OBITUARY: ELI OBASI
Mobolaji E. Aluko <maluko@scs.howard.edu>
Nubi:
For me, it is doubly shocking: Ely Obasi called me on the phone just two
days ago, and we spoke on the phone for over thirty minutes! He sounded
to be such a great guy! My children will be shocked when they hear this
news, because they took his messages down both times before we finally got
to talk to each other.
This is another object lesson for us all: we must live each day as if it
is our last.
May Ely's soul rest in perfect peace. Anything to help those he left
behind, I will do.
Bolaji Aluko
On Fri, 27 Jun 1997, Nubi Achebo wrote:
> This is shocking! I just exchange email with the broda last week. May his
> soul rest in peace.
>
> Nubi Achebo
> -----------
>
> At 03:18 PM 6/27/97 -0500, Dele Jegede wrote:
> >It is with a very heavy heart and a dizzy head
> >that I send this to the village: Ely Obasi is
> >dead. He died this afternoon here at Indiana
> >State University, of what has been suspected to
> >be asthma attack.
> >
> >This is a call to everybody out there for help:
> >I need to be in touch with Ely's family. I know
> >that his brother is in Canada. Is there anybody
> >out there who has the gentleman's telephone number?
> >Does anybody have the telephone number of his family
> >in Nigeria? THIS IS VERY URGENT. PLEASE HELP.
> >
> >You can reach me via this medium or leave a
> >message for me (if I'm not available) on (812)
> >237-3722. Indiana State University cannot move on
> >until we've had the necessaray contacts.
> >
> >
>
Nathaniel Cole
Opinya Ekabo
At 04:18 06/27/97 -0400, Dele Jegede wrote:
>It is with a very heavy heart and a dizzy head
>that I send this to the village: Ely Obasi is
>dead. He died this afternoon here at Indiana
>State University, of what has been suspected to
>be asthma attack.
If this is a joke, it's a very expensive one but there is no reason for it
to be. I'm speechless, I don't know what to say. Ely, rest in peace,
perfect peace. Can someone shade more light on this situation? What can be
done?
Opinya Ekabo
(still in shock)
Oluwafemi Owodunni
May his soul rest in peace. I was an avid reader of his column in
the Vanguard newspaper back in Lagos. Nigeria has lost a great mind.
Sun re o.
Femi Owodunni
still in SHOCK!!!!
Nubi Achebo
This is shocking! I just exchange email with the broda last week. May his
soul rest in peace.
Nubi Achebo
-----------
At 03:18 PM 6/27/97 -0500, Dele Jegede wrote:
>It is with a very heavy heart and a dizzy head
>that I send this to the village: Ely Obasi is
>dead. He died this afternoon here at Indiana
>State University, of what has been suspected to
>be asthma attack.
>
Dele Jegede
Martin Fregene
May his soul rest in peace. No doubt he contributed a significant share
to discussions on the way forward for his fellow country men. Every such
deaths should diminish well meaning Nigerians and make us see that the
earlier we render service to our fellow human beings the better.
Martin
Dr Edward Oparaoji
Dele,
This is absolutely shocking! Ely and I just started exchanging ideas on how
to kick off a high profile campaign for the release of Chris Anyanwu. God
sometimes make it difficult to be nice. I am convinced his soul will rest
in perfect peace- 'cos he was a great guy! Please let me know. if you need
anything. Thanks.
Eddy.
----------
> From: Dele Jegede <ARJ...@RUBY.INDSTATE.EDU>
> To: NAIJ...@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: OBITUARY: ELI OBASI
> Date: Friday, June 27, 1997 4:18 PM
Fred Ajayi
May the soul of Ely Obasi rest in perfect peace.
Fred Ajayi (Ogidiolu oni kanga ajipon)
Sylvester O. Osagie
I am indeed saddened by the early departure of Ely Obasi.
I pray for comfort for members of his family at this very, very difficult time.
Sylvester Osagie
Kunle Fagbenle
From: Tunde Fagbenle
Too shocked for words. He was a colleague and friend.
May his gentle soul rest in peace.
Tunde.
Uzoma Onyemaechi
May His Soul rest in peace!!!
