MR GABRIEL DIEJOMAOH AT 79: AN ENCOUNTER WITH A GOOD FAMILY!

I first encountered them when I came to Benin City for the first time in August 1986 during the long school vacation to visit my late Aunt, Mrs Christy Kashekule Afeleokhai (Nee Salufu).

At that time, his immediate elder brother, Prof Michael Diejomaoh was working with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and living at C5, Doctors Quarters in the Staff Quarters.

Here, we used to go and buy eggs for commercial purposes as they operated a poultry farm in their home.

It was always such a beautiful and lively experience for us to go, early in the morning, to buy eggs because of the excitement of helping them to pick eggs that were laid the previous night or the freshly laid eggs in our presence, but much more than this, was the fact that his wife, our dearest and good mother, Mrs Lizzy Diejomaoh, as a good mother, would always give us eggs as part of our ‘little’ job of helping to pick eggs.

So, we always looked forward to the dawn of the next day.

This was how I first encountered the Diejomaoh family through the family of the brilliant and excellent Prof Diejomaoh in Benin City in August 1986.

And apart from the fact that we used to go to his house to buy eggs for sale, he was a well-known and respected figure in Benin City, firstly at the University Community of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) on one hand where he was a practicing Medical Doctor at a very senior level, and on the other, the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

Secondly, as a Catholic, he was very popular within the Archdiocese of Benin, especially as the construction of St Albert Catholic Church, University of Benin (UNIBEN) was under construction, where his family played major roles; physical, financial, and spiritual contributions towards its construction.

And as already chronicled in ‘Mrs Christy ‘Kashekule’ Afeleokhai (Nee Salufu): The Death of The Peoples’ Mother!’ on Friday, October 20, 2023, my late Aunt, Mrs Christy ‘Kashekule’ Afeleokhai (Nee Salufu) was a good Seamstress and with her dexterity with the needle of the sewing machine, she made dresses for almost the women, the ‘who-is-who’ that were living around Ugbowo or working in either the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) or University of Benin (UNIBEN). And our dearest mother, Mrs Lizzy Diejomaoh was one of her most reliable customers!

In these circumstances, we had cause to relate with the Diejomaoh’s family almost on daily basis because something must always take us to them, either to pick and buy eggs or to deliver one dress or the other to Mrs Diejomaoh.

In fact, at a time, his home was like our first home because we were always there where we would always be welcome, cheerfully.

However, a heavy shock wave reverberated within Benin City, if not the entire Bendel State (as she was then known) when Prof Diejomaoh was amongst the first medical personnel, in the wake and wave of the Nigeria Medical Professionals going to Saudi Arabia in the late 80s and early 90s.

It was such a strange and frightening feeling for everyone connected with the Diejomaoh’s family at that time, that one of the best hands at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) was going to Saudi Arabia, especially as a Christian because the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is an entirely Islamic State.

Yet, Prof Michael Diejomaoh dared this and went to them in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in the professional practice of his medical practices because he believed that saving lives through medicine is a sacred vocation that must be honoured. 

Men of great faith, belief, and courage!

However, it was a huge disbelief, but a faith strengthening news, when, during one of his rare visits home that he took or rather ‘smuggled’ into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) a Holy Bible and most importantly, a Holy Rosary, as symbols of his Christian and Catholic Faith. These symbols of the Christian Faith were not allowed into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) then, and perhaps, now.

This act, a daring act, helped to strengthen the faith of many Christians, especially Catholics living and working around Ugbowo and by extension, the great Archdiocese of Benin City as this news spread like a wide fire.

Again, men of great faith, belief, and courage!

In Year 1998 and purely by divine providence, I was posted to serve my one-year compulsory National Youth Service through the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. By divine providence too, on Monday, August 23, 1999, I was employed by Oceanic Bank International Plc and truly by God’s divine grace and providence, I was retained in Human Resource Department and was made to handle a very sensitive Unit, Records/Performance Management where I oversaw the records of the entire staff of the Bank for several years.

And it was here that I encountered the Diejomaoh family again for the second time through one of their beautiful and brilliant daughters.

