A painful goodbye to Nnayi Sai Silas

Nnayi Silas Ihekworobiri Amadi was born in December 1929, the year some women in the then Eastern Nigeria stood up to be counted in the annals of the country’s history. These gallant and noble women confronted the injustice of the British colonialists. They over reached themselves when they tried to impose punitive taxes on women. […]

Nnayi Silas Ihekworobiri Amadi was born in December 1929, the year some women in the then Eastern Nigeria stood up to be counted in the annals of the country’s history. These gallant and noble women confronted the injustice of the British colonialists. They over reached themselves when they tried to impose punitive taxes on women. This provoked the first organized rebellion by Nigerian women against colonial administrative policy.
The kind of life Ihekworobiri lived suggests that the strong outrage against injustice that happened in the year of his birth may have strongly impacted his life. His life was a focused and loud shout against injustice and oppression. In 84 years of existence, he stood up against injustice and spoke truth to the power.
Late Silas Ihekworobiri Amadi was born into the family of Amadi Okoreole and Ewekechinyere Amadi (both of blessed memory) of Umuike Amafor Imerienwe. He was the third child (but first son) of his parents’ eight children made up of five males and three females.
Ihekworobiri took after his father-Amadi Okoro-ole. His father was a stalwart who believed in truth and justice. He was well known for the aphorism: “If you want my support, speak the truth.”
This as well became the measuring line of his son’s public leadership.
It is true that everyone is praised after death. But even while alive, Ihekworobiri’s virtuous life was acknowledged. He was not a perfect man; he had his own failings but everyone acknowledged that he lived a truthful life, courageously and generously.
He was a man of peace but he supported the peace that comes from justice and truth. He fought battles all his life on earth. But none of these battles were for personal benefits. He could allow personal loss or hurt to himself but he would never allow the community or the family to suffer shame or injustice. He was not a trained lawyer but he lived his life as a public defender, putting himself in harm way to defend the rights of other people.
He lived a simple life. Everyone who came in contact with him would immediately see that he did not regard himself more than others. His simplicity mixed with a generous spirit that nursed malice for none. It is quite a difficult thing to be a man of war and peace at the same time. Only those men and women who have generous spirit like Nelson Mandela can fight great battles and still love their opponents. This can only happen because they fight for justice for all.
Pa Silas loved his family so much that he sacrificed his life for it. He has left behind a united family. He held the Amadi Okoro-ole family together through thick and thin with tolerance and care.
Through fearless and intelligent leadership, he has protected the patrimony of Umuike people.
Let those who step into his shoes step up to his virtues.
His father embraced western education for young Silas early enough thus giving him an edge over his peers. His first school was in Imerienwe. He also schooled at Ihiagwa and Emii (his maternal home) where he thereafter passed out in the late 40s.
He went to the North of Nigeria in quest for a better life and ended up as a trained fitter and welder. He also trained to become plumber. He was offered jobs by many companies in Kano but declined all of them.
He was to set up his own maintenance services later and was lucky to strike gold as it were. He was involved in the sale and marketing of food items such as garri, beans and rice. He was successful in this line of business and was able to hire staff to assist him. However, the Nigerian civil war of 1967-70 disrupted his flourishing business which he abandoned and quickly returned to the eastern Nigeria.
At the end of the civil war, armed with certificates obtained during his apprenticeship in various workshops, he was encouraged by his cousin Chief Christopher Anyadike to present himself for appointment in the Eastern Nigeria ministry of works, Enugu.
He got the job which took him to Enugu, Abakaliki and finally to Owerri where he remained until his retirement in early 1990s. Late Silas Ihekworobiri Amadi hated injustice in whatever coloration. He was a great defender of the weak and vulnerable in our society. In such cases, his approach was usually tinged with passion and superior logic.
He defeated all his foes but death finally defeated him.
Dear Silas, your loving wife and wonderful children will forever miss you. There is no doubt that you have live a good life and kept your foot prints in the sands of time.
Silas, you were to the community an epitome of a guard lion. Your sacrifice cannot be in vain. We love you but God loves you more.
Dr Amadi is the chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Abuja.