Commentary: Biography Of Pa Fabian Onyejiuwa Okafor-Okeke

^{WRITTEN BY IFEANYI ONYEJIUWA}
Late Ichie Fabian-Mary Onyejiuwa Okeke was born on the Christmas Eve of 1920. He was the only surviving child of his mother, Cecilia.

The young Fabian toed the path of his mother in embracing Christianity in the then pagan dominated society. Thus, he was enrolled into the Saint Michael’s Primary School Awgbu. He received his baptism in 1947 at Saint Andrew’s Adazi, being the closest Parish to Awgbu then. Bishop Charles Henry had administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to Fabian Ngwanma, as he was known then.
After his standard two, he dropped out of school due to paucity of fund to pay schools. Ichie Fabian Onyejiuwa, right his youthful age, was very humble, respectful, obedient, caring, hardworking and intelligent. He did not want to be a liability to anybody. He was able to read the handwriting on the wall, understanding that he was from poor background; and that he was being brought up by his single parent, the mother. He therefore started early to struggle.
In 1942, he became a tailoring apprentice in Onitsha, where he proved his mettle. He mastered the art of tailoring and was settled in 1945. Fabian’s brilliant performance impressed Chief Nwankwo Okpala, who gave him a brand new sewing machine. This spurred Fabian into action. Within the next one year (in 1946), he acquired his own sewing machine and gratefully returned the first machine to warrant Chief Okpala. He relocated to Igwushin in western Nigeria.
Later, Fabian Onyejiuwa acquired a plot of land on which he built his personal house. Subsequently, he bought a cocoa plantation at Igwushin. He progressed so well that he bought a pleasure car. Thus, he became the first person to buy a car in Igboezue Osikwu Awgbu before the Nigeria/Biafra War. Ichie Fabian was very famous at Igwuushin for his good neighbourliness and demeanour.
When the handsome young man wanted to settle down, he sought for the hand of former Miss Josephine Okoye Akpakpo and accordingly wedded her at Saint Kevin’s Catholic Church Igwuushin, Ondo state in 1957. The union was blessed with ten children, seven males and three females. It was the wish of Pa Fabian-Mary Onyejiuwa that one of his sons would be a Priest of God. God however granted his heart’s desire. On August 15, 1998, his son, Reverend Father Diliolisah Anselm was ordained a priest of the Awka Catholic Diocese.
Ichie Chibueze, as he was fondly called, was a Catechist at the Saint Kelvin’s Catholic Church Igwuushin. He later moved to Ore after the war from where the lot of organizing and leading the Igbo Catholic community at the Saint Paul’s Catholic Church, again fell on him. His disposition in the church endeared him to Bishop Francis Alonge, the then Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese. The Bishop offered him an appointment. However, he turned down the offer.
A befitting send forth was later organized by the parishioners who showered gifts on him. Chief Fabian Okeke was a major stakeholder of zone 3 at the All Saints Parish Awgbu before Saint Theresa was carved out of it in 1997. Until then, he was the ward leader of Imeoha Igboezue. He became the secretary of the Saint John’s Igboezue and the financial secretary of the zone from 1997 to 2007. Chief Fabian Onyejiuwa was also a member of the prestigious Amala Traditional Council, Osikwu and Secretary, Njikoka Age Grade.
Pa Fabian-Mary Onyejiuwa Okeke, Ichie Chibueze, died on August 16, 2017 at the ripe age of 97. His survivors are Chief Mrs. Josephine-Mary Onyejiuwa Okeke (wife), Chief Kelvin Onyejiuwa (Destiny), Rev Father Captain Dr Diliolisa Onyejiuwa, Messrs Sunday, Christian, Fabian, Victor and Calistus Onyejiuwa (sons). Others are Messrs Amaka Ogbaji, Ngozi Egwuekwe and Nkechi Ogamba (daughters); sons and daughters-in-law; 33 grand children, nine great grand children and other numerous relations.
Interment takes place today in his compound, Imeoha Igbezue, Osikwu Awgbu, while outing mass holds tomorrow at Saint Theresa’s Catholic Church, Osikwu Awgbu. Funeral ceremonies continue thereafter until Tuesday next week.
You were in time with your God, Papa for He loved you so dearly that He was with you till the end. Chibueze, May your soul rest in Peace, Amen!