Where Has the Tiny Ant Gone?
So many things happen at funerals. The most intriguing, however, is the quiet and mysterious work of nature itself.
My first encounter with the late Col. Joseph Evuarhere was sometime around March 2017, during the screening of aspirants at the District level. It did not take long before a genuine fondness developed. Although we were yet to be initiated, he already regarded us as brother Knights. He was simple, empathetic, and jovial, yet he upheld the tenets of the Order without fear or favour.
As a young Knight, I vividly recall a statement he made during a trip to the far east: "As a Knight, I already know how I will be buried." That statement struck me deeply and has since ignited a profound reflection on our lives and how we ought to live them.
The Knighthood is not an easy path. You do not simply receive by virtue of your membership. You invest through the Knightly life — your Talent, your Treasure, and your Time; what we call the three T's.
In the case of Col. Joseph Evuarhere, one might be tempted to add a fourth — Trust. He trusted deeply in the life of the Knighthood, upholding its tenets even in the midst of confusion. This was most evident during the crisis that shook the very foundation of the Order some years ago.
It is no wonder that when the news of his passing was announced, the entire military echelon and indeed all Brothers and Sisters poured out sincere tributes, eulogizing a man whose footprints will forever remain in the sands of time. A true leader who rose through the rank and file of the Knights of St. John International — the man whose traditional title stood for truth: The Uyotakenu I of Agbarho Kingdom.
LIFE AFTER DEATH
Beyond knowing how he would be buried, Col. Evuarhere also understood that there is life after death. Apart from the Knighthood, he also invested in the Church through his active participation in the Pius Society, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, where he continued to serve God faithfully. He was a man of prayer, a devoted lover of the Most Holy Rosary.
SO WHERE HAS THE ANT GONE?
Life is made up of stories — some fitional, some imaginative, and others true. Depending on who tells them and the occasion on which they are told, lessons are passed on from one soul to another.
I was privileged to be selected to mount guard during the funeral Mass of Col. Joseph Evuarhere.
While the homily was in progress, something unexpected caught my attention — a tiny ant.
A tiny reddish creature. Where had it come from? How had it climbed onto the casket without my notice? I was supposed to be on guard. Had I failed in my duty?
In that moment, the truth settled over me: dust we are, and unto dust we shall all return. The body of a Noble Colonel and a Chief was now being attended to by a small ant, and there was nothing I could do — not even fully kitted and standing guard. I waited to see if the ant would eventually emerge. It never did. And in that moment, tears fell.
I wept not for the fallen soldier, but for the realisation that all our struggles — for material possessions, status, recognition, and everything in between — will end in a casket, whether wooden, silver, gold, or otherwise. In the end, nothing accompanies you but your goodwill.
Col. Joseph Evuarhere aka “all the sway, all the waiver” has since been laid to rest. While we are still alive, let us endeavour to live lives worthy of celebration — lives of service, of integrity, of genuine human connection. Lives that will transcend the decomposing work of a tiny ant and give birth to eternity with Christ.
May the soul of Col. Joseph Evuarhere, the Uyotakenu I of Agbarho Kingdom, Ughelli North LGA, Delta State, Nigeria, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Sir Michael Ovoke Edafekpuvie, former Editor of the Marian Voice Magazine, is a member of the Media and Publicity Committee, Knights of St. John Int'l, Warri Grand Commandery.
