By Dr. Valentine Opaluwa
When Good Men Depart, Their Kindness Becomes Immortal.
There are moments when words surrender to silence because grief speaks a language too profound for human lips.
Death, that ancient visitor who neither consults calendars nor respects dreams, has once again reminded us of the fragility of earthly existence. It has reached into our circle of friendship and taken away one whose life was defined not by the length of his years but by the depth of his humanity.
The sudden and painful departure of our dear friend, Victor Ojoajogwu Odoma, under circumstances that continue to leave many hearts troubled, has cast a long shadow of sorrow over all who knew him. Yet, beyond every unanswered question, we submit to the eternal wisdom of Almighty God, whose judgments transcend human understanding.
To me, Victor was far more than a friend. He was a living testimony that kindness is one of the greatest forms of wealth a human being can possess.
My mind travels back to our youthful days. Having returned from Jos to spend some time with friends at the School of Basic Studies in Makurdi, I found myself without properly secured accommodation.
It was one of those uncertain moments that often define the course of a young man’s life. Then came Victor.
Without hesitation, he opened not merely the doors of his father’s house but the doors of his heart. His father, then a senior police officer, welcomed me through the generosity that Victor inspired.
Throughout my stay, Victor assumed responsibility for my welfare. He ensured I had a place to sleep and food to eat, asking for nothing in return.
Such acts of kindness are rarely forgotten because they are written not on paper but upon the soul.
That was Victor.
He possessed a rare gift of making people feel valued. His generosity was never loud, his compassion never theatrical. He simply cared. His humanity flowed naturally, touching lives in ways he himself perhaps never fully realized.
Even in later years, though life scattered us into different routines within Abuja and our meetings became infrequent, every encounter with Victor rekindled the warmth of old friendship.
Time had not diminished the goodness that defined him. He greeted with sincerity, listened with genuine concern, and embraced people with the same generous spirit we had known since our youth.
Some people become successful.
Others become unforgettable.
Victor belonged to the second category.
To his classmates and friends from Ahmadu Bello University, where he studied English; to those who knew him in Anyigba, Makurdi, Abuja, and beyond; to every life he touched with his quiet generosity, his passing leaves a void that cannot easily be filled.
Death has often mistaken gentle souls for easy prey.
Yet death can only claim the body. It has never discovered how to bury kindness. It cannot imprison love. It cannot erase the memories of a life lived in service to others. The grave receives flesh, but it has no authority over noble character.
The earth may conceal the mortal remains of Victor Odoma, but it cannot bury the fragrance of his humanity.
As philosophers have long reminded us, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the number of hearts that breathe easier because we lived. By that measure, Victor lived abundantly.
Today, we mourn.
Tomorrow, we shall remember.
And for as long as memory endures, Victor will continue to live in every story of generosity, every act of friendship, and every life he quietly transformed.
On behalf of myself, Amb. Valentine Opaluwa Ejeh, Arome Akagwu, Peter Omata, Titus Okpanachi, Sule Audu, Alewo Akubo, Ogaji Ejeh, Patrick Shaibu, Dauda Jibrin, Abdul Isa. Charles Ile Umoru, Enema Atulukwu, Arome James. Josiah Achimugu, Enemakwu Today Achimugu, Stephen Odoma, Friday Boboyas, Gideon Adah, Ayegba Agudoko, Shaibu Akubo, Abdul Yakubu, Ibrahim Mohammed Molly and the countless friends and relatives whose names cannot all be mentioned, we extend our deepest condolences to the entire Odoma family.
May the Almighty God grant you the strength to bear this immeasurable loss.
May He comfort every grieving heart.
And may the gentle soul of our beloved friend, Victor Ojoajogwu Odoma, find eternal peace in the presence of the Creator whom death itself cannot overcome.
Farewell, Victor.
You came into our lives as a friend.
You leave as a cherished memory.
Your kindness has become your monument.
Your humanity has become your legacy.
Sleep peacefully until we meet again where death shall be no more.
