04/06/2026
REFLECTIONS AT SIXTY
There are birthdays that arrive with laughter and celebration. There are others that arrive carrying silence.
My sixtieth birthday has arrived with the latter.
In recent days, I have found myself immersed in deep reflection, not merely on the passage of time, but on the mysteries of life, the sovereignty of God, and the profound truth that while we count our years, it is often our years that end up counting us.
Among the many emotions that have accompanied this milestone, none compares to the memory of my beloved younger brother, Rev. Fr.(Dr) Victor Achima Owan Enoh.
His passing remains one of the most painful chapters of my life. Perhaps it is because grief has a way of revealing itself most intensely in moments that should otherwise be joyful. Or perhaps it is because some losses never truly leave us; they simply become woven into the fabric of who we are.
Whatever, his absence has been particularly palpable.
I miss him.
I miss his counsel, his unyielding faith, his compassion, his gentle humour, and the quiet strength with which he carried his priestly calling. I miss the certainty of knowing that somewhere in the world was a brother whose life was devoted entirely to God and to the service of others.
Yet even in sorrow, I remain grateful. Grateful for the privilege of having shared this earthly journey with him. Grateful for the example he left behind. Grateful that while death may interrupt a life, it cannot diminish a legacy.
As I approached this milestone, I had imagined celebrating it in a significant way.
Sixty years, after all, is no ordinary marker.
It is a moment that invites gratitude for the road travelled, appreciation for God’s sustaining grace, and thanksgiving for the countless people whose love and friendship have enriched one’s life.
But life has a remarkable way of reordering our priorities.
What once seemed important now appears secondary.
What once seemed urgent now appears fleeting.
And what remains is the growing conviction that our greatest responsibility is not to ourselves, but to the causes, values and people entrusted to us by Providence.
For this reason, I have chosen to forgo any elaborate celebration of my sixtieth birthday.
I know many friends, family members, associates, supporters and well-wishers would have desired to celebrate this occasion with me, and I remain deeply touched by that affection.
Indeed, I consider it one of the greatest blessings of my life that I am surrounded by so much goodwill.
Yet, it is my heartfelt desire that every available effort be directed towards a cause far greater than a birthday celebration.
One of Victor’s deepest wishes was that his writings, reflections and intellectual contributions would continue to inspire and guide others long after he was gone.
It is therefore my earnest hope that his books will be formally launched, widely promoted, and made accessible across digital platforms, ensuring that his voice continues to reach hearts and minds for generations to come.
In many ways, I can think of no more fitting tribute.
For what is a life truly worth if its wisdom dies with its owner?
And what greater honour can we give the departed than to ensure that the values they cherished continue to illuminate the path of those who remain?
It is also my intention, God willing, that around what would have been Victor’s fifty-eighth birthday in November, we will gather not merely to remember him, but to celebrate the enduring impact of his life.
The occasion will include the formal presentation of his books and the establishment of a support fund dedicated to two causes: assisting Rev Fathers and Rev Sisters facing health challenges and support for the work of the Diabetes Foundation which I set up ten years ago, on exactly 4th June because of his struggles with the disease, and which has now been renamed 'The Rev Fr Victor Achima Owan Enoh Memorial Foundation For Diabetes'.
Such an initiative would have resonated deeply with the very essence of who he was: a man whose life was defined not by what he accumulated, but by what he gave away.
As I stand at the threshold of sixty years, I am increasingly persuaded that life’s greatest treasures cannot be measured by wealth, status, influence, or accomplishment.
Rather, they are found in the lives we uplift.
The wounds we heal.
The burdens we help carry.
The principles we defend.
The faith we preserve.
And the legacies we leave behind.
The older I become, the less impressed I am by success, and the more moved I am by significance.
For in the end, our true inheritance is neither what we possess nor what we achieve, but what remains because we lived.
Today, therefore, my heart is filled not with thoughts of celebration, but with gratitude.
Gratitude to Almighty God, whose hand has guided me through every season of my life.
Through victories and disappointments.
Through moments of abundance and moments of uncertainty.
Through seasons of joy and seasons of grief.
His faithfulness has never failed.
His mercy has never been exhausted.
His grace has never been absent.
To every friend, colleague, associate, supporter and loved one who has journeyed with me through the years, I offer my deepest appreciation.
Thank you for your prayers.
Thank you for your friendship.
Thank you for your encouragement.
Thank you for your presence in my life.
As I enter this new decade, I do so with a renewed sense of purpose, a deeper appreciation for the gift of time, and an abiding commitment to serve God, humanity, and the causes that outlive us all.
For ultimately, the measure of a life is not found in how long it was lived, but in how deeply it touched others.
May Almighty God continue to bless and keep you all.
And may He grant us the wisdom to live lives worthy of the time He has graciously entrusted to us.
For it is all and only by the Grace of God.
~John Owan Enoh.
