Ode to a Poet, Singer and Husband

Ode to a pet, singer and husband

The day was a Sunday. It was a Sunday morning. I was at my hospital bed determined that despite my desperate condition, I would listen to that first church service that would thereinafter usher in the New Year. My hospital window was just a stone throw from my church and even though I could not see any of the service as it commenced, it was possible to hear every word that was said. There was one unmistakable voice that floated from and brought the entire proceedings, to my hospital bed and room. It was Emeka's. Emeka was our church choir leader and that Sunday morning he was in charge as usual of the Thanksgiving Service of crossing over into 2007. Often at night (the church too is close to my house), you would hear him conduct prayer vigils and practice sessions into the wee hours of the morning. He had a way of saying 'Letsomebodyinthehouseshout, "Ha-le-lu-jahhhhh! Any of the Hallelujahs that were said in a rather lukewarm manner Emeka always claimed as his. He could not imagine that we could just sit down there, ascribing those feeble expressions of praise to the King of kings and to the father of the Prince of Life himself. Most of the time, Emeka agreed to give the loudest and strongest expression of praise, with everyone in a standing ovation, to God.

On Monday evening I heard that Emeka was dead and his body already in the morgue.