The Departed Warriors

Few years back, I came home from school, played, ate, watched TV and slept off for the night. The next day was school as usual but that morning I noticed that as household was running slower than usual. I went to where my mom was at the varendah and I saw a great crowd gathered at the building opposite ours. I asked her "Mom, what is happening" She just looked at me, stretched out her hands towards me and held me in a huglike manner. As inqisitive as I was, I continued asking her what was happening in the opposite building. After about 15 minutes, she finally told me: "Nwa Ebony nwuru n'abali" meaning Ebony's son died last night(Ebony is the name of the man living at the 2nd floor of opposite building). I felt chill at that instance but I got over it immediately. I asked her again to be sure of what I heard and she gave me the same answer. I then asked her what may have caused that and she responded "fever". That was the first time I heard that a child died. Before then It never occured to me that a child can die and secondly that 'fever' can kill.
On December 24th 2013, I was putting some items together which will be used for the celebration of Christmas when I got a call from a secondary school mate of mine(I still call him my classmate even till this day) His voice was grave-like and barely audible. All I could make out was "Jasper is dead". I was shocked and a wave of chill passed over me. Jasper was the best chorister in my class then in secondary school. His real name Obimma Francis was rarely called. I personally call him Obamma(meaning machete sheath) I later got the info that he died in a motorcycle accident while returning from a visit to the classmate of mine who called me to inform me. This was the second time somebody I have come in close contact with and an age mate of mine died.
7 days ago, Saturday 15th March, A friend of mine whom I stay in the same lodge with knocked on my door in the morning. He practically woke me from sleep that morning. I was surprised because that was his first time of doing that. He just sat down on the opposite bed to mine gazing at me. I was still feeling drained from sleep. I just managed to ask him "Is there any problem?" He slowly and quietly responded "A lodge mate just died". The sleepy feeling disappeared immediately from my eyes. I asked him "Who died?" just to be sure I got what he said properly. He said that it was the boy by name Emmanuel living diagonally from my room. I was dumbfounded. Noticing my silence and maybe perceiving my upcoming questions, he went further to explain that rumor was that the boy traveled to his home town to see his parents and for some other unmentioned issues. That night he slept and didn't wake up. The funny thing was that before his death nothing peculiar or out of normal was observed from him. Although I didn't know the boy personally but I have been seeing him on few occasions therefore I knew him as a fellow inmate of the lodge. It shocked me till now that such a young warrior who has not tasted life is now departed from us.

LIVE YOUR LIFE BUT KNOW THAT YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER DEATH. IT CAN COME ANYTIME. RIP to all the departed souls especially to Emmanuel. I knew him not that much but many of my lodge mates testify to his goodness.