Mrs Ufuoma Ivenso (Nee Diejomaoh) was my contemporary at the Bank, having been employed on Monday, January 04, 1999, eight (8) months before I joined her in the Bank. She was a popular figure within the Bank, breaking many records and scaling different and difficult heights in the Operations Unit and later, Customer Care Management, but even though we have related in so many professional ways in the course of our working relationships, unfortunately, we never really met physically to relate until very late in our professional career with the Bank because while she was in the mainland axis of Lagos, principally at Toyin Street Branch and later, Customer Care Management Department, Mushin, I was at the Corporate Head Office, but when we finally met physically to exchange notes on our previous relationships, I only found a warm heart who is always full of joy and love for God through the Catholic Faith and a willing heart to always assist others which I have since chronicled as ‘Mrs Ufuomaoghene Oluwafunmilayo Ivenso (Nee Diejomaoh): My ‘Super’ Sister on Wednesday, August 01, 2018.

This was my second encounter with the good family of Diejomaoh and what a good family it is.

Truly, ‘a good name is better than silver and gold’ because in Professor Michael Diejomaoh and Mrs Ufuomaoghene Oluwafunmilayo Ivenso (Nee Diejomaoh), they have continued to maintain the good name of the Diejomaoh’s family by their integrity, honesty, sincerity and love for God and His creations.    

So, on Saturday, April 05, 2008, we moved to Ajah from Ketu and started attending Mass at the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah.

Even though we were already friend with the pioneer Parish Priest, Reverend Father Cosmas Mordi, we had some fears in our hearts, especially with a young family on how we would be accepted by the Parishioners and possibly fit into the life, physical, social and spiritual life of the Parish because St Micheal’s Catholic Church, Ketu that we were coming from, was truly a ‘Community of Communities’ where, through the life of the Small Christian Communities (SCC) there is an inclusion for everyone, especially through the families.

However, our fears melt away immediately by our first encounters. As already chronicled in my several Chronicles of some of the Parishioners of the Parish, particularly in ‘Pa Michael Anozie Canice (MAC) Onyeneke: A Good Man Has Gone Home To His Maker’ on Sunday, 04 June 2023, we quickly observed that the Parish was blessed with good family structures like that of St Michael’s Catholic Church, Ketu, our immediate past Parish.

As stated in that Chronicle, we observed that there was this strong unity amongst couples who are in the advanced stages of their marriages at the Parish as one hardly sees the husband without seeing the wife. As it is with Pa Ben and Mama Mary Olisah, so also it is with Sir John and Lady Ebun Eriagbon (KSJi). From late Pa (Sir) John Amara and Lady Idowu Nwosu (KSM) to Pa Victor and late Mrs Folashade Sogade, we observed these families closely. From late Sir (AIG) Anthony and Lady Mary Oyakhire (KSM) to late Pa (Engr) Edward and Mrs Yemisi Erapi, we observed the obvious unity of purpose that should exist in marriages and married life.

And even with couples of younger marriages and those not too old or too young in their marriage vocations were not left out of this beautiful essence of unity of purpose in the family. From Mr Emmanuel and Mrs Helen Isokpan to Mr Femi and Mrs Mildred Oke, FCA, from Engr John and Mrs Julie Ehizokhale to Mr Laurence and Mrs Cecilia Alu, from Sir Moses and Lady Grace Okonkwo (KSJi) to Mr Wilson and Mrs Ebi Okoh-Esene, and from Mr Chris and Mrs Amaka Ugbomah to numerous others, we observed these families very closely, and in our close observations, we were simply inspired to model our own young marriage after theirs in this beautiful concept, the concept of unity of purpose in marriages and married life between husband and wife.

It was in this close observation that we first noticed Mr Gabriel Diejomaoh as we hardly see him without seeing Mummy, the wife of his youth, Mrs Theresa Bolatito Diejomaoh. They were simply inseparable, and this greatly influenced and inspired our own young marriage that was just in its seventh year when we arrived at the Catholic Church of Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah in April 2008 to start attending Mass there.  

