JEE NKEOMA COMRADE, EVANGELIST, DR. D.O.C. EZEIGWE

Dear D.O.C,

Last Friday, the 15th day of March, 2024, I joined the legal family and your family to commit the remains of your body to mother earth. As I was watching your casket being lowered, I began to cogitate on your life and time while you were with us. Your approach to life and issues were quite easy. To me, you were a jolly good fellow.

Thank you for your SMS dated 28th July, 2020 that gave me words of encouragement. I had ran NBA election for the office of Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association against my good friend, Kunle Edun Esq. and I lost the election to him. On the 28th day of July, as early as 5:00am I got an SMS from you, (our father, mentor and a true bar man, D.O.C). The content reads: “Anyia, be courageous. You have done your best. It may not be your turn now, but certainly your turn will come one day. We know you as a true bar man. Keep your ambition alive.”

These words of encouragement endeared you more to my heart as your words gave me additional strength and belief that there are people out there who still believe in my ability to serve the Bar. To be honest, I am finding it difficult to believe that you are no more alive. I will miss your calls, where each call always ended with “by His Grace”. I will miss your fairness to issues. You were always quick with your praise as you were with any disapproval. I will truly miss the fatherly love, gestures and words of encouragement you have offered me.

I thank God for giving me the opportunity to get to know you. I thank God for the gift of your life and for the legacy you left behind in the legal profession. You were never afraid to speak out your mind on burning issues. You never discriminated, you took everyone as one. That explains why your friends cut across the entire nation. You were a very straight-forward man. I tell you most solemnly, you will never be forgotten easily in the legal palace.

David Obideje Chukwudilim Ezeigwe had made indelible strides as a lawyer and as a bar man for the enrichment of the legal profession. He was a tireless leader in law, very pleasant in disposition and great in discipline. A worthy elder in the profession. I will miss you immeasurably.

Sabastine Anyia Esq.
Former Chairman, NBA Aguata Branch & former Chairman of Committee of Chairmen and Secretaries of NBA, Anambra state.