Remembering a great soul

The news about the demise of our dear uncle Niketu Iralu has broken many a heart, particularly the hearts of those people whose lives have been touched by him and to whom many have been drawn by his magnetic persona. A towering icon of international stature, whose influence goes far beyond our shore, uncle Niketu’s simplicity, humility and unwavering commitment to the cause of peace and justice never cease to attract people from diverse background. When it comes to peace making and conflict resolution, cutting across ethnic, racial and religious divides, uncle Niketu Iralu stands head and shoulders above many other people. In our world today, if someone is intelligent, he is proud. If one is humble, he is ignorant. Uncle Niketu has the distinction of being a person with a formidable combination of being intelligent and humble at the same time, a quality hard to come by. This, I think, is his forte as a peace maker.
As we bid him farewell today, memory of my last meeting with him takes me back to our recent visit to Shilloi Lake where I had the privilege of being with him for relaxation and reflection. Even in his old age of physical fragility, his mind is still sharp and alert as ever. He would call to mind simple and small occurrences with vivid clarity and admires the beauty of nature with the innocence of a child. Uncle was not only a public figure; he was also a family man. Every time we meet, he would enquire about the wellbeing of my family and invite us to visit his “Kerünyü Ki.” He remembers small details and would say, “Rümatho, the flowers you planted in my house are blooming so well. You must come and see.” Usually preoccupied with social concerns and as busy as he is, uncle would always find time to listen to his visitors. “Kerünyü Ki,” the name of his house at Zubza, where I frequented with my family years ago when we lived close to each other as neighbors, tells the kind of man who lives in it.
This is the man I have known over the years, a man who lives and models the teachings of Jesus Christ in his life. An embodiment of peace, humility and intelligence who wholeheartedly channels all of his effort and resources to the cause of peace, he is in a class by himself. Today, a great soul, a mahatma, and an apostle of peace has departed from us and we mourn his exit from this world, but the rich legacy he has left behind will continue to inspire people of all generations to shun the path of violence and walk the way of peace. This great man of our soil came in peace, he lived in peace and in peace he has walked into the arms of his Master whose child he has become. May God’s special favor rest upon our dear auntie Christine Iralu and may uncle Niketu rest in peace with the Lord.
Rev. Rümatho Nyusou