-uzo
==========================================================================
http://www.si.umich.edu/~uzo/HomePage.html
"Those whose palm kernels were cracked by the benevolent spirit
should not forget to be humble."
--Igbo Proverb
===========================================================================
Chido Nwangwu
Special to USAfrica The Newspaper & USAfrica ONLINE
June 30, 1997
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The body of Ely Obasi, former Editor of The Sunday Magazine (TSM),
Lagos Nigeria who died in Indianapolis, United States on Friday June 27,
1997 will be flown to Nigeria on July 8.
First word of his death was announced Saturday morning June 28 to
USAfrica's founder by Okey Ndibe, former editor of The Guardian magazine
Lagos and African Commentary.
Also, Stanley Ogunedo, New York-based media consultant and former writer
in Lagos sent additional information informing the community "his
family is making efforts to fly his remains back to Nigeria for
burial on July 8. Given the prohibitive cost of this undertaking, they
have requested help from all who care."
Ogunedo adds "towards this end, some friends of his in New York are
organizing a quick drive for funds. We hereby appeal for your assistance
in this regard."
USAfrica confirms that given the urgent, tasking financial challenge
for his family to send the body of this departed patriot, fertile
mind, creative and lyrical writer of the famous columns 'Ticker Tapes'
and only 2 months ago, 'View From Indiana' for USAfrica The Newspaper (his
USAfrica column on Foreign Exchanges & the Commodities Market appears
below this announcement), we add our voice to the REQUEST to send
funds to his family before 5pm NY (EST)Time on Thursday July 3. (Later
funds sent will be given to his family)
All cheques are payable to :
African Legacy Inc., 808 Lexington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY11221
Additional information may be received from Mr. Ogunedo at 718-574-9452
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are a few letters between late Ely Obasi & USAfrica's Founder &
Publisher Chido Nwangwu leading up to Ely's column, VIEW FROM INDIANA for
USAfrica The Newspaper.
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 13:39:57 -0600
To: Ely Obasi <hurri...@HOTMAIL.COM>
From: USAfrica <publ...@usafricaonline.com>
Subject: Ely, glad to know you're here!
My dear Ely:
I was delighted to read your post on the 'net.
Let me know where you (are).
I'm Ken Orji's nephew. He introduced you to me (in Lagos).
Also visit our web site. Let me know if you'll be interested in
writing a column for
USAfrica The Newspaper.
With fraternal good wishes
Chido
------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 21:31:50 -0800 (PST)
X-Originating-IP: [139.102.18.65]
From: "Ely Obasi" <hurri...@hotmail.com>
To: publ...@usafricaonline.com
Subject: Re: Ely, glad to know you're here!
Chido hi,
Thanks a lot for your mail. I'm glad you wrote.
I didn't know you were related to Ken (Orji). Maybe I missed something.
Bear with me.
Where is he now? Still at Diamond Bank? How is he doing, with all the wahala in
Nigeria's banking sector? Please fill me in. Does he visit the US often. I see
Pascal Dozie is fully occupied with the stock exchange these days. Who is
running the bank right now?
Let me know what kind of materials you would like. I have quite a few things
cooking right now.
Hope to hear from you soonest.
Regards.
Ely
**********************************************************************
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 13:33:31 -0800 (PST)
X-Originating-IP: [139.102.18.65]
From: "Ely Obasi" <hurri...@hotmail.com>
To: publ...@usafricaonline.com
Subject: Article for publication
My dear Chido,
Thanks for your mail. I will be looking out for the copies.
Here's an article I think you might want to use....
It is a sophisticated product which has just arrived in Nigeria
for the first time. And I do know that it will change the lives of people in
both good and bad ways. One of my fears is that our people here and at home,
individuals and financial institutions, as well as corporate bodies, are going
to start speculating with it, because of the luring possibilities of very high
profit. But the disaster can be staggering.
I strongly believe that the sooner we begin to talk about it, the better it
will be in the long run. It is fairly long so you may wish to edit it to fit
your space. I believe also that it will help with corporate profile and
therefore with the financial advertisers. Give it a read.
I will be glad if you can e-mail me soon to say what you think.
Regards.
