TN ONWUMERE: DEATH OF A LEGEND
Talking about a certain Government College Umuahia always represents a thing of immense pride. The history, the achievements, the life, the times, the environment, the oneness, the academic competition, the shame and pains of failure, the sufferings, the hard manual labour, the strict boarding system, the opportunity of lifetime friendship and most importantly, the chance of a lifetime to learn from the best!
Indeed, no graduate of this legendary school would have nothing spectacular to say. The intelligent ones would never forget who made them. The talented ones would never leave those who helped shape them behind. Even the dull ones who never made it until the end, would always remember one thing; the fact that they had every chance to make it. Really, GCU was the cynosure of all eyes. But only one man made all these happen.
“If You Are Not Part Of '02 Set, Then You Missed”, screamed a huge banner, in one of the numerous meetings of 'boys' who graduated in 2002. Over-exaggerated this banner may seem, one cannot but accept that fact. The only reason is a certain Mr T.N Onwumere.
A lot of students who met him are yet to understand it, even until now. He always clamped down on the never-do-wells with such passion.
He never gave a single room for any form of misbehaviour. Act bad, and he would bring you out to the whole school, and you get thoroughly punished and humiliated. Naturally, such administrators were meant to be unpopular. But 'supi', as he was known as, remained well liked.
Even the terrible ones loved him. I can boldly say that no other school principal in Nigeria, as strict and uncompromising as he was, would ever be well appreciated than himself. He tasked the lazy ones more, yet they liked him. He made sure everyone went to church, yet the pagans liked him. He made teachers work extra hard, yet they liked him. He gave no room for failure, yet those accustomed to failure still liked him. Little wonder every record, academic and extra-curricular, was broken in his time. If anyone was to wonder why the only way was down for this school after he retired, then wonder no more.
If you are a football lover, you must know the manager of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson. In his image was Manchester United built.
The same way was GCU built in TN Onwumere's image. When he retired, the teachers wept. They knew they would never get a better boss. And so it proved. The students also wept. They knew they would never get a better academic father. So it also proved.
Indeed, if TN Onwumere were a politician, an actor, or a wealthy businessman, they would sing his praises all night long. But he was a 'mere' principal; a teacher whose proverbial reward is in heaven.
However, those of us who passed through him would never ever forget the impacts he made in our lives. Wherever we are, whatever we are and would become, we would never forget him. That, for me, is how a hero is celebrated. We may not advertise it on the pages of the newspapers.
The governor of Abia State may even not know him. He may be buried just like every other person, but my joy remains that we would always have him in our hearts. Never has this been said about a principal who was so strict and demanded the best: WE LOVE HIM!
Rest in peace 'supi'. Now, you would go to heaven and receive that reward which you never got on earth. There, God would acknowledge the impact you made in our lives. Like Abraham, He would call you 'father of multitudes' because that is exactly what you are. ADIEU!
Kelechi Udensi