Funeral Oration for Mr. Izundu Chukwunweoru Francis (1924 to 2007)
It was on the 8th of October 2007 that it struck. Death. Our Dad died.
We lost Mr. IZUNDU Chukwunweoru Francis only days ago, but we have missed him for a long time. For the first time in our life, we'll celebrate not only Father's Day without our dad. He passed away at 83.
Mrs. Izundu Monica, Patrick, Charles, Anthony, Anthonia, Eucharia, Emeka, Jude, Grand Children, members of Izundu family and our dear guests:
It has been said that the loss of a parent is one of life's most traumatic events. We now know the devastating truth of that statement. No words can express our feelings or fill the gap. It’s only time can help us accept the fact, which will be replaced by positive memories that soothe our Father’s soul.
Our father was one of those hard working fathers that always got his way. His words were the law in the family. We respected/”feared” him but we never thought he was already teaching us one of the most valuable lessons in life, standing up for what he believed in.
As we grew older, we gradually became aware of why he treated us like that. We also discovered that he was a very compassionate and kind father. We learned that the most important thing that he had was us, his family; though he may never have said that aloud, we know that he was really proud of us. We are who we are now because we had a father like him. As most of you may know, our father never hid his feelings. He showed them. And he stood his ground. You would only see that look that told you that he did something great, and seeing him like that made us feel like we owned the world.
We remember when we were little our father found time for us. He worked hard that we may survive. He paved his ways that we my live. He was very strict as a father but that’s only because he cared for us.
To his friends and relatives, he was always ready to help. He was physically active in his community where his ideas and suggestions were always welcomed. He always had his ways of making issues simple. He was very generous, and he never wanted to be acknowledged for anything he did. When he helped he simply did so.
He showed strength until the end and still had some enlightening words for us. As a Christian, he took the words of God serious and showed us how powerful prayer is. “Have faith and do not look back so long as you believe in God”: he always emphasized.
We will continue what our father has started. We’ll be filling huge shoes but with his help we can make it. Let’s just remember everything that our father shared with us. His words. Let’s be happy that he has finally gone home to our creator, where he found refuge in, long before now. Now he sees his Saviour face to face.
May he rest in Peace.
May God bless Mr. IZUNDU Chukwunweoru Francis and the family he loved. Amen.