Ely
==========================================================
View From Indiana/USAfrica The Newspaper
DERIVATIVES:
The ancestors' new request
---------------------------------------------------------------------
In 6 months a 21-year-old student turns $2,400 into $240,000, and buys a new
BMW. In a few weeks, Barings Bank loses $980 million, and goes burst. Is there
anything in these financial instruments for Africa?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
by Ely Obasi
In the meantime Ken Mosheshe gulps Maalox.
Everyday the acid builds up as he worries if the exchange rate of the Nigerian
naira will stay at its current level through 1998. He dreams it would.
If his dream holds out, this young Jacksonville, Fla.-based physician will be
home in Nigeria next December, his sizable end-of-year bonus in his wallet, to
build the new family house he promised his father on the latter's deathbed.
Back in the ancestral village, the kin await him. His relevance depends on this
time-honored ritual.
But the naira may not stay still. If the government goes ahead, as it has said
it might, and merges the two rates of exchange that currently exist, the value
of Mosheshe's anticipated bonus of $25,000 may drop from N2 million to one
million, or even less, as the autonomous exchange rate appreciates. That amount
will not pay for the building project. In Africa, one does not renege on a
pledge made to dead forebears.
Ken Mosheshe wishes there was a way he could secure the sale of his dollars at
today's rate, but wait until December, when his bonus would be paid, to make
delivery.
Mosheshe does not know he could easily have done that with a forward contract.
Nobody has pointed him to any bank in Nigeria that deals in forwards. But
perhaps even if someone had, the man would not have cared to find out how they
work. Forwards are also called derivatives, and from some of what he has seen
in the media, the name "derivatives" is the kiss of financial death.
Across the Atlantic, Ibrahim Mohammed runs an extensive car importation
business in Lagos, Nigeria. Mohammed is pretty convinced that the
much-talked-about merging of exchange rates will not happen before the proposed
general elections due around August, 1998. He believes, in fact, that the
political tension that will build up as the preparation for that election gets
under way might drive up the demand for the dollar, thereby lowering the
exchange rate of the naira(that is, increasing the number of naira he needs to
buy a dollar).
Ibrahim Mohammed is certain his business plans for 1998 would be on solid
ground if anyone would offer him dollars at today's exchange rate, but hold off
the delivery till early December when the customary pre-Christmas buying spree
would have cleared out his inventory, and brought him a good stock of naira.
But Ibrahim Mohammed cannot do this deal. In the financial arena that he does
business, nobody talks about forward contracts. And derivatives, until a few
weeks ago, was an unknown word.
Had there been such a forward market, both men would sleep easy the rest of the
year; Mosheshe confident he has the resources to honor his ancestors, and
Mohammed certain he would replenish his inventory in 1998, no matter what
happens to the naira. Used in this fashion derivatives are perfectly safe
financial instruments.
Such strategies for managing future risk are the reasons why derivatives are
badly needed in African financial markets. A decade ago, such financial
products were not in demand, because most African currencies were pegged at
some arbitrary values. But currency liberalization came. And volatility in
exchange rates followed, bringing along their own peculiar headaches.
Forwards are only one type of derivatives. Far better known are their close
cousins known as futures. Futures are actually standardized forwards which
trade on exchanges. Another popular derivative is the option contract. There is
an endless variety of variations and configurations to which derivatives can be
put to achieve all kinds of effects, from risk management to very sophisticated
high-risk speculation.
Nigeria's first encounter with derivatives happened with the inauguration,
early February, of the Nigeria International Debt Fund. Just like the contracts
which would give Ibrahim Mohammed the freedom to arrange his business plans
with greater certainty, the International Debt Fund will serve businesses that
have payments due in the future in foreign currencies.
"It is about protecting your purchasing power in dollar terms," said Phillip
Iheanacho of U. K.-based Afrinvest Securities Ltd., "Investors mostly
interested are institutional investors who know they are going to be able to
make payments in dollars in the future."
The Nigeria International Debt Fund which aims to trade up to $100 million, is
offered to investors who are keen on the government's dollar-denominated par
bonds and promissory notes. Developed by the local subsidiary of Citibank,
Nigeria International Bank (NIB) and United Bank for Africa (UBA), the Nigerian
International Debt Fund trades on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, and offers
investors a yield of not less than eight percent, which is higher than current
US money market rates.
The Nigeria International Debt Fund becomes, instantly, an important instrument
for managing future exchange risk. And for earning good returns while waiting
for that future. There are several other such uses of derivatives for managing
financial risk.
Foreign exchange instability, as stated above, is not the only risk for which
derivatives are deployed. The management of fluctuating commodity prices and
changing interest rates have also been revolutionized by derivatives. For a
continent like Africa, with many countries primary commodity producers, serious
losses have been suffered over the years resulting from commodity production
not hedged against risk.
"The debt problems of many African and other Third World countries would not
have been so severe," says Phil Clark, a London-based financial consultant, "if
appropriate risk management strategies had been adopted right from the onset,
strategies that would have used the financial instruments called derivatives."
The OECD estimates that during the first half of 1993, $4 billion raised on
international capital markets by developing country borrowers had some risk
management built into them. And even though the African scene has been slow to
pick up, the developing country share of the outstanding global volume of
derivatives more than doubled between 1988 and 1989 (the most recent year for
which data has been published.
With the growing integration of global trade and finance markets, firms and
individuals from developing countries have found themselves less insulated from
the volatility that is characteristic of international business. The more
nimble ones have been hurrying to develop markets that copy the risk management
instruments used in New York, London, Tokyo, Paris and Singapore.
In spite of this, developing countries' share of the derivatives market has
remained at only 3 percent of the total. Much of the blame for this slow growth
can be laid at the doorsteps of governments and economic circumstances that put
bottlenecks in the way of innovation. But in many parts of the Third world
firms are swiftly learning the new ways to manage risk, and the mystery that
has surrounded the reputation of derivatives cannot hold up.
"Any time governments loosen their grip," Clark says, "local markets for
derivatives develop. Initially developing countries' firms' ability to use some
of the more sophisticated financial instruments is limited. But the learning
curve is usually step, and as financial liberalization goes on, the expertise
of the market increases. When that does not cut it, access to international
market is explored."
Whenever the international market is ventured into, for international trade or
financing, the crisis of fluctuating exchange rates arrives at the doorstep of
the venturing firm. A Nigerian air transporter that finances its seasonal
aircraft maintenance with a dollar loan, places itself at great risk if the
naira gets suddenly devalued, as happened in March 1992, when government fiat
sent the dollar jumping 100 percent in value overnight.
With all its sales in the local currency, such an airline faces very bleak
prospects, serious loan defaults, and possible bankruptcy, if no risk
management instrument was put in place.
"Financial risk may even occur when no foreign currency or international
transaction was involved," says Ike Uchendu, a Chicago-based corporate
attorney.
What Uchendu is referring to here is the risk that comes with the movement of
interest rate. A Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturer that took out a huge loan
from a local bank in the 1980's at an interest rate less than 10 percent, found
continued servicing of the loan impossible when interest rates rose above 25
percent. The loan had not been protected against interest rate shifts.
Commodity price movements have been ruinous to many, both on the production and
the consumption sides. The World Bank's Development Brief Number 30 reports
what befell a cotton project in the Caribbean.
At the time it was proposed, international market prices for cotton were at a
peak. The financial plans discounted this by 10 percent. The plans also took
into account the very good soil, the availability of skilled management, and
the possibilities of two crops a year. On paper the prospects for this project
looked very good.
However, by the time the project took off three years later, the tables had
turned. Global cotton production had soared, sending prices tumbling a full 40
percent. This was a development that made nonsense of all the prudence that had
gone into the planning. The company went bankrupt. Derivatives could have
prevented this.
Cross currency transactions especially call for the deployment of derivatives.
This allows for risk to be shifted from one currency to another as the
financial and exchange rate atmosphere alters.
Take a Tunisian entrepreneur who is into ceramics manufacturing. His market is
mostly in Europe. Locally, he cannot lay his hands on any medium-term
financing. So he must shop for this abroad.
