16/12/2025
When a Great Man Lives On
When great men pass, we say an Iroko tree has fallen.
My father stood at barely 5’10”, but he was larger than life. I believed he was too big for many things: too big for failure, too big for mediocrity, and most of all, too big for death. Ten years ago, on the 26th of November 2015, my father, Ochuko James Okiti, an Iroko tree, fell.
In the ten years since, God has shielded us and provided for us in ways that feel like your hands still at work. I think of you every day, and I remain deeply grateful for the time I had with you as my father. You were the best any girl could ask for.
I thank God for your life, Daddy. You lived fully, generously, and with impact, all in such a short time. Though you are no longer physically with us, your presence has not left. Your legacy endures in the values you planted, the systems you built, and the foundation you laid for this family. The things you worked so hard to provide continue to sustain us, and through all these, you continue to live.
The Iroko tree fell, but it did not disappear. Its roots remain deep, its seeds continue to grow, and trees bearing your likeness still stand. From its roots, new trees have grown. We stand because you stood. We endure because you prepared us.
May your soul continue to rest in perfect peace. May your legacy continue to speak. Adieu Papa
-Daughter Maro Anita Okiti