And this was the third time that I was encountering the good family of the Diejomaohs through the family of Mr Gab Diejomaoh at the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah, and that encounter has become the most profound, significant, and enduring encounter because of the positive and beautiful lessons that I have learnt from the beautiful family life of Mr Gabriel Diejomaoh.

So, serving as a Church Warden at the Parish, I observed one ritual that Mr Diejomaoh never misses, but which he is not even aware that other Parishioners have taken note of which has greatly inspired them and continue to inspire them.

As he walks into the Church for every Mass, he would always be ahead of his elegant wife, Mrs Theresa Bolatito Diejomaoh. And when he gets to the entrance to Church, he would always wait as the dutiful husband that he is, to hold the hands of his wife to step her down into the Church where he would always lead her dutifully to the pew that they would sit for the Mass thereby guiding her to the pew for her spiritual sustenance and refreshment.

And they are always so punctual at Mass and other Parish functions. They are never known or seen to be late to any of the Parish functions as they are either there early or not. These rituals, I observed with the Diejomaohs, and I have continued to observe them as there are so inspiring.

Now, talking about family rituals, there is this significant family ritual that the Diejomaoh’s family practices every year that has kept me and perhaps, many other Parishioners wondering how they always manage the sheer logistics of it.

Christmas of every year always brings joy and fun for all the families, especially Christian families because of the many beautiful activities and rituals of the ceremonies that are associated with this period of the year.

And this is the ritual that Mr Gab Diejomaoh has perfected so much. It is the ritual of having all his children with their spouses and grandchildren at his home for the Christmas celebrations, every year.

Amazing!

The logistics that goes into the planning and execution of such a noble annual family ritual, is not only amazing, but it is a worthy research work or project for the academia, especially those who teaches marriages and family life and who truly has the good interest of the family at heart like the Family Life Ministry Facilitators and Marriage Preparation Facilitators.

Significantly, he has replicated and continue to replicate this beautiful ritual in his annual ‘Family Harvest Thanksgiving’ during the Harvest/Bazaar Season where he is always surrounded, joyfully by all his children and grandchildren in thanksgiving to God for the gift of life during their Family Harvest Thanksgiving.

In our family presentation ‘The Hallmarks of a Happy Family’ to RESPAG (Responsible Parenting Advocacy Group) of the Catholic Church of Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah – Lagos on Sunday, August 30, 2015, we stated, amongst other hallmarks of a happy family ‘that family should build and honour rituals that can be religious, national, or even family-specific. Happy families should have meaningful rituals and they should not be stressed out by them. These rituals can be unique to their own families such as going for morning Mass on Saturdays, a weekly pizza night or even a family song as rituals tend to bring family members closer together because they are repeated over time.’

And this is exactly what the family of Mr Gabriel Diejomaoh do, so beautifully every Christmas to the envy of so many families around them.

This speaks of his deep trust in God and love for the family, yet he is so humble about this.

Perhaps, this is why my big sister in writing, Mrs Eugenia Abu wrote on her Opinion Column in BusinessDay on Friday, February 26, 2024 ‘Let’s talk about family!’ that “family is beyond the physical. It is the building of heartfelt relationships, the sacrifices we make for each other and the love that is enough to go around.”

Truly and for the Diejomaoh, family is everything and Mr Gabriel Diejomaoh has continued to do everything to promote this spirit by his intentional actions of gathering his children with their spouses and grandchildren together because they are now his best friends, his best confidants, and his pride.

While writing this Chronicle, a Parishioner told me that ‘Daddy cannot do without his grandchildren as he always wants them around him.’

That was a profound statement of the family life that Mr Gabriel Diejomaoh has lived and continue to live even as he goes into the later years of his life on earth, and this should inspire many families to emulate him.

At the Parish level, the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah, I understand that he was the first Vice Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) or so, but significantly, he was the Chairman, Harvest Planning Committee (HPC) in Year 2007, following in the heels of his brother and friend, Engr (Major) JohnCay Ihejieto who was the pioneer Chairman, Harvest Planning Committee (HPC) of the Parish in Year 2006 and with whom he has shares boundaries with as their houses are just side by side and in this, they have lived harmoniously and continue to live so, thereby speaking to the fact that we do not have to come from the same family or bloodline before we could live together peacefully which I have since chronicled as ‘Engr (Maj) JohnCay and Mrs Gemma Ihejieto: The Good Of A Man, The Goodness of A Family’ on Monday, February, 14, 2022, the Feast of St Valentine.

