Tribute to Our Friend, Dr. Austin Agbahiwe. By Dr. Simon McB & Lady Lilian Iberosi.

Despite having been aware of Dr. Austin Agbahiwe’s health challenges and struggles through updates from his son, Dr. Darwin-Bobo, the news of Dr. Austino’s passing was jarring and has left me in profound shock. What an irreparable loss to our generation!

Dr. Austino was a remarkable individual—resourceful, profound, cerebral, and intellectually gifted—yet he possessed a humility and gentle mien that endeared him to virtually everyone who encountered him. Indeed, his physical strength, philosophical depth, and intellectual acuity were as formidable as they were admirable.

He loved Umuaka passionately and invested his time, talent, and treasure in advancing its interests. I vividly recall, at the height of the Njaba South pursuits, those nocturnal meetings he hosted at his expansive estate, where the who’s who of Umuaka gathered for deliberations that often stretched into the wee hours of the morning, with his dear wife graciously supporting the gatherings.

He was a consummate organizer and a visionary who imagined a contemporary Umuaka united in purpose, conscious of its collective strengths, and committed to harnessing them for the common good. Above all, he possessed a remarkable gift for recognizing, affirming, and validating the worth of others.

One particularly poignant memory of Dr. Austino dates back to 2007, following my father’s funeral. The morning after the burial, I was sitting in his living room, looking at pictures, lost in contemplation, and struggling to come to terms with the reality that Papa was no more. Suddenly, a knock on the door jolted me out of my reverie. There, imposing and ebullient as ever, stood Austino, clutching a bag under his arm.

We had a memorable visit, reminiscing and reflecting on life, loss, and my father’s memory. As he prepared to leave, he opened his bag, brought out several wads of crisp, mint-condition naira notes, and placed them on the table. Looking at me, he said, “Nwoke, this is for you. Stay comforted. Your dad was a great man. It shall be well. Jisike!”

I thanked him and confessed that I had never seen such a large quantity of mint-condition naira notes despite my efforts with Mallams at Amajieke. With his characteristic foresight and humor, he replied, “It goes with the territory. I figured you would need them when this is all over, and you’re out there again.”

We both laughed because, as it turned out, he was absolutely right! For many years afterward, those crisp notes served as my little mark of distinction at social functions???? That singular gesture was quintessential Austino- thoughtful, generous, perceptive, and always looking beyond the moment to anticipate others’ needs.

Our paths first crossed many years earlier when we attended extra-mural classes at Akajiaku Commercial, where the likes of “Chemist” Ben Nwachukwu, “Mathematician” Timi Obiwulu, and “Grammarian” Obi Duruji held sway.

I may well have been the only one in that group attending a Federal Government College then. Although I had established a reputation in primary school before leaving for secondary school in Enugu, I was largely oblivious to the impression my background and academic pursuits made on others during those extra-mural classes. I was simply engaged, curious, and eager to learn.

Many years later, when Austino worked at the Merchant Bank and I was with General Electric Company in Lagos, he invited me to his office, where we shared lunch. During our conversation, he revealed how much he had admired me in those earlier years and how he had regarded me as a role model whose example helped fuel his academic aspirations.

That revelation profoundly humbled me. I had never imagined that my youthful endeavors could have left such an impression on someone who would himself grow into such an accomplished and intellectually formidable individual. From that encounter onward, our relationship was characterized by enduring mutual respect, admiration, and affection.

He particularly admired my forthrightness and fondly referred to me as an “intellectual juggernaut and our modern-day Cicero.” It was a generous sentiment and compliment that he immortalized in a video tribute he recorded at my wife’s request for my 2022 birthday celebration.

We were also both proud Great Akokites, another bond that enriched our friendship and reinforced our shared appreciation for intellectual excellence and the transformative power of education. Ah, Dr. Austino, you are sorely missed!

Indeed, I find it exceedingly difficult to contemplate the reality that Dr. Austino is no more. I deeply regret missing the opportunity to reconnect with him when he visited the United States and attended the UDU Convention in Los Angeles, California, last August, as we had agreed. I had hoped that we would see each other later this year, by which time he would have recovered from his health challenges. Alas, that reunion has become our unfinished business, forever foreclosed by the finality of death.

Dr. Austino has departed far too soon. His passing is a poignant reminder of life’s brevity, the fragility of human existence, and the inevitability of our mortality. It reminds us that the opportunities we defer today may become the cherished encounters we never get to experience tomorrow.

Although he was not privileged to live to a ripe old age, he lived a consequential, purposeful, and fulfilling life. His intellectual legacy, devotion to his family and community, generosity of spirit, and the countless lives he touched will remain enduring testimonies to a life well lived.

His life showed that the true measure of a person lies not merely in the length of their years or the magnitude of their accomplishments, but in the positive influence they exert on others and the enduring legacy they leave behind.

May this legacy bring comfort and consolation to his beloved children, who have already endured so much, and to all his loved ones as they reflect on the beautiful memories, shared experiences, and precious moments that defined his earthly journey.

We pray that the good Lord grants his children and the entire bereaved family the grace, strength, serenity, and fortitude to bear this painful and irreparable loss.

May the soul of Dr. Austin Chidi Agbahiwe, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen!