The passage from the known to the unknown is often pulsating—locked in grim circumstances. To the living what follows next is grief, sorrow and tears. Yet for anyone who was as competent and courageous as Albert ‘Egba” Okumagba the peace of paradise awaits him. For the brave titan who has just departed, be it known that he has only shed his physical body and now stands in a body free from all the pains he suffered while on this side of the divide.
Do not despair and lament; the ace “deal master” who kept his gaze firmly concentrated upon sublime goals while in flesh he is already ascending into luminous heights! A child born to walk without frequently tumbling, but invariably gets up with a smile until he is able to walk in safety; this is what man must do in his path through this world. Albert “the hero” has gone home to be reborn. Let’s not be like ponderers who dissipates precious time mourning; after a succession of earthly trials, ordeals, barriers, and then ecstasies, victories and momentary glimpse of reprieve—on the threshold of a breakthrough– then the ultimate prize!
Who can fathom this life? Albert stood out like the Egyptian sphinx—a genius of sort; a capital market guru; prolific investment banker; he set out to build an empire, a dynasty only the brave could contemplate; but the imperfections reminiscent of third world countries, the envies and circumstances beyond human control all contributed to slow down the enigma. Undaunted, his brief foray into the murky world of politics was another matter entirely. Credit to him, however, is that he was skilful and fearless.
Albert walked in the marked out areas Angels fear to tread; look at what he made of the BGL consortium; at some point, his multi-diverse admirers felt his heart was made of that of a lion for the type of staggering financial adventures he handled. You expected a man of such powerhouse repute to be aggressive, macho and swanky in appearance; no; not Albert; his “babyface” that had a perpetual smile belied his tough nature. You cannot handle “mega deals” with a chicken heart—this much is clear. Well, much can be written about our dear brother but suffice to summarize; we only have to know and trust and our ageless guardian will appear to comfort us.
Having answered the call, he will continue to grow courageously as he continues in his path to eternity. The assurance is that the heroic like him will find all the forces of the unconscious at his side; Mother Nature herself will report all the mighty tasks he performed; that’s what is called “our deeds”! It is on this great rhythm of historical process that he will ride—no more no less. The life beyond is real, and make no mistake: the phenomena lives! Well, after all, said, Albert was my “junior’ back then in school at the FGCW, and he was well mannered.
I liked him at first glance and we stuck to each other until nature and destiny sent us our separate ways. In May 2019, we met again at a wedding reception in Lagos and had a real swell time, although I noticed he was sober most of the time; we tried to cheer ourselves up though, but you know when a burden is in the heart…what happens. And then came the news.
Although, that is the fate that awaits all mortals, what can we do? The good life Albert lived is what we witnessed from the wake keep to the funeral mass, lying in state and eventual internment; he left in a blaze of glory! And as it was in the physical so it will be in the spiritual realm. The ordinary Warri boy had risen to become a colossus! Nigeria will surely miss him. Adieu, our dear Albert “deal master” Okumagba.