Dollars are available for him to borrow. So are deutshe marks, but at a higher
interest rate. Since his market is partly in Europe, the revenues from his
export will come in in currencies that are close to the mark. His business
faces decision problems because apart from the fact that he faces transaction
costs in moving back and forth from American to European currencies, the
interest rate on the dollar might as well go up, canceling out whatever
advantages he might have thought he initially had. Derivatives, in the hands of
skilled risk managers, would have enabled him restructure these risks in a
highly quantitative fashion, such that will shield his business from disasters.
Derivatives are incredibly flexible financial instruments. They come in useful
at very many different levels. Far more vital and strategic are the uses to
which African governments can put these astounding instruments.
Take Nigeria for example. That country's oil accounts for more than 90 percent
of its exports, 80 percent of public revenue and 25 percent of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).
The implication of this is that a small increase or decrease in the price of
oil usually results in a disproportionate alteration in the country's foreign
exchange earnings. A one dollar increase in the price of oil increases
Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings by as much as $650 million, and its public
revenues by $320 million a year. Last year's income from oil has been put at
about $12.5 billion. A two-dollar drop in oil price this year, due to a factor
such as Iraq's re-entry into the world's oil market can have a serious effect
on the economy of that country.
Derivatives might come in very useful for a Nigerian government that
anticipates such a drop, or that just wishes to be on firm grounds as it makes
plans for the financing of its policies and projects.
The Nigerian government can then pre-sell its oil at a determined price, using
futures contracts. That locks in the price at which Nigeria would sell its oil
for the marked period, no matter what happens in the world's oil market.
The problem here, of course, is if instead of turning down, oil prices begin to
ride upwards. Having pre-sold its oil, the country stands to lose out on any
such price rally that occurs. This will not be a loss as such; but only an
inability to participate in the further income arising from a price increase.
A different and more complex configuration, using the derivatives known as
options, can guarantee that the country makes more income if the rally in oil
prices sends prices up, and does not lose what it would already have made if
prices decline.
More skilled financial engineering can successfully fashion interesting
combinations of different types of derivatives. For example, options on futures
contracts can be constructed. And then this combination, configured in such a
way as to result in a particular product called a collar, can be used to
effectively force the earnings from Nigeria's oil to remain within a
predetermined bracket, no matter what happens. The prices within this bracket
might even turn out to be higher than average market prices during this period.
The principle underlying the use of derivatives as risk-management tools is
that the risk is transferred from one person to another who is ready to assume
the risk, in the hopes that he might realize some good revenue doing so.
The spectacular reputation that derivatives have acquired in the media comes
mainly from their use for financial speculation. Speculators are usually such
people as assume the risks of others. There is a lot of that going on daily in
the world's financial markets, and the results are mind-boggling.
In January 1995, a 21-year-old student of the University of Pennsylvania
charged $2,400 on his credit card, and invested in derivatives. Seven months
later, the young man was worth $240,000.
All he'd had to do was to assume some risk away from those who felt that the
stock market was going to decline. He was right; the market did not decline, so
he made a fortune.
According to Judith Helen Rawnsley, in her book "Total Risk," before he got
reckless and crashed his bank, Nick Leeson, the British youth who was trading
futures amongst other securities in Singapore for Barings Bank, was making as
much as $10 million a week for his employers!
The results of good derivatives trading are usually so staggering that no one
ever talks about them. They are almost always shrouded in the strictest
confidentiality.
Only when things go wrong does the whole story come tumbling out. As exactly
happened when Leeson, due to very lax supervision, amongst other malpractices,
overreached his limits and ran up losses of almost a billion dollars. The bank
crashed, and the whole story came out.
Which at least served an important purpose. It underlined, more forcefully than
anything else before, that dealing with derivatives on the speculation side is
a very dangerous game.
Profits can be breathtaking. Last December for example, there was a derivative
security that appreciated all of 35,000 percent in a single day!
But equally murderous can the losses be. Two days later, a very similar
derivative security to the one mentioned in the last paragraph suffered a
punishing loss of 98.5 percent in another single day!
A loss of this magnitude wipes out a portfolio practically totally in the
course of a single day. And when this happens, as it very often does, the media
get to hear of it, and run with the story.