These are the beautiful examples that Mr Gabriel Diejomaoh and his ‘twin’ brother and friend, Engr (Maj) JohnCay Ihejieto has set before us, and we can only continue to emulate them in this.

Honestly, their combined works as pioneer Chairmen, Harvest Planning Committee (HPC) for Year 2006 and 2007 respectively, have set the Parish on the path of steady growth that she has continued to experience.

And Mr Gab Diejomaoh has continued to generously give to the Parish, physically and financially in her steady growth.

Perhaps and much against his personal wish, the Parish in true recognition for his industry and general contributions for the growth of the Parish, honoured him with a ‘Merit Award’ on Easter Monday, Galilee Day Celebration, Monday, April 10, 2023.

On that day, the Parish, through the Parish Priest, Monsignor Gabriel Kunle Amolegbe saw his continued good works in the Parish and rightly recognized him by that award.

Certainly, there is more to him than meets the eyes because when one assumes that he is just another ordinary Parishioner because of his unassuming nature and quiet appearance, one would always discover that he has been one of the strongest pillars of the Parish.

Sincerely, he supported the Parish in so many visible and important ways that helped her to grow and he has continued to do. In so many other times, he was called to work behind the scenes for the successes of events and programs of the Parish that easily went unnoticed by others.

Truly, endowed people do not shout to be heard and Mr Gabriel Diejomaoh has never shouted with his voice to be heard, but by the generous shouts of his beautiful heart.

At the monthly Catholic Men’s Organization (CMO) meeting and other functions in the Parish, he is always appearing very simple and very quiet too, but whenever he proposes a solution, it answers everyone’s concerns and expectations.

Sincerely, some people just go beyond our initial expectations and Mr Gabriel Diejomaoh is such a personality by his wisdom and personality!

In his appearances, he preaches humility. By the words of his mouth, he preaches humility with his kind and pleasant words. And by the charity of his hands and heart, he preaches humility by the kindness and goodness of his heart without ever announcing it.

He has a rather reclusive personality, yet very energetic when it comes to the things of God. He is always supercharged to work in the vineyard of God.

There is always this simple look on his face, peaceful and serene like that of an innocent child with an ambience that is welcoming to all. He hardly speaks, but whenever he does, it is laced with deep knowledge and wisdom.

His personal lifestyle is loudly low profile. He loves his privacy and family life greatly. He is a true African family man!

During the 70th birthday celebration of his beautiful and beloved wife, our good mother and grandmother, Mrs Theresa Bolatito Diejomaoh on Friday, February 01, 2019 with a Thanksgiving Mass at the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate and the impressive reception at the prestigious The Patron Hotel, Mr Gab put to best use his virtues of humility and simplicity as he handed over all the proceedings of the reception to his immediate elder brother, Prof Micheal Diejomaoh, while he was busy, going from table to table to ensure that all invited guests were not only comfortably seated, but that they had something in their hands and to chew with the tongues of their mouths.

His role at that worthy occasion was a beautiful one to behold on that day as he ensured that the wife of his youth had the best of her 70th birthday celebrations.

Sincerely, Mr Gab is an inspiration for all families, especially for husbands, both young and old.

Our dearest and good Daddy, Gab, as you celebrate your seventy-nine (79th) birthday on this day, we pray that our good Lord will continue to grant unto you a long healthy life. May you be strong in your bones. May you be healthy in your blood. May the voice of your mouth be strong and visible. And may God grant you the grace of final perseverance and the gift of eternal life when it is time for Him to call you home to Himself.

May this special day and always, continue to bring you joy, laughter and cherished moments that you will continue to share with your family, friends, and associates.

Thank you for the beautiful and positive lessons that you have taught and continue to teach us.

We love you, our amiable Daddy Diejomaoh. Happy seventy-nine (79th) birthday!  app

Na we,

Your children

The Mark & Racheal Osabomeh Family

Saturday, May 25, 2024