By Rebecca ugenyi

Most people from Isiugwu Ohafia cannot tell their childhood stories without mentioning Elder Kalu Uke Kalu, KUK.

While growing up as children in Isiugwu Ohafia, we were proud of Elder K.U.K and wished to be his relative, to connect with him, and to be like him in the future.

Children who were members of the Presbyterian Church were super proud of him. They always boasted of him. When you engaged in a small play with them, they would tell you that all your church members put together were not worth K.U.K.

Many children attended Presbyterian Church because of K.U.K, while many children converted to Presbyterian Church just to be called K.U.K’s church members.
As a child who was not a Presbyter or KU’s relative, you dared not mention his name in the school or on the playground in a bad manner as mentioning his name in a bad manner could attract a beating penalty.
For example, if A mentioned KU, B would be like”A, why are you calling KU without respect? Don’t you know that KU is my church member? C would be like,”Don’t mind A, she lacks respect, she doesn’t know that KU is my relative, my great great great grandpa and KU’S great grandma met and agreed to be siblings. Therefore, I’m KU’s relative. D would be like, “So two of you want to kill A because she mentioned KU. KU does not relate to any of you, hence he never visited your houses. You all are claiming someone who doesn’t know about your existence. ” At this point, the fight would ensue

As children, when we prayed for our loved ones abroad to come back home for Christmas celebrations safely, we must include KU in the prayers. While we hoped for our loved ones to come back, we hoped for KU to come back as well.

When news of his return reached us, we would hope to see him in the church on the 25th Dec morning because that was the only place we could see him.
On 25th December mornings, many children, especially children from my Nde Oji compound, would run to Chukwudimma’s housefront, opposite the church, just to watch KU and his Oyibo wife( Hazel Barbara, trekking down to the church. KU’s wife usually made everything beautiful by dressing in Igbo attires, a blouse and two wrappers with cover shoes, walking and looking uncomfortable which we found beautiful and funny. When they greeted her” Nnawoo”, good morning, she would reply”Kaa noo” in Oyibo’s accent.
These children would run back to the compound satisfied, telling anyone who cared to listen how beautiful KU’s wife wass, how she walked and how she replied their greetings.

Also, many children would hurriedly bathe and dress up for church, hoping to see KU and his wife there.
During Sunday school service, these children would not concentrate. They would be looking for a means to go inside the adult church, just to see KU and his Oyibo wife. However, children who were unable to see him during church service would wait patiently till church dismissed so they could see him. Upon seeing him, they would run home satisfied, telling anyone who cared to listen that they saw KU and his Oyibo wife.

But, unfortunately, KU did not know about all these things till his death