Professors Onor and Ogom Pay Heartfelt Tribute to Late Chief Asi Eteta-Ita at 25-Year Memorial Service

Professors Onor and Ogom Pay Heartfelt Tribute to Late Chief Asi Eteta-Ita at 25-Year Memorial Service

By Ndifon Joseph – Calabar

In a profound gathering of memory, respect, and reflection, Professors Sandy Onor and Raphael Ogom paid a heartfelt posthumous tribute to the Late Chief Asi Eteta-Ita, their erstwhile landlord and respected mentor, during a remembrance service on October 25th, 2024, at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN), Akim Qua Town Parish, Calabar, Cross River State.

Professors Sandy Onor and Raphael Ogom paid a heartfelt posthumous tribute to the Late Chief Asi Eteta-Ita

The event, marking 25 years since Chief Asi’s passing, celebrated his influence on their formative years as young university teachers and his longstanding legacy as a figure of discipline, generosity, and strength in the community.

In his tribute, Senator Onor, a distinguished scholar and politician, recounted with nostalgia the days he and Professor Ogom spent under Chief Asi’s roof.

“Chief Asi was more than just a landlord; he was an embodiment of discipline, confidence, and presence. As a young university teacher, I lived at No. 16 Etta Agbor. My friend, Prof. Raphael Ogom, a professor of political science in Chicago, USA, was also a very young university teacher at the time. Both of us lived in a two-bedroom flat where the Chief had his bastion.”

Reflecting on Chief Asi’s firm demeanor, he noted that although their landlord valued silence and order, his youthful laughter often echoed through the compound, a habit that could have easily sparked tensions. Yet, Chief was remarkably tolerant, endearing Onor to him as more than just a tenant.

“I have this gift of laughter as a very young man, and if I begin to laugh, you will hear me out there. It comes naturally and is very difficult to contain. But I noticed that Chief Asi tolerated me, and so we grew from being tenants to family. That is why we are here with our brothers and sisters today,” Senator Onor concluded,

Professor Ogom spoke with heartfelt gratitude, recalling Chief Asi’s kindness and genuine concern for his welfare. For him, the late chief’s influence reached far beyond the boundaries of landlordship; it touched upon his personal journey as a scholar and left a lifelong impression, especially, in 1990 when he was awarded a scholarship to Cambridge University in England.

“I am very excited to be around today to witness this occasion. In 1990 I got a scholarship to study in Cambridge University in England. When I was about to leave, Chief Asi called me aside and reminded me that the ‘Oyibo country is very cold.’

“He went into his room, brought out a sweater, and gave it to me, saying I should wear it when I get to England. I kept and used the sweater until I became too big for it. If I said Chief was a good man, he was a good man,” he affirmed.

For both Professor Onor and Professor Ogom, Chief Asi represented much more than a landlord from their youth; he was a mentor and father figure whose discipline, generosity, and guidance impacted their lives in indelible ways.

At the memorial service, community members, family, friends, in-laws, and past and present tenants gathered to pay homage to a man who lived with purpose, fostering relationships grounded in respect and kinship.

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