My father passed on the 27th of October 2025, and the truth is…I still do not fully know how to live in a world that does not have him in it. I miss him more than words can ever carry. He wasn’t just my father, he was my first teacher, my guide, my model of what it means to be a gentleman. Everything I know about carrying myself with grace, confidence, and quiet strength came from him.
He taught me the tiny things that ended up meaning everything. Like keeping a perfume collection just like he did. To him, scent was an extension of identity. I can still picture his bottles lined up, each one with a story, each one chosen with intention. And now I find myself doing the same, carrying a piece of him every time I pick a fragrance for the day.
He introduced me to Frank Sinatra, our soundtrack for calm evenings and long drives. Those songs feel heavier now, but also more precious. Through them, I hear him. Through them, I remember his lessons about family, loyalty, and integrity. He planted those values in me so deeply they will never fade.
And of course, I will never forget teasing him endlessly about Chelsea football club as if banter wasn’t one of our love languages. The way his face lit up when he defended his beloved club…it’s one of those memories that sits warm in my chest.
And then there was his whiskey collection, that insane, unbelievable collection that he guarded like treasure. Ooooohhh! how I miss that man. Even the way he talked about each bottle had a certain poetry to it.
Being his last son is one of the great honours of my life. I was his boy, yet he treated me like an equal as I grew. He believed in me before I even fully believed in myself. I will never forget how he supported my journey into law, and how he became my first client. The pride in his eyes when he trusted me with his matters…that pride still pushes me forward every single day. In that moment, I felt the circle close, everything he taught me leading me right back to him.
The world is different now. Quieter. Less colourful. A little less steady.
But what he left me, his values, his laughter, his tastes, our memories, those are mine forever. I will carry him with me in the way I speak, the way I work, the way I love, the way I live.
I miss you, Dad. And I will never stop missing you. Thank you for shaping me, for loving me, for giving me the pieces of yourself that now guide my everyday life.
Rest well. I will hold on to the beautiful memories. Always.
Evaristus E. Bassey (JNR)
