ForeverMissed
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This memorial website was created in memory of a wife, a mother, a sister and loved one, Amaka Chiwuike-Uba, born 42 years ago and passed away on July 4, 2016. We will remember her forever.

July 4, 2023
July 4, 2023
Mum,

Today, July 4, 2021 is exactly 5 years of your exit from this horrendous world into the ever-loving embrace of your creator, God Almighty. You are not just my wife, but a special lady to everyone. You are a daughter to my mother, a sister to my siblings, an aunt to all that came across you as well as an ever-ready, comforting and resting shoulder to all. I and our children miss you terribly and the loss of you is felt deeply by many.

Truthfully, we mourned you. A half of me gone with your exit. The void your exit created appears to be irreplaceable. Nonetheless, knowing that you are in a better place, resting, communing and worshipping God with the host of other angels, I and our children have converted the mourning process into a nurturing process, as we rebuild and reorganize our lives without you. Our identity has changed, but we have become stronger. As I promised, I have been doing a great job taking care of our children and together, we have continued to keep your ideals alive.

The Bible says God is the husband to the widows. Even when a similar provision was not expressly mentioned in the Bible, God has not left me alone. In fact, God has also become my wife as a widower. After all, through His direction and help, I have carried on, performing the duties of a man and a woman in the last 5 years you left. God is so good. I am a witness and testify of His unfailing love, provisions, protection, mercies, grace, guidance and loving kindness. I love you my darling wife. Continue to rest in the bosom of our creator, the God of all universes, till the resurrection morning. God is, indeed, with us!

Safe, and the children
July 4, 2023
July 4, 2023
Mum,

Today, Monday, July 4, 2022, marks six years since your departure from this sinful world, after sleeping in the Lord on Monday, July 4, 2016. It's been six years without you. Six years of loneliness, of being a loner in the midst of crowds and of working so hard without you to ensure our dreams are realised. I promised to train our children on the path of the Lord, in education and morality. Although it is not easy, I have not broken this promise to the best of my ability. In this journey of being a single parent, I have learned much, and I have witnessed the best, the joy and the pain of being a single parent. Taking care of the teenagers our kids have become is hard without you. All thanks to God, our children are doing great ad will continue to do better.

Do you know what? What you witnessed while you were with me is child's play compared with what I'm going through right now. I have realised that widowhood is ‘sexy’ as I have without notice, become excessively strangely attractive to women. Your exit exposed me, without protection, to increased pressure. Nevertheless, despite the pains, depression and confusion, rebuilding has commenced. We hold on to your ideals and use the Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF) to reach out to the unreached and vulnerable population of our community. I urge you, as a saint, to continue to pray for the children and for me. I went back to learning the ropes, working as a mom and dad.

Your exit has shown that death only brings a physical departure between couples, it never really separates them. I know that our love will carry and sustain me even as you sleep on. Now that you are with God Almighty, I am sure that our usual duet to God has become your daily activity in heaven. At any rate, you can always hum the song from above.

Down at your feet Oh God
Is the most high place
In your presence Lord
I seek your face, I seek your face
I am amazed at your glory, embraced by your mercies
Oh Lord, I live to worship you.

Keep resting in peace in the bosom of God, my beloved Nwamaka Onyemaechi. We celebrate you now and every time. All glory goes to the Almighty God. God is with us!

Safe
July 4, 2023
July 4, 2023
Nwamaka Onyemaechi Lives on 7 Years After

Today, July 4, 2023, is the seventh anniversary of my beloved Amaka, being with Jesus Christ in heaven. Seven years seems like such a long time, but it also seems like such a short time. I can always say that hardly any day goes by without my thinking about her. But those thoughts tend to be silent, deep in my mind. Time has moved on, so have I also.

The cells in my lips that caught her last kiss vanished years ago, as did the cells in my lungs that held her last breath. But I always feel that last kiss, that last breath. Although, I can't hear her voice, but those touchy moments are still there. I can see her walking down the aisle on our wedding day, feeling her hand in mine. A day shall come when I will share the story of our journey to marriage. Who knows, a lot of people can draw a couple of lessons from our journey and experience.

I wish I could say the loss gets easier with time. Unfortunately, and yet, the truth is, mourning is different every day. Life continues and I have recently learned to live without Amaka being physically present in my life. Although she is not physically here on Earth, she is always with me in my heart, in the spirit with her presence, and in the memories we shared. I miss you so much, Mum.

Mum, not everything was great, but I keep the good times we shared. I learned sacrificial love, living forth the fruits of the spirit, and acceptance. Amaka was not perfect, but she certainly demonstrated and lived the fruits of the Spirit on a daily basis. I don't know what the secret is, but the Lord made Amaka unique! I focus more on the fruits of the Spirit than the gifts of the Spirit, anyways. What you do with the gifts is more important than the gifts itself.

The loss of Amaka taught me so much about life, love and myself. It taught me how to start visiting and how to communicate with others better. A lot of people don't know about me being a chronic recluse. A vulnerability covered by Amaka's presence. Although I am becoming more and more skilled at visiting and reaching people, I still prefer my space, my little room, rather than visiting people. A virtue which Amaka demonstrated effortlessly. She was able to visit the largest possible number of people every day. Mine was the provision of resources for such visits and outreaches. Her exit finally exposed this weakness in me.

