“Dad practiced what he preached.” Chinedu Osunwa.

Mr Chinedu Osunwa, the first son of the late Deacon Wilson Osunwa, popularly known as Dee Willie, whose burial will take place in Umulolo Umuezeala Uba UmuakaNjaba LGA Imo State in this interview, takes a look at the life and times of his late father.

First of all, I want to say I am grateful to God for the life he lived. My father was a great man, he was a good Christian and he was also a good father. For the number of years we had him on earth, he was a man of purpose and destiny who never led his children or anyone astray. He embarked on his mission on earth faithfully and convincingly to God almighty. He was a good husband who lived an exemplary life and we love him so much and we remain grateful for him for leading us to the way of God.

On how he brought us up under Christian faith was something he took seriously. He would always tell us his children, “Look, anything you have in this world without Jesus, you are empty-handed.”

He made us to fully understand that life on earth is temporary. As one of the early Christians in Umuaka, he faced a lot of tribulations and persecutions within and outside his domain and environment. People could not understand why he believed in God and held tenaciously to his faith.

Dad understood all these and still kept his faith unshakably and stood firm with the Lord Jesus Christ. He never gave up. This made him to distance himself from the social strata. He was very distinct and different and all these happened at the time when being a Christian was not glamorous unlike these days.

I sincerely thank him for appreciating God from the early years of his life. He never compromised and he made it clear to anyone who came across to him that his Christian faith was his highest asset!

Against this backdrop, he loved people, he loved peace and vigourously pursued it with his entire household and practiced what he preached. I am grateful to God that he made an impact and played his path without injuring anyone. The impact he made was tremendous and highly noticeable in the Christian community in Umuaka.

Finally, I am happy that he was impactful to the society. Sadly enough, he is no longer with us and no matter how old a parent gets, we will always miss them. We miss him so dearly and we will ensure that his Christian legacy will continue to live in every one of us. I am also grateful to God Almighty for making it possible that despite all the tribulations and persecutions, he was able to stand in his faith and lived an undisputed Christian life. May his soul continue to rest in peace.