A Father’s Presence at a 1972 Execution Leaves Lasting Legacy

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

In 1972, in Ajalli, a quiet community near Awka in present-day Anambra State, a father made a choice that would later be remembered as an enduring act of love.

Stanley Enekwe, a young man and former Biafran soldier, was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to death by firing squad. Members of his community maintained that he was innocent, but their appeals failed to secure clemency in the tense aftermath of the civil war.

At the time, executions were often conducted in public, serving as both punishment and deterrent. Families of the condemned typically kept their distance to avoid stigma. Stanley’s father, however, refused to turn away from his son.

On the day of the execution, he stood beside Stanley as he faced the firing squad. He did not protest or raise his voice. Instead, he remained calm and resolute, offering silent support.

As the midday heat intensified and tension filled the air, the father gently wiped sweat from his son’s face — a final gesture of care and compassion. He then quietly reassured him, saying: “Fear not. The Lord is waiting to receive you.”

Witnesses later recalled the moment as one in which fear gave way to dignity. In his final moments, Stanley did not face death alone; his father’s presence became a powerful symbol of love, faith and unwavering devotion.