Ode to my cousins of life!

Dedem Gordy and Dedem Chidi...the best cousins God can ever give a "foolish boy" like me.

Their Mama, Adannem, was my Papa's older sister, older with about 8 years, baby-sat her only brother and sent him to school.

I can't recall any day (while we were growing up back in the village) she didn't visit with her husband to check up on us, her nephews and nieces-all 10 of us! Her husband, the great E.C. Ihuoma; you couldn't tell he wasn't my Papa's older brother. That's how families, good families, used to be. And we have kept ours that way. Hennessy tastes better when I'm sharing with my cousins.

My Dad told us his sister, Adannem, was second only to God in his life, and we took it literally. We loved and adored her till she passed away 6 years ago, 7 years after her kid brother.

Last weekend in Mbaise when we buried our inlaw, the late Engr. Jonnie Chilaka, who married my cousin, their sister, Da Keyna (Keyna Chilaka), it was all about emotions, reminiscences and filial love and piety.

Dedem Gordy and Dedem Chidi, I love you both to the moon and back. You guys rock!!God bless you!