Charles Inojie’s recounts his experience with his Estranged Father.

In 2000, a young man named Charles Inojie embarked on a courageous mission – to find his long-lost father, Gabriel Joba. Little did he know that this quest would unravel a tale of heartbreak.

As Charles narrated that pivotal moment, he recalled how thick the air was with emotion. He mentioned how It was one of his dad’s friends who told him where his Father worked and also took him there.

The meeting with his father was a reunion stained with the unspoken pain of separation. In the words of Charles, ‘We sat for close to 30 minutes, and nobody was talking. I was crying, he was crying’. The silence spoke volumes, a language only a fractured father-son relationship can understand.

The climax of the encounter was his longing for paternal blessings. He mentioned how he said these words to his father, ‘Well, I have to start going. But I have finished school. I was told that when you start working, your father should pray for you’. His father’s response was unexpected. He could not bring himself to pray for his son, as his conscience would not let him – He felt this way because he did not contribute a dime to his education.

Right there his father’s friend intervened, probing the wounds with a crucial question; ‘Did you write a letter to this guy to send you money? He did this of his own volition. This revelation paved the way for a moment of reconciliation. In his words, ‘So I knelt, he prayed for me, I cried, he cried, and we left.’

Charles’ story, however, doesn’t end with a seamless reunion. It navigates the turbulent waters of family dynamics. He shared how he had only lived with his father for eight months as his stepmother asked his father to choose between him and her. You can guess the choice that was made. Since that year till today, He’s been on the street.

Amid this heartbreaking revelation, Charles confesses a sentiment that resonates with many: ‘We’re almost like strangers, but I love him.’

This interview encapsulates a narrative of resilience, forgiveness, and the enduring strength of filial love. It will provoke you to deep reflection on your relationships, urging you to consider the power of healing, even in the face of long-standing estrangement.

Charles Inojie’s journey is not just his own – it is a universal story of human connections lost and found, and the possibility of redemption, even in the most fractured relationships.