Alvana Ojukwu,  27+yrs, she was a head girl in FGGC Umuahia, A pioneer vice president of Feca Okigwe road chapter, Aba. She was a graduate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She studied Law and was planning to go to Oxford in September, later that year. She was a staff of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Abuja, and just matriculated the Saturday before she died. She was a very strong Christian, and this was visible in every facet of her life. Her last text to her brother, just before the crash was: TAKE STRENGHT IN THE LORD,FEW MIN.FROM NOW,I WILL BE GOING TO BE MEET THE LORD.

 on 3rd june 2012, Alvana became among the 153 passengers  killed as Dana air plane crashes in Lagos, Nigeria. A Nigerian official has said there were no survivors from a plane that crashed into a three-storey apartment building in the country’s largest city, Lagos. State officials say there were 153 people on board.

I met Alvana on one of my trips to Abuja through Aunt Kobi. My meeting with Alvana was negligible compared to her impact in my life. For the short period, we knew it was like a lifetime experience, as she truly proved to be a friend, in fact, in her own words, “Friend’s friend”. She is an epitome of a young Christian lady, as she exhibited that in her dressing, speech, conduct, practice, rationality etc
I owe her a lot as she would was there for me and would always make a budget for everything, indeed. Of course on some occasions, she jokingly made budgets of errands, she ran for me, demanding the payment in liters of fuel, as subsidy removal implication. She was a friend in the city, as she was always there for me to mediate, when I fell out with my Aunt. To the extent that she would counsel, advise and follow up to a logical conclusion. Most times, she was my mouth piece or frontier in negotiation, though she never supported me, honestly…
I found in her an amiable personality, when I forgot her last birthday and she fined me. On my next trip to Abuja, I offered to take her out, as a makeup, but she gave me a rain check, until we went in the company of my Aunt and when we eventually did, it’s one of the most memorable outings, I ever had in Abuja.
I went through her Facebook and her last comment on Madumere Kingsley O wall post (Soon & very soon… can’t wait for the main thing o. Wow!) on April 12 at 9:59pm via mobile was “Na wa for una o. The three first words came from a song that speaks of our going to meet with the Lord and the brother is perhaps speaking of that.” This was as against the other comments that were suggesting the ringing of wedding bells. More interestingly, her wall post on March 3 at 3:53pm via Blackberry is “...but I wil rejoice in the God of my salvation”. This is not a trend, but revelation of what is to come.
Alvana has left a legacy of exemplary Christian living, in her lifetime; she lived to prove that Christian life is practicable. I am challenged by her lifestyle to live peaceably with all, possibly. Today, I live to testify that I know Saint Alvana and she touched my life with beauty that lives..!

You touched life with gentility
You proved Christianity is not cowardice
You distinguished yourself, where others failed
Your smile was unconditional
Your ideas were ideal in every situation
Your simplicity is a prototype approach to life
Your exemplary lifestyle is an irreplaceable monument

                                           
Life they say is not about the length of time but the quality of life lived but I still find it difficult to refer to Alvana Ojukwu in the past tense not because I have refused to accept the fact that she is physically gone but simply because her legacies, lifestyle, views, even her demeanours are not just engraved in my mind but are always fresh in my memory.
Writing about this woman of God will take the whole pages of voluminous book and yet that will not be enough to describe in detail who she actually was. Alvana was my best friend not just because I chose her to be but the magnificent magnetic lifestyle of hers was enough to endear anyone to her. My first contact with her was not significant because we grew up together in the same neighbourhood but I got to appreciate her and what she represented more during our university days. Humility could pass as her name anytime and any day. She related with people not based on their social status but on the content of their character. She was a firm believer in the brotherhood of the godly family a passionate sister in the course of the kingdom.
At a point in my life I imagined what could make such a pretty young lady live the way she was doing irrespective of so many distractions that came her way only for me to realise that her relationship with God was the key. Alvana so much loved God that she was ready to give up anything just to get closer to him. In school examinations were not enough reason for her to shorten her moments with God which she valued more than anything else .Her love for God was so obvious that people wondered if anything could bring her pleasure apart from prayers, worship and study of the bible. She gave time to her prayers, quiet times despite the huge academic work staring at her face. She was not the type that paid lip service to the Christian faith. She lived the Christian life in speech and in character that my memory has failed to recall of anytime that she offended anyone in speech. She guided her tongue very well so as not to cause anyone to stumble or offend God. Her ability to guide her tongue diligently may not be unconnected with her fervent prayer life because she believed that the more time she spends with God the less time she has for frivolities. Her prayer life was unequalled during our school days that till today it remains a reference point to, not just undergraduate sisters and brothers, but all of us who in one way or the other came across her. No wonder she faced death gallantly without entertaining any fear. She was simply exceptional.
Alvana was a principled lady who in the course of her journey here on earth refused to be distracted by wordly gains. I recall some years ago when discussing someone that I referred to as a successful preacher when she asked a question that has not only remained indelible in my mind but refocused me. The question was this: What is your definition of success or successful man?
Time and space will fail me to talk more about this lady whose passage into eternity has left a vaccum in the life of anyone who came across her in one way or the other. Alvana Ojukwu will for life be missed by us all. Her life on earth, though brief, must have struck a cord in eternity because she was an exceptional Christian lady.
Even in death ALVANA lives on. Her light will continue to shine, her legacy will continue to live and preach the message that her physical body will no longer do. The devil lost the battle over her life because even in death many will be drawn to Christ for her sake.
TO MY DEPARTED BEST FRIEND AND SISTER WHO REDEFINED WOMANHOOD I SAY SLEEP ON, SLEEP ON NNEOMA, SLEEP ON JESUS DAUGHTER.YOUR DEPARTURE HAS LEFT A VACCUM THAT WILL NEVER BE FILLED. YOU FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH NOW, AM SURE,THE CROWN OF GLORY GLADLY SITS ON YOUR HEAD. ADIEU MY DEAR!!FOREVER WILL YOU REMAIN IN MY MIND. .

BY CHINWENDU WISDOM