I can say that over the past seven years, one of the lessons the Lord has taught me is how to have joy in the midst of tough seasons. It is a lesson which the Lord continues to impart to me. I have been betrayed by many, even by my loved ones, but in all those things, God strengthened me. I also know that in the last seven years, I have hurt a lot of people unintentionally. I cry differently from most and it's all right! I have also suffered from depressions that were poorly understood by many and they resented me as well. With this come profound valleys. Learning to be cheerful in the valleys is a great thing for me.

Am l still in pain? Yes. Is the pain the same? No. Have I been able to recover? Yes and no. The pain never ends. It's like a part of you. It's always around, but with a calm presence. This presence testifies to new comforts, new losses, new loves, new heartbreaks, new choices, new mistakes - the list is endless. Everything has changed. Even that which you remember is new because it will now have a new life, a new color, a new perspective. It's a new and different kind of memory. My energy is focused on celebrating her. Not on grieving. Life will continue and happiness will definitely come back to me, and who I am will be greater through the lessons I have learned.

Amaka and I dreamed of things that we knew we may not see, except, maybe, from a mountain top across an ocean to a far shore. Yes, we had great dreams on how to move unimaginable mountains. They were dreams developed out of love and desire to be impactful, to leave legacies and we knew they could still be. But no dream comes true from the dream and therefore we laid our shoulders on the rocks on the way ahead of us. Many told us that we were mad, that we gave too much and that we expected too much.

Grief is no longer constantly before me on a day-to-day or weekly basis. Nevertheless, Amaka is obviously always in my heart and in my thoughts. I've learned to hold on less to sadness and yet it still hurts not having Amaka here. I miss her so much. Over the last seven years, I've been able to do some of the things that Amaka and I wanted to do together. Although it's difficult, I know I'm building a life for myself, our children, and generations unborn after her death.

Amaka never abandoned me even in her last moments. She showed me an unspeakable love; she was so concerned about my safety, security, happiness, and prosperity. Yes, Amaka has departed. But her love lives on. Her ideals and dreams and goals remain. And the work of those countless interconnected dreams remains unfinished. They may die with me. Perhaps not. But I'll keep those rocks out of the way, though. And the rocks that we moved will be moved.

Thankfully, we achieved some of these ideals, dreams and goals while Amaka lived, and I've achieved more in the last seven years of her exit. All thanks to the grace and mercies of God. And, perhaps, when I am gone at a ripe age and at the proper time, other souls, perhaps our children and others, will take the rocks that Amaka and I leave unfinished. I sincerely thank God for the grace to convert our sorrows into a resource, through the establishment of a Foundation to improve the quality of life of people. Especially, those with asthma, allergy and other respiratory conditions.

Yes, the Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF), which was established in memory of Amaka in 2016 is a product of pain, converted into a resource. A generational and sustainable resource to achieve those ideals, dreams and goals we live on. Join us on July 20, 2023 at the Oakland Hotel in Enugu at 9:00 a.m. as we collectively discuss the status of *Health Financing and Universal Health Coverage* in Nigeria as the 2023 Amaka Chiwuike-Uba International Asthma Conference (ACUBIAC 2023).

