Today (July 28, 2024) makes it the 25th Anniversary that marked the departure of our loving father, grandfather, great grandfather, PA. VINCENT MARETINGHAN UKULI BEKENAWEI. In our tribute, we remember his exploits as presented here below, exploits that challenges us to live by his principles of unconditional service to God and to humanity as we all work hard to make a better version of ourselves.

Sometime in 1926, was born a great educator in the personality of VINCENT MARETINGHAN UKULI BEKENAWEI, in a rural setting that had underdevelopment scrubbed all over its canvass portrait—no schools, no hospitals, no pipe borne water… no oil exploration. That setting in present day Nigeria is Kokodiagbene Town in the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

Back in those days, the estuaries were fresh and clean, free from any chemical or oil pollutants. So too the air was alive with freshness; the houses were with simple architectural designs that blended in with the beauty of nature. Then, education was the new gold and the black oil of the time.

Yes, this is not a biography or a saga. No, not at all! And it is not a chronicle of events in any chronological order. It is just our humble effort to pen down a few anecdotes as they flashed upon our memories about our beloved father, grandfather and great grandfather, late PA VINCENT. This narration is at best a total recall in tribute.

As already mentioned, in the pre-independent era when even education had not gained grounds in full vigour in the creeks of the delta of ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, VINCENT was born as a first child to his humble and simple parents, UKULI and IKIOWEREBAIMOGHA BEKENAWEI, who respectively, hailed from the small remote desolate villages of Kokodiagbene and Azama Town, both in the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Indeed, at that time, if any astrologer had cast his horoscope, he would not have thought of the magnitude of the life and legend that lay in store for the child—VINCENT. This was because, as he grew up, the future was very bleak. Why? Because his very present days were a distress! For many of his contemporaries, life was hard and he was no exception. He was passing through a very difficult period in his life and there were not many opportunities in those days.

But the hardships (what he went through) had hardened him to be very frugal and thrifty, so much that later in his life, even in the days of plenty, he continued to remain the same person—frugal and thrifty. No wonder he was forever mistaken to be stingy and miserly.

Unmindful of whatever were the thoughts of other people, he had instilled in us (his descendants) the same calculative attitude and, for good or bad, we the children have embedded in us these traits. Strange are the rules of discipline—all those who wield it strongly and uphold such principles are widely misunderstood rather than accepted!

As we reminisce, the oldest memory that strikes us most is the faint glimpses of our lives at Kokodiagbene Town—the same town which about half a century later is still devastated with the lack of portable drinking water, no electricity, no health facility, lacking in quality education and other amenities.

Our unsung hero had a Teachers Grade (TC) II qualification and started teaching in the year 1952, at Oporoza Town, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom. This job came on the request of the then Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, UKPOLUKPO I, who sent CHIEF GBABO to appeal to PA UKULI BEKENAWEI to release his son (VINCENT) to come over to Oporoza community to educate the people.

Today, most of the elderly people who could read and write were actually taught by him. His career as a teacher took him round almost all of the kingdoms in Ijaw land and beyond, from the creeks of Gbaramatu to Ogbe-Ijoh, Isaba, Ogulagha amongst others.

Prior to his passing, PA. VINCENT was a dedicated teacher, popularly referred to as HM (Head Master) as he was the head teacher in all the schools he was posted to. After his retirement from being a government teacher, out of love and by way of contribution to his community, Kokodiagbene, he continued teaching at Ebiabu Primary School, Kokodiagbene, until his passing on July 28, 1999.

Today, we remember our dear father as an inspiration to his kinsmen and to his descendants. More importantly, we are proud of your immense contributions to the educational sector in the kingdom and above all, the opportunity to be fathered by you. Indeed your name has become an asset which at several occasions had given us leverage, owing to your simple and straight-forward life that you lived.

Fondly remembered by his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

#penglobalsocial #lifestyle #remembrance