On Saturday afternoon, I opened my WhatsApp app to read my messages and I read one that left me feeling cold, hollow and numb for a while. A classmate of mine in the University, Ab as he was popularly called, had died some few hours earlier.

One never really gets used to receiving the news of the death of a friend, acquaintance or relative. He wasn’t the first person to die from my class, but his seems to be the most painful for me. He died after struggling for his life in the hospital following a thermal burn. For 3 months he had battled with breathing problems, anaemia, dehydration, weakness, and more. We all thought he was getting better, alas not.

With Abs death, I’m left with the bitter taste of regret, of not knowing him more. Maybe I should have tried harder to know him better, because he really was a nice person. He had a lot more life to live. A lot more firsts to experience and more impact to make on the world. He was on his way to the becoming a medical doctor, just a semester more and he’d have the prefix “Doctor” added to his name forever.

For some, death moves them to introspection, asking if they’re really living their lives, for others it reminds them of the shortness of life and moves them to love others with a fiercer love. For me, it’s reminds me that one day, death will come knocking on my door, and when he comes, will I be ready?
It’s not that I’m particularly attached to this life, because I’m honestly not. But I don’t want to reach the end of my life with a lot of “what ifs” and not a lot of “I’m glads”.

I hope it is true that a man can die and yet not only live in others but give them life, and not only life, but that great consciousness of life.

Jack Kerouac

I was moved to ask this question, then what was the purpose of it all? If it meant he and others wouldn’t enjoy the fruit of his and their labours. As others mourned for him, I got to see snippets of his life I hadn’t known about beforehand. He loved God a lot and was a passionate advocate for living ones life to the fullest and involving God in all we do. Coming to this realization added a bit of salve to an open wound. Knowing that while he was alive, he lived his life with little worries and complains. He was a naturally funny person and his laughter and comedy will be solely missed.

All life will come to an end one day, but the journey between here and there is what matters

At moments such as this, I’m reminded of the futility of life in general. All life will come to an end one day, but the journey between here and there is what matters: The impact we make on the world, the smiles we left on people’s faces, the sunshine we added to a dull life, and the little light we gave to illuminate someone else’s way in life. I’m glad he understood this while alive.

Dr Abraham Adakole Otokwula was laid to rest at his home town in Benue State Nigeria on Saturday, the 27th day of June 2020. Right now all one can do is pray for God’s comfort to saturate his family and the people he left behind. Comfort for his dear mother, sister, brother, niece, and friends.

Rest in peace Ab, till we meet to part no more.