The birthday dinner at 805 restaurant, Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja on Saturday July 23rd, 2022, was branded in gold, which truly reflects and depicts the person and the heart of the celebrant, Mrs Julie JNC Ezuma. A very befitting, classy, and interesting evening, the family of Mazi Engr. JNC Ezuma entertained relations, friends, and well-wishers to mark the 60th birthday anniversary of Julie, who hardly looked anything close to the age.
Visibly touched by the presence of quality guests, the celebrant, and her husband, with their children, ensured that the atmosphere remained positive as people savoured delicious meals and assorted drinks until late evening. Different dance steps were displayed by many, and guests had kind words for the lady whose special day it was. Appropriately dressed for the occasion and beaming with smiles,she listened attentively to successive speakers and occasional applause from the audience. JNC Ezuma himself, could not hide his happiness as a fulfilled person on such a special occasion as he often betrayed emotions. And that was at the point when the smiles on his pretty face sent me on a quick mental flash back about yesteryears and I went down memory lane in thought about the JNC phenomenon. Perhaps, we can call it ‘the good old days.’As a very young person, I was opportune to be influenced by several “significant others” and JNC was a major player in this socialization process.
Aside from my childhood days at Aro-Achi and Mbala in Aro-Isuochi, coupled with the impact of immediate parents; few excellent big uncles dominated the events of my early and late adolescent life at Arochukwu, Umuahia and Enugu. It has been my fashion to regard them as pillars, and pillars indeed they are. The vivid impressions about events of those days, especially the holiday seasons at 43 Bonny St. Umuahia refuses to dim as one fights back nostalgia and the memories of much older unclessuch as, Dede Edward Ezumah Okoroji (alias Nwoke Ezuike) sitting at court and getting ready to dispense judgment over critical family matters and waiting for the arrival of Dede Dennis Okoronkwo from Aba, for the session to start. On such occasions, I always stood close by with my cousins – Ndy Okorojiand Cami (Stanley) Nwakamma ready to provide needed services. It was customary at that period to always stay around elders as they may require services that would demand immediate attention. Those rare moments were very educative and quite inspiring.
Aside from the more elderly uncles, others like Engr Emma Okoronkwo, OGB Michelin, OGB Canada, Dr Lemmy Okoroji, JNC, Alex Ezumah, etc were our next younger uncles and role models whose exploits in career and entrepreneurship we were to emulate to become successful. And the senior and more elderly uncles were always keeping watch over the activities and behaviour of the younger uncles and the interplay was always a point of education with lessons to learn. Some of the younger uncles, such as JNC, were at times difficult to control, especially when they refuse to see things from the same perspective with the older and more elderly ones. Often, we became the bridge as we play different roles in smoothening the intricate relationships that at times were bound to occur. We also enjoyed special favours that occasionally came from such roles. Perhaps, one instance is enough to explain it better.
On one occasion when JNC was in Umuahia for an industrial work experience (at Golden Guinea brewery, I guess) perhaps,arising from old age or failing health, Dede Edward Okoroji mistakenly allowed him to stay at 41 Bonny Street instead of 43 Bonny Street where access was far more restricted. Both buildings were next to each other and owned by Mazi. And, after he realized that tracking JNC’s movement was becoming difficult, he would make us to bring his chair outside every evening at a corner where he couldeasily monitor his exit and entry. Any time he noticed a lanky, fair complexioned man dressed in white shorts and shirt (JNC’s trademark attire) coming down the street, he would make strenuous effort due to failing sight to ascertain if it was JNC. Usually, he would summon me and point at the person for confirmation. On several occasions, when it turned out to be JNC, he would complain about his bushy hair and dark sunglasses, which he would liken to that of a blind person.
In other activities, such as exiting or entering late or hosting ‘unauthorized guests’, we readily provided neat covers for JNC and we learntplenty tricks and earned ‘special dividends’, including little portions of very delicious uncle Ben’s rice (a very special brand in paper packets) made by some of the ‘unauthorized guests.’We were eager to fast-track some lessons from the experience of many of these uncles because we saw obvious success in their academics, careers, and business pursuits. Their achievements indeed provided us quick reference points and we could easily connect with visible evidence of success around them. To buttress thisfact, few years later, after the tertiary school period, JNC and Alex were among the uncles that demonstrated that being successful at school was a direct route to wealth and good living when, while as students at UNN, during the holidays at Enugu, they would arrive from Abuja with brand new cars, painting the environment red with evidence of good living. Just the peculiar sound from the air conditioner in the brand-new Peugeot GR and SR saloon cars was enough to convince even a blind person who must hear the sound, at least, that ‘big boys’ were in town. Haba, but this piece is supposed to be about Julie, whose special day we recently celebrated, some people may be wondering?Of course, yes. But how can we meaningfully speak or write about Julie without referencing and mentioning JNC? Not when it has been proved beyond doubt that their union is made in Heaven. Only those who know will know, for sure. Those who do not know, may get impressions from some of the speeches (nice ones I must confess) that were made to mark her special day.
A sample is the one by Engr Alex Ezumah, Ugwuaro. Those that know Alex very well know that he is not a person shy to say his mind anywhere and at any time. This is even more the case if some bottles of alcohol have been consumed, and because he had two earlier occasions that very day, he personally confided in me that about seven green bottles had been dealt with, so he spoke his mind effortlessly. After remarking with emphasis that he was the oldest (not eldest) Arochukwu person in Abuja, he made a beautiful speech and ended on the note that ‘Julie was determined, and it was God’s decision that she would be married to their family’. Now, we can see clearly that there is no mistake about what God designs and that the obvious love and blessings around the family are evidence of Heaven at work. Not just the Ezuma family, friends, and colleagues and all those that come around Julie have a common testimony about her quiescently nature. My own respect for her, am sure she realizes, is deep and she can now figure out that the source is partly the very rich relationship, from my early adolescent years, with her husband who as at that time was one of my ‘significant others.’ And this is irrespective of the fact that she did not give me that special uncle Ben’s rice. Once more, congratulations Julie.
And, congratulations, JNC, Chair, Elder’s Committee. No matter the thickness of the forest, the height of an iroko is always unmistaken. May the special grace of God in you, Julie, abound and we look forward to celebrating you at the next decade.
No comments