Oghaiki Asaah Ndambi

A tribute to my Dad We are here to celebrate the life of a remarkable man, a father, a mentor, a scholar, and a guiding light to so many. A man of principle and humour Dad was a man who possessed a brilliant sense of humour, but he never traded his integrity for a joke, nor would he ever overlook wrongdoing. I learned this firsthand during my childhood days when he would never spare the rod to spoil the child. During boarding school days, like many students, I tried to slightly inflate the prices of my school supplies to get a few extra coins. I told him a required schoolbook cost 500 francs, even though it was actually 400. Dad didn't get angry. He simply sent the 500 francs with a note that read: 'Others are getting the book at 400 francs. Why is yours 500?' He let me know he knew, teaching me a lesson in honesty. Forever young at heart He had an incredible gift in connecting with people. He was at peace with everyone around him and possessed a deep sense of community. Dad belonged to more social groups than I can name, serving as a marriage counsellor, a teacher, a mentor, and a true father figure to hundreds of children and adults. He was remarkably youthful. Dad never accepted the idea of being considered 'an old man.' He acted young, thought young, and even climbed trees to fetch fresh fruit well into his later years. In fact, he remained a youth leader in the CYF until he was 70 years old, only then did he decide to finally join the CMF. The lifelong scholar and record keeper To me, Dad was one of the most dedicated writers and scholars of all time. He was always writing. Every single evening, he would sit at the table reading, writing, or marking scripts. As a child, I honestly thought Dad never slept. I would leave him at his desk when I went to bed, and when I woke up in the morning, he was already there, ready for work. He believed that a teacher should never stop learning, and his dedication to education was beyond compare. He was also an immaculate record keeper. I am certain that if you had asked him how much my school supplies cost during my very first term of Form 1 back in 1990, he would have been able to pull a precise, archived list showing every single item and its cost. Dad prioritised education above all else for his children, and he spoke prophecies into our lives. He always called me his 'Professor.' Dad, I hope I will still get the chance to fully attain that dream and make you smile proudly from heaven. A fighter and a believer In his final chapters, Dad showed us what true strength looks like. He was a fighter who never gave in to sickness. He stayed fiercely positive and optimistic about his recovery until his very last hours. Even as his body weakened, his voice remained clear, and his brilliant memory stayed sharp. Above all, Dad was a man of profound faith. He believed in God deeply and put Him first in absolutely everything he did. We take comfort in knowing he is at peace, leaving behind a legacy that will live on in the hundreds of lives he touched. Rest in peace, Dad. You are deeply loved, and you will never be forgotten. Oghaiki Asaah Ndambi