By Christian ABURIME
The path of a man’s journey through life differs and can be predestined by providence, and yet influenced by circumstances. In his growing years, Simeon’s path diverged from the traditional corridors of formal schooling, guided by circumstances that wove a unique narrative into the fabric of his upbringing.
Born into an era where the advent of foreign missionaries and their schools elicited suspicion, particularly in the remote rural confines of Umueze Isuofia, the early 1930s bore witness to a guarded stance against these influences.
Yet, Simeon’s father, Soludo, played a pivotal role in shaping his son’s educational trajectory. His protective instinct, not merely borne of a lack of means but rooted in a profound desire to safeguard his only child from perceived external perils, kept Simeon sheltered from the encroachments of the unfamiliar, ensuring his close proximity and shielded upbringing.
Following his weaning, Simeon found his abode in the household of Akuano and Obele, residing in Nanka until the age of six.
Thereafter, he returned to his village, immersing himself in the rich embroidery of his people’s heritage. His education unfolded not within the confines of a classroom but through the oral traditions meticulously passed down by adept village orators, storytellers, and venerable elders.
Their teachings, woven into the threads of folklore, music, proverbs, tales, riddles, jokes, and anecdotes, formed the essence of his foundational learning.
During the span of 1937 to 1939, Soludo assumed the mantle of mentorship, becoming the architect of his son’s early education. In those formative years, he instilled within young Simeon the bedrock of values mirroring the ethos of their community: reverence for both God and ancestral deities, the sacred pouring of libations in accordance with African traditional religion, reverence for elders, diligence, courage, integrity, compassion, prudence, fortitude, patience, and hospitality.
This juncture also marked a pivotal phase where Simeon integrated with peers of his age, converging under the luminescent glow of moonlight for communal gatherings.
Amidst these gatherings, they partook in the joyous indulgences of childhood: singing, dancing, playing in the soft embrace of sand, and engaging in spirited bouts when playful skirmishes beckoned.
In this intricate mosaic of pristine socialization and acculturation, Simeon’s education transcended the confines of conventional schooling, as the craft of his upbringing was meticulously woven with the threads of tradition, values, and communal kinship.
*To be continued…*
*_Credits: Material and pictures support by Pastor (Dr) Ogochukwu Soludo_*
