Two prominent Akwa Ibom sons have penned an elegy for journalist-kinsman, Mr. Idiongo Akpanukoh who died last Friday.
They are Mr. Aniekpeno Mkpanang, a retired Permanent Secretary in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service and Mr. Moffat Ekoriko, the publisher of the London-based NewsAfrica magazine.
Both joined numerous friends, relations and comrades in pouring their hearts for Akpanukoh who untimely departed this earthly plane, bringing the toll of journalists in Akwa Ibom who died to four in five days.
Mkpanang writing under the topic: FRAGMENTS OF A BROKEN HEART: A tribute to my late brother, Idiongo Akpanukoh said ‘‘As I sit on this Delta Air flight from Washington DC to New York City, my world has been shattered like a mirror dropped on a hard floor.
Related news
‘‘The discerning Air Hostess notices my grief and promptly offers a napkin to mop the face. No words are spoken right now as the bitterness engulfs my moment.
The sudden, piercing news on my phone has left me breathless and bewildered.
And my eyes, they now cannot hold back the freely flowing tears.
The reality staring me in the face right now is that my dear brother, my friend, my confidant and my pointman, Idiongo Akpanukoh, is gone.
A certain emptiness courses through every fiber of my being, and, deep down, I feel a haunting silence that screams his absence.
‘Men and Brethren’ (as he used to address folks), in the desolate landscape of my shattered heart, I announce the departure of a legendary, young celestial being who descended upon our mortal realm to illuminate the darkest corners of our existence.
Idiongo Akpanukoh, a budding maestro of words, an upcoming sage of our community, and the undecorated guardian of our collective memory, has been silenced by the cruel hand of fate.
Like a phantom, death stalked Akpanukoh, and struck him without warning, leaving us with only the echoes and whispers of his wisdom, and the ache of his sudden departure.
In this bleak moment, I mourn the loss of a kindred spirit, a true brother, a friend like no other, and a confidant made in Heaven.
Back together in our village, Akpanukoh was more than just a journalist; he was the real chronicler of our hopes, the whisperer of our fears, and the mirror that reflected our truest selves as a people.
Akpanukoh’s dedication to our community was a testament to his boundless heart, a heart that snapped for the voiceless, the underprivileged, and the forgotten.
I recall the countless times he used to drive alone to respond to all emergencies, a solitary figure in the dead of night, on a mission to heal the wounded, to comfort the afflicted, and to bring solace to the sorrowful.
In that time so recent and yet, so far away, when the tempests of restiveness and militancy ravaged our area, Akpanukoh stood firm, a beacon of hope, a shining light that guided us through the darkness, choosing to stay back in the village and offering his presence as a source of strength for us all.
The retired Permanent Secretary recalled ‘‘When the COVID pandemic struck, Akpanukoh became an angel of mercy, using his knowledge and endowments to navigate the labyrinth of our suffering and bring aid to those who needed it most.
Aniekpeno Mkpanang
Now, in the silence of his absence, I am left to ponder the mysteries of the universe, to question the cruelty of fate, and to weep for the loss of a brother so profound.
The wordsmith noted ‘‘A-Ukoh. I will be alone without you in the village.
May your spirit continue to inspire us to be better, to do better, and love deeper.
And may your journey into eternity be gentle.
Idiongo Akpanukoh.
I will miss you, man and brother! You were all I had at all the times that it mattered most. My silent tears for our Sister, Elizabeth Tom Mkpanang was just beginning to dry, and now your loss has reset the clock of my sorrow, again.
Rest now, dearly beloved, and know that only your cherished memory will be my solace in the dark days ahead,’’ he added.
Similarly, Ekoriko recapped ‘‘Last week Monday, i had a rendezvous with my friend and brother, Idiongo Akpanukoh. I was in my state for a family matter. As usual, I called him to show me the road. Two days ago, I heard the sad news that my dependable friend, ‘wey sabi every imaginable road’, has been called home. I am heartbroken.
‘‘The time to write about this great journalist, mentor of men, counsellor extraordinaire, celebrated master of ceremonies and selfless public servant, will soon come. For now, let me mourn my personal loss,’’ Ekoriko in his Facebook post wrote.