The most substantial problem with introducing derivatives to the African
financial market would be finding professionals who really understand the
complexities. Even in the United States, most brokerage houses find it tough to
recruit staff that have expertise in the management of derivatives. The most
prominent reason identified as the cause of the Barings debacle was the
inability of senior executives to understand what their subordinate Nick Leeson
was up to. It was totally impossible for the management to set up such
compliance machinery as would have detected the growing dangers before
catastrophe happened.
"African financial institutions and banks that intend to get involved in
derivatives had better start early to get their people some very good
training," says Kate Kenasi, a Houston-based financial consultant. "A good move
might be to send some of their brightest to Asia, especially Singapore. That is
a Third World country whose learning curve in derivatives has risen very
steeply and very fast. And there is no putting it off. Derivatives are here to
stay. It would be a foolish thing to ignore it."
As a matter of fact, it has been a foolish thing to ignore it in the past.
Especially in the management of Nigeria's debt problem. As well as those of
many other African countries.
"Loans to Nigeria were made on conditions that would turn out unfavorable in
the future," says Phil Clark, "conditions like adjustable interest rates. Those
moving interest rates have greatly compounded the debt burden, and increased
the amount of funds required to service these loans. This unnecessary burden
could have been avoided by using derivative instruments to hedge the interest
rate exposures. Had this been done, the debt burden picture would be looking
very different today."
The origin of derivatives is a thing of great debate. There is a school of
thought that believes that back in Biblical times, the seven-year labors of
Jacob for the right to marry Laban's daughter Rachel in Genesis Chapter 29,
constituted a very early form of derivative instrument.
However, what is not so debated is that the first exchange for trading
derivatives appears to be the Royal Exchange in London, which allowed the
trading of forwards. The first futures contracts have been traced to the Yodoya
rice market in Osaka, Japan, around 1650.
In 1848, a commodity futures market developed in Chicago, USA, to help farmers
and merchants reduce the impact that price fluctuations had on the
profitability of their businesses.
The real explosion of derivatives started in the early 1970s, after the
commencement of the trading of financial futures contracts based on financial
instruments instead of commodities, with the introduction of the foreign
currency futures. In 1975, that was followed by what would be the most
successful contracts in history: interest rate futures.
The main allure of derivative instruments is the leverage they provide. A
speculator may control assets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars with just
one thousand dollars of investment. Any appreciation in the value of those
assets, usually a great multiple of the sum invested, would be for the investor
to keep.
"With the inauguration of the Nigeria International Debt Fund, that African
country has dipped its first toe into the river of derivatives," says Uchendu.
"Whether it would be able to enjoy the enhancement of further dipping in, or
whether it will get swept off by the fierce and turbulent rush of the river
depends on the amount of preparedness that country's professionals bring to the
table. Same for Nigeria; same for the rest of Africa."
Perhaps in the near future, Ken Mosheshe would be able to satisfy every wish of
his ancestors without calling on packets of Maalox to hedge his anxieties.
---------------------------------------------------------
--
CHIDO NWANGWU
Founder & Publisher
USAfrica Digital Media Networks
8303 Southwest Fwy, Suite 100
Houston, Texas 77074
E-MAIL:
official: publ...@usafricaonline.com
personal: ch...@usafricaonline.com
Fax: 713-270-8131
USAfrica Digital Media Networks publishes the following products/titles:
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The highest circulating newspaper serving African communities across the
United States, African-Americans and other Americans with business,
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1st African-owned, professional newspaper published on the internet.
(see Who's Who on the Internet & Who's Hot on the Internet)
3) USAfrica MAGAZINE
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Usman G. Akano
Netters:
This is really terrible news! I am still in shock!!
I don't know Ely personally, but I enjoy his work a great
deal. I also happen to live in the same city with his brother,
Chinyere, a physician friend and gentleman. Knowing Chinyere,
Ely must have been a fine work of God's creation.
May Ely's soul rest in perfect peace, and may God provide
his family the strength to bear a most painful loss. Amen.
Debo Akano
Alwell U Nwankwoala
May the Good Soul of Eli Obasi Respect in Perfect Peace. Even for those
who did not have the opportunity of a personal relationship with him
before his demise, the testimonies are evident of what a wonderful fellow
he was. If life were something we could buy back, Eli Obasi's own appears
to be something every netter would be part of. He should be proud where
ever he is for the type of testimony he left behind.
