to pass and dearest Samuel was always there to help in the more challenging subjects whenever I needed it. Even at the expense of his own studies.
You shall always be fondly remembered by me and by those of us that you helped tackle difficult trigonometry, calculus or algebra problems and helped explain the theory of relativity. Rest in peace and sleep tight! Your friend and admirer.
Hmmmm! My heart bleeds, even as I write.I joined FGC-PH in 1977 form 3 and found myself glued to Samaku.I found a friend, a brother and a teacher infact a mentor in him. He guided me consciously from making big mistaKes. I remember telling him once I was in love with Bennet Hart and he told me it was not good for a small girl to focus on any senior other than studies. We studied together and we had each others locker key. I remembered when my sister Miss Eseonu wanted me to repeat form 4 for failing physics because, she thought I needed it in my career. Samaku as Abiye, Amy, Henrietta, Egbudom and I fondly called him, asked me to obey and each morning he would write pages of encouraging words with his beautiful writing and counsel me with such soothing words. I miss you so bad. Whenever I replied, my brother would correct my grammatical errors and send the letter back to me via locker communication. That was my Samuel. Remembered our time together in Enugu Campus as I visIted from U.I. Then for several years lost touch and here I was in Lagos married but can't remember how he located me in 1992 after my 2nd baby. Well, never met him again. When You inately love someone, you'll dream about that person all the time. That was my case. Over the years I would dream of Samuel. I remembered asking him each time where he had been but he would never talk back but smile. Then I'll wake up devastated with no clue to reach my Ifyyyyy. It was the face book era link through Amenchu and Egbudom who explained how my fairy tale Samuel had died in 1997, the year I had my last child. I have grieved Sammy. I know you are resting my GENIUS.
Abiye Hector-Goma
There is a well-known saying in Nigeria that those the gods love die young.
Sam Ifeanyi Akunna was my bosom friend. I can't remember how our friendship started. As I write, my mind has gone to his gold-rimmed glasses and attention to detail in Technical Drawing.
All our school memories put together cannot be compared to the day I bumped into him on Broad Street, Lagos in 1990 after we had lost touch for many years. Sam told me that he was preparing for his wedding and had wanted me to be his best man but did not have any idea where and how to reach me. He delayed choosing a best man until a few weeks to the wedding when fortune brought us together again.
Shortly after that, I was there by his side when he said, "I do," to a lovely, kind-hearted lady, Felicia Njideka.
I have never forgotten what deep and lifelong (and beyond life) friendships our years in Federal Government College, Port Harcourt enabled us to cultivate.
We parted again when I relocated from Lagos to Port Harcourt. On a trip to Lagos some years later, I visited Sam in his office and was shocked to see him looking so lean and weak but still full of cheer. Charles Egbudom, friend and business partner was closer than a brother. I got to know the health challenges Sam had faced and the sad reality of healthcare in our fatherland.
Sadly, Sam passed away on the operating table in UNTH while he was undergoing corrective heart surgery, leaving behind a beloved wife Felicia, his siblings and parents.
We will not mourn like those who do not believe because Sam had become a spirit-filled, born again Christian, completely sold out to the Lord. Even on his last legs, he was sharing the good news with other patients on the hospital ward. He was bold and approached the finish line with the words of Apostle Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil 1:21)
Thanks, Sam for being such a great friend through good times and bad... You asked for nothing in return. One day, we will meet again. I know you are in heaven. By His grace, I will not miss the mark. Yes, we will meet again. Of course you know, Samaku that Glory, Amenchu, O'magne and the rest of the class miss you too.
Dayo Awosika
As he continues to rest in peace, the good Lord will continue to guide and protect his family. Amen
Joy-Marie Abulokwe (Krapp)
If I was ever asked the question of "who did you secretly admire?" I would say it was Samuel Akunna. There was something so friendly and intelligently understated about him that I was drawn to him in more ways than one. It is no secret that I was never one of the math, math, physics wiz kids; and neither did I belong to the phychembi club. But… I had work to do, books to read, exams to pass and dearest Samuel was always there to help in the more challenging subjects whenever I needed it. Even at the expense of his own studies.
You shall always be fondly remembered by me and by those of us that you helped tackle difficult trigonometry, calculus or algebra problems and helped explain the theory of relativity. Rest in peace and sleep tight! Your friend and admirer.
Glory Eseonu (Ogugua)
Hmmmm! My heart bleeds, even as I write.I joined FGC-PH in 1977 form 3 and found myself glued to Samaku.I found a friend, a brother and a teacher infact a mentor in him. He guided me consciously from making big mistaKes. I remember telling him once I was in love with Bennet Hart and he told me it was not good for a small girl to focus on any senior other than studies. We studied together and we had each others locker key. I remembered when my sister Miss Eseonu wanted me to repeat form 4 for failing physics because, she thought I needed it in my career. Samaku as Abiye, Amy, Henrietta, Egbudom and I fondly called him, asked me to obey and each morning he would write pages of encouraging words with his beautiful writing and counsel me with such soothing words. I miss you so bad. Whenever I replied, my brother would correct my grammatical errors and send the letter back to me via locker communication. That was my Samuel. Remembered our time together in Enugu Campus as I visIted from U.I. Then for several years lost touch and here I was in Lagos married but can't remember how he located me in 1992 after my 2nd baby. Well, never met him again. When You inately love someone, you'll dream about that person all the time. That was my case. Over the years I would dream of Samuel. I remembered asking him each time where he had been but he would never talk back but smile. Then I'll wake up devastated with no clue to reach my Ifyyyyy. It was the face book era link through Amenchu and Egbudom who explained how my fairy tale Samuel had died in 1997, the year I had my last child. I have grieved Sammy. I know you are resting my GENIUS.