REMEMBERING ENGR. SARLOS AZUBIKE OKOYE (OJIMKPOLOGWU ENUGWU-AGIDI): A LEGACY OF PEACE, PHILANTHROPY, AND BROTHERHOOD LOST TO VIOLENCE

 

‎August 2013 will forever remain etched in the collective memory of Enugwu-Agidi, not just as a date on the calendar, but as a moment of unspeakable tragedy, heartbreak, and reflection. It was the month when Engr. Sarlos Azubike Okoye, fondly known as Ojimkpologwu, was kidnapped and gruesomely murdered,  a son of the soil, silenced by the very society he loved and sought to uplift.
‎
‎To this day, the news of his killing continues to chill the spine of all who knew him. The pain is not only in the act itself but in the betrayal, the knowledge that those responsible were not distant enemies, but individuals widely suspected to be from within our own community. His death is a solemn reminder of what happens when hatred festers, brotherhood crumbles, and communal values are sacrificed on the altar of greed, envy, and betrayal.
‎
‎Until his untimely death, Engr. Sarlos was a shining light, not just in name, but in action. His philanthropic legacy cut across religious, educational, and civic institutions. As undergraduates at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, many of us witnessed and benefited directly from his constant financial support to the Enugwu-Agidi Students Association (ESA), UNIZIK Chapter. His generosity was not a publicity stunt; it was consistent, sincere, and driven by love for the younger generation.
‎
‎His impact was also deeply felt in St. Mark’s Anglican Church, where during the Apostolate of Canon Louis Onyefulumuo (now Archdeacon), Engr. Sarlos made critical financial contributions that supported the construction and dedication of the majestic church building that stands today.
‎
‎Likewise, within the civic domain, his support to the Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union (EBU) Nigeria was unwavering, especially during the tenure of Major Gen. F.O. Okonkwo (Rtd), OFR as President General. He gave not only his money but his time, counsel, and presence.
‎
‎Above all, he was a man of peace. In 2007, amid rising tensions in the community, Ojimkpologwu played a pivotal role on the Peace Committee that helped de-escalate hostilities and chart a new path for reconciliation. His voice was calm, measured, and constructive. He did not take sides; he took the side of Enugwu-Agidi.
‎
‎As a Master of Ceremony, I had the distinct privilege of anchoring the Chinyelugo Age Grade 2012 Convention, where Engr. Sarlo delivered a powerful paper on "The Principles of Building Businesses." That paper is one of the personal treasures I still hold dear. In it, he emphasized the values of honesty, integrity, and mutual upliftment,  values now desperately lacking in our fractured community.
‎
‎He spoke passionately about investment in agriculture as a path to wealth creation and youth empowerment. With vision and conviction, he expressed his dream to return home and create opportunities through agro-based entrepreneurship. Sadly, that very homecoming dream was cut short by forces that thrive in envy, sabotage, and internal betrayal.
‎
‎13 YEARS LATER: WHAT HAS CHANGED?
‎
‎We ask ourselves: what has truly changed since August 2013?
‎
‎The bitter truth is that very little has improved. If anything, hatred has grown deeper, and genuine brotherhood has further eroded. The spirit of community love, once the glue that held Enugwu-Agidi together, is now strained under the weight of factions, gossip, vendettas, and institutional disunity.
‎
‎What happened to the vision that men like Engr. Sarlos stood for?
‎
‎What happened to the idea of Enugwu-Agidi as a united community,  where elders lead with wisdom, the youth strive with hope, and everyone recognizes the sacredness of life, kinship, and communal dignity?
‎
‎Instead of building on the foundation of peace he helped lay, we have allowed our differences to fester into divisions. Instead of honoring his sacrifice by protecting one another, we have retreated into tribalism within villages, political sabotage, and intergenerational mistrust. Rather than move forward, we often seem trapped in cycles of rivalry, suspicion, and self-destruction.
‎
‎A CALL TO REFLECTION AND RENEWAL
‎
‎Engr. Sarlos's death should not be in vain.
‎
‎Let it not be remembered merely as a tragic event, but as a wake-up call,  one that compels us to return to the values he stood for: peace, integrity, sacrifice, vision, and genuine love for our people.
‎
‎We must begin to ask hard questions:
‎
‎What kind of Enugwu-Agidi are we building for our children?
‎
‎Is this community safe for its brightest minds to return home and invest?
‎
‎Are we truly one people, or merely coexisting in bitterness?
‎
‎We can no longer afford to pay lip service to peace while nursing grudges in our hearts. We must choose brotherhood over bloodshed, collaboration over competition, and forgiveness over vengeance.
‎
‎Let the memory of Ojimkpologwu serve as a mirror to our collective conscience. Let it stir within us a hunger for something better, a community where love is stronger than hate, where differences are resolved through dialogue, and where no son or daughter ever again falls to the hands of envy and betrayal.
‎
‎Only then will his death find redemption in the rebirth of the kind of Enugwu-Agidi he dreamed of and died for.
‎
‎Continue to Rest I Peace, Ojimkpologwu. You may be gone, but your dream still speaks.
‎
‎Good night!
‎
‎--- Ichie Ifeanyi Ndulue
‎(Chief Onyima Enugwu-Agidi).