[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n the late hours of Tuesday this week, I received the devastating news of the tragic accident that took the life of Kamsi Okonkwo. I wished it were not real and promptly dispatched my team to the scene of the accident, and behold, the worst had happened.
My first thought was of his mother. Kamsi D’Mode Okonkwo, who had a few weeks ago graduated from the university, was the only child of his parents. There’s no imagination big enough that could capture the sorrow of his mother. It’s a pain that will never go away. No one ever gets over the loss of a child, talkless of that of an only child.
This tragedy has reverberated across the VCO Campaign Organisation. Kamsi was one of the youth leaders in our organisation. He was brilliant, responsible, and ever willing to help. He was a multi-tasker and always cheerful.
I had come to regard Kamsi as my younger brother. My affinity for him grew more when I realised he was an only child. My wife and I created a space for him in our hearts and home to be the brother and sister that he didn’t have.
One of the most agonising tasks I have had in my entire life was yesterday when I visited Kamsi’s mother in her home in Nibo. There are no words to describe what she is passing through, and we all feel her pain.
Our spiritual teachers say, “Everything happens for a reason.” It’s hard to find a reason for the loss of Kamsi in such tragic and sudden circumstances. I earnestly wish I had the powers to turn back time and stop him from making that journey to Enugu for the wedding.
Kamsiyoochukwu Okonkwo, you will forever be in our hearts. May God rest your soul peacefully in His bosom. Amen.
Valentine Ozigbo is an award-winning global CEO, a change-maker, and a champion for continuous improvement. He is on a mission to change the world by raising the consciousness of humanity. He is the immediate past President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc, a conglomerate with interests in hospitality, power and oil and gas. He is the Chairman of Feet ‘N’ Tricks International, the largest promoter of freestyle football in Africa and the Founder of Valentine Chineto Ozigbo Foundation, a non-profit focused on youth empowerment and building future leaders.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
