Emeka Anaza Death, Obituary – The only term that comes to me at this time is “devastating,” as we recently learnt of the passing of my brother, colleague, scholar, and friend Emeka. His death has left a hole in our lives that can only be described as “devastating.” At the moment, that is the only word that can be thought of in connection with the topic. Nobody else could equal his grin or the level of focus he demonstrated; neither of which could be matched by anybody else. He betrayed signs of concern.
He modeled for those of us who worked with him how to instill a desire for growth and improvement in others, and he did the same for the students he was responsible for instructing. He never passed up an occasion to inquire about Hudson and Annie’s involvement in a wide variety of sports pursuits by asking them about it. In addition to being a skilled plantain cook, he also persuaded me to try tripe and cow hooves, both of which he had prepped and both of which he had cooked.
In return, we instructed him on how to defend himself when challenged with eggs so that he could continue his work. While I was there for a job interview, he was the student lunch host, and a year later, James Madison University had the good fortune to hire him. During my time at James Madison University, I was there for a job interview. He was an incredibly valuable member of the team who collaborated successfully with others. Not only did he place a high value on his own family, but he also placed a high value on the families of others.
It’s very likely that he had the same amount of appreciation that you do for delicious food. My Dark Side crew faced off against his nameless team in some challenging games of wheelchair basketball. His team was clearly better than ours (yes, I said that), and we came out on the losing end. Those who had the good fortune to be in his company throughout the time that he lived were showered with blessings because he was a man after God’s own heart. Jesus deserves all the honor and thanks for giving us the opportunity to form a friendship with, fall in love with, and spend the rest of our lives with Dr. Anaza.