Apart from few of his earlier postings, the TownCrier's archives has also
refreshed us on this man. I am also taking my memory back to the Punch
pages. Some netters who may not know much of Eli (Ely?) Obasi would
certainly appreciate some biographical sketch from those who knew him
closely.
Thanks also to netters who have rallied round to organise whatever
support this community could offer to help the incidentals. In spite of
everything, this community remains each others keeper. Please help this
effort with whatever you can. In times like this, no amount is too big
nor too small.
Once more Adieu, Brother Eli Obasi
Alwell
Caleb Oriade
MEE Damijo about a year ago. Ely Obasi now. Who is next? A Peer's
death is a reminder of our mortality. Something that the
agnostics should think about.
Perhaps we are sometimes unfair to Nigeria. Had it happened in
Nigeria, we might partly blame the inefficient medical delivery
system. But in God's own country? I am sad, confused and shocked.
May God grant the Obasi family the fortitude to bear this
irreparable loss.
Caleb
Abimbola a Afolabi
Elly was my former editor at Quality magazine back home I am very
shocked to hear about this. Elly and I met again on naijanet and
having lost touch for so long we were just lamenting the death of May
Ellen Ezekiel our editor who also died an untimely death. May his soul
rest in perfect peace. For my part I have forwarded this mail to my
brother who is also the editor of Newswatch magazine and an acquaintance
of Elly and he promised to forward the message to Elly other former
editor and he will see whatever else he can do to get a contact.
Abiodun A. Ojo
May the soul of this fine brother and a fine Nigerian rest in peace. May
the family left behind never find themselves in any position of acute want
(amen).
I sympathize with the family of bro Eli Obasi.
Abiodun Ayo Ojo.
a...@chml.ubc.ca
=====================================================================
"I will strike ten times over those whose hideous agenda is malicious
provocation" says A. A. Ojo (1997).
======================================================================
On Fri, 27 Jun 1997, Martin Fregene wrote:
> May his soul rest in peace. No doubt he contributed a significant share
> to discussions on the way forward for his fellow country men. Every such
> deaths should diminish well meaning Nigerians and make us see that the
> earlier we render service to our fellow human beings the better.
>
> Martin
>
> On Fri, 27 Jun 1997, Dele Jegede wrote:
>
K. Kalu Diogu
Dele:
Please call me as soon possible. I left you a voice message this morning
regarding Eleokpo (Ely) Obasi. Ely and I went to the same high school. He
was two classes ahead of me and we are from the same area in Arochukwu LGA
in Abia State. I know Ely and his very well.
Any other netter out there with more information on Ely should please
contact me URGENTLY.
Kalu Kalu Diogu (KKD)
(512)-934-3114
Nubi Achebo <ki...@RADIKS.NET> wrote:
>This is shocking! I just exchange email with the broda last week. May his
>soul rest in peace.
>
>Nubi Achebo
>-----------
K. Kalu Diogu
Dele:
Please call me as soon possible. I left you a voice message this morning
regarding Eleokpo (Ely) Obasi. Ely and I went to the same high school. He
was two classes ahead of me and we are from the same area in Arochukwu LGA
in Abia State. I know Ely and his family very well.
Akin Kumoluyi
Eli Obasi, May the glory of THE FATHER be with you in your next journey,
may HIS ANGELS and your overshawoders draw near to guide and guard
in fulfilment of tasks ahead. Amen, Amen, Amen.
Farewell,
Akin Kumoluyi.
>
Ovo I Dafe
Who is Eli Obasi ?
Frankly, this name was a stranger to me, until TownCrier
re-posted some of his work. It then dawn on me that this
brother, Eli Obasi, was "The Patriot", the type that Nigeria
yearns for. May the good Lord grant our fallen brother
eternal peace, and may he grant the family the strength to
deal with this great loss.
Ovo Dafe
-------
Timothu Othman
Eli Obasi, may your contribution to making Nigeria a better place for
all be remembered by those who share your dreams.Your efforts will not be
in vain. May the Almighty God grant you eternal rest, and the courage for
those you left behind to bear the unfortunate loss.
Timothy Othman