I knew late Barrister Ferdinand Onen Ebri (Ebri Nnennen) precisely about 1986 while I was a starry eyed student in the University of Jos, Jos, Plateaux State, when he came from Kano to visit Beatrice Onen Ofem who was then studying Zoology in the University of Jos. We struck a friendship, bond and comradeship which lasted for many years before his sudden passage to eternity in the early hours of the 26th April, 2011. Our friendship was cemented because I found in him a complete and total soul mate in terms of the undiluted love for academics, polemics and progressive idealism.
He visited my house in Ugep in the accompany of Patrick Hyacinth Iwara, Engineer Benjamin Okoi and others on the night of 20th April, 2011, where we were involved in intense engagement and negotiation with four Candidates for the election into the House of Representatives to explore the possibility of forging a consensus Candidate in view of the saturation of candidates in the race for the Federal House of Representatives in Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency for the elections of 26th April, 2011. Barrister Ebri sat down quietly and listened carefully and attentively but never muted a word until he left. When we met the next time, he told that he was very impressed with my effort to negotiate for a consensus candidate and that he was equally impressed with the architectural aesthetics of my humble home and promised to pay me another visit to celebrate with me. That visit never manifested or come to fruition!
Barrister Ebri, flighty like a mist that comes early in the morning but disappears before sunset, disappeared when we least expected. I was aroused from sleep by a phone call in the early hours of 26th April, 2011, at about 5.30am from my brother, Ottoh Ofem Obono, who broke the news to me. I was alarmed at the horrible news. Ottoh whispered in a trembling voice ‘Ebri Nnennen is dead!’ I was petrified and stunned for about twenty minutes after my brother dropped the call. I was to say the least, dumbfounded. The sudden manifested starkly in the low turnout of people in the election into the National Assembly scheduled for the 26th April, 2011, in the Cross River State Central Senatorial District.
The mourning for this man, who is a study in determination, dedication and industry, was palpable in the entire Ugep Town and threw everyone into a gloomy mood and brought life to a virtual standstill in Ugep. Then there was an incredible story of his resurrection from death several hours after his corpse had been deposited in the mortuary, which threw the entire town again into a topsy turvy, and raised the hope among his well wishers that it should be true. It was not to be.
His life was indeed exemplary. He had very humble background but determined not to be just one other anonymous being, he struggled and burnt the midnight candle to study and pass his General Certificate of Education (both Ordinary & Advanced Levels). He was admitted into the University of Ibadan in 1976 and graduated with a Second Class Upper Division Degree in Economics, one of the most comprehensive and difficult Courses in Social Sciences. He had many offers from several blue chip companies and the University of Ibadan but he elected to join the Nigeria Custom Service as a Cadet Officer. He rose to the enviable position of Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service in charge of Enforcement & Administration, Customs Headquarters, Abuja. Still bubbling with great enthusiasm for academics and learning, he entered the prestigious Faculty of Law of the University of Lagos in 1982 and graduated in 1985. He went for the one year Post Graduate Studies in Law at the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986. Barrister Ebri also delved into journalism. He attended a Post Graduate Course in Journalism in the Nigerian Institute for Journalism in Lagos.
He was a consummate Lawyer though he never had d time to practice in the Court but he would never miss an opportunity of a chanced meeting with me to engage me in a legal argument on a point of law and it was always so beautiful listening to him marshalling and presenting an argument with so much gusto and erudition. I remembered when he visited us at the Law Firm of Kanu Godwin Agabi (SAN) in Abuja about September, 2008 (where I was after relocating to Abuja) he told Kanu Agabi that he would soon retire from the Nigeria Custom Service and that his desire is to join his practice and that he would not mind if a younger lawyer would be assigned to him to tutor and teach him the mechanics of practical law practice. Such humility would only come from a fine and brilliant Barrister Ebri! There and then, Kanu Agabi offered him a place in his Firm and charged him not to hesitate to take the offer as soon as he retired from service. He had about three or so years left to actualize this dream! His undying interest and love for academics saw him bagging degrees and qualifications in Economics, Law, Journalism and lately he delved into the arcane study of Marine Law where he bagged a Master’s Degree.
It is sad that all of these dreams embedded in Barrister Ebri are now gone forever with him. Indeed the reality of the transient nature of life is all so evident with the death of Barrister Ebri that we are all left with the awesome knowledge that the Almighty God gave and the Almighty God allowed it happen the way it did. We cannot question the infinite wisdom of God in this.
To his wife, children, brothers, sisters, in-laws and relations, what can I say to you all but: ‘Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His Might’ through this trying times. God shall comfort you all and give you all the fortitude to bear the loss. God shall also comfort all of us his friends he left behind.
Fare thee well, Barrister Ebri!
Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla
(Obol Kobil of Ijiman)
15/6/2011
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