For more details, visit www.acufasthmaconference.org.ng or www.acuf.org.ng.
July 3, 2023
It's been 7 years since I lost my best friend, my confidant, my sister. I'm not going to write a lot here but you know how much I miss you and pray you are still here with us. You have continued to protect me despite being so far away. I also want to apologise for all the things that I have done wrong in your absence. I'll get better and make you proud. I love you Soo much and I hope to see you again one day.
May 12, 2019
May 12, 2019
Mum,
Today,4th day of July 2018 is exactly 2 years you left this world to a better place and my mood today is aptly captured in the words of Alan D. Wolfelt in The Wilderness of Grief. “My grief journey has no destination. I will not ‘get over it.’ The understanding that I don’t have to be done is liberating. I will mourn this death for the rest of my life.” Notwithstanding my feelings, I will not stay drained by grief. I assure you that I will be strong for our lovely children, and that together, we shall make you proud. As I write this morning, I write to celebrate you, not to wallow in grief or self-pity and it is my desire to see others join me in this celebration. I am here to celebrate you not to mourn you.
I took some time to go over your personal photos and the ones which we did together since we met, last night and I was truly overwhelmed by the amount of energy, life, love and hope those pictures exudes. You were truly charming and played the main role. For all the years, you were not only my wife, but also a very faithful and God-sent companion, trusted confident, an indispensable helpmate and a pillar. You were my prayer warrior, counselor and at various times, a mother and sister. You were patience incarnate, my perfect and only female model, and my ongoing inspiration. I miss many things, I miss every detail of who you are, and I miss your mind, body and soul. Having you in my life, was the best dream come true. I have shared the story of how met with our children over and over again. The challenges we faced on our path and how we surmounted them all through God’s grace, our love for each other and understanding. Since you left this world, words cannot describe the emptiness inside me. I get so lost without you but I am sure I will pull through. You always want me happy and strong.
Mum, as I deeply reflect on our lives, it is evident that there are many things I think I should have done for you or insisted that they happen. Please accept my forgiveness for procrastinating. Our children are doing very well in school---making us so proud. I am also happy that God has granted us good health. Chukwubudom has always wondered why and what you are doing in heaven. Sometimes, he gives an impression of a child whose mother has abandoned. It is nothing to worry about, Mum. I told him that you are in heaven to make sure God answers all our prayers. I guess that ‘lie’ is working but he made one strange request recently. He requested that you need to see how big he has become. Poor boy! I cannot blame him, after all, the size of a child of 2 years when you left and a child that is over 4 years now are not the same. He has realized some changes in his body and is unable to understand what you are still doing in heaven. I told him you see him daily. I don’t know if he is satisfied with that answer or not. His next questions will confirm it.
Mum, the Foundation – “The Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF)” established in your memory is doing well. Currently, I and our children are funding it from our savings and we ate happy knowing that the Foundation is achieving its objectives. We are having serious funding challenges and wish to request that you interceded on our behalf, given your closeness to God now. We need financial support to continue the Foundation’s programmes and activities.
I am consoled by the fact your spirit, your beautiful soul, your uncommon ability to calm the storm is still with us. Things will never be the same for us yes, but we all have been made better because you were in our lives.
Finally, be assured that in life and death, I will not stop loving you and as earlier promised, I will be strong for you and our lovely children, and that together, we shall make you proud. Sleep on, my beautiful and loving wife.
Before I end this message, permit me remind you of our duet, your favorite:
Down at Your feet, oh Lord
Is the most high place
In Your presence, Lord
I seek your face, seek your face
There is no higher calling, no greater honor
Then to bow and kneel before Your throne
I am amazed at Your glory, embraced by Your mercy
Oh Lord, I live to worship You
April 27, 2019
April 27, 2019
My dearest name-sake, I write this with great sadness over your demise 2 years and 9 months back, at the ripe age of 42. Life, it is said begins at 40 hence the reason why my heart bleeds because you left at the starting point of your journey in life. Having met you through your husband, Chuks or Safe as fondly called by you and seeing how much he misses you till date confirms that you were a beautiful woman both inside and out, a rare gem.
   He cannot stop emphasizing the fact that you were more than a wife, you were a sister, his best friend, meticulous house keeper, a virtous woman (Proverbs 31), perfect mum for your your wonderful children.
   My hope is that you rest in peace knowing you did all that you could and that your children will be fine. My interactions with your husband, Safe reveals he has a pain/wound inside that only God can heal. You will be happy to know that your demise has inspired him to give back life to people suffering from Asthma and other allergic diseases through Amaka Chiwuike-Ubah Foundation (ACUF), a charitable organistion funded in your memory. Be rest assured that he is living out your plans/dreams each single day and has been both Dad and Mum to your highly responsible children.
  Being a soldier in the camp of God, I am confident that you are relaxing with our Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand side of the Father in Heaven. Your beautiful Spirit will continue to live on through your beautiful children.
  Adieu ma Cherisse.
  You'll be missed deeply.
  May the good Lord bless your memory!!!
September 3, 2016
September 3, 2016
My light went out on July 4th when the doctor at St. Leo’s Hospital called me into his office to inform me he could not find life in my wife. My heart raced up and down with many questions at the same time. How can that be possible? Is that how they lose life? Where did the life go into? It is absolutely incomprehensible to accept that. That was why I rejected the suggestion of the Priests who requested me to put her into mortuary after they prayed for more than an hour 30 minutes. I was so sure you are not dead but was only sleeping. How can I accept that when you were still smiling? It was the belief that you are still alive that emboldened me to carry you back home despite the advice from both the doctors and the priest. I do not know you as one who enjoys so much sleep. After all, you were already awake to start your normal daily activities when you woke me up around 5am to complain of inability to breathe well. You went downstairs with me to put-on the generator. I can still hear your voice saying: “Safe, should I apply the inhaler again? Safe, please go put-on the generator to enable me use the nebulizer”. Inhaler and nebulizer failed to do their work! What a world?

Mum, I found it increasingly difficult to write a tribute to you at death. My tribute to you should not be for this purpose. It should be for the occasions of celebration. It was never our plans. We have better plans for our self, the children and the entire family. I am heartbroken, in deep pains and now, experiencing on daily basis, unrestricted and overflowing tears. You always reminded me how we would age gracefully in good health serving God, how we would celebrate our golden jubilee marriage anniversary, how we would be traveling all over the world by the time all our children are fully grown and married. You always reminded me how ‘wicked’ and heartless I am each time I pray to God to take me home any day He knows I will make Heaven. How come you left me when you are most needed to steer our ship to safety. You tricked me!

You came into my life and God’s words in Proverbs 18:22 – “the man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord” and Proverbs 31: 28-29 –“who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies” became manifest and a reality in my life. You are my pillar, my confidant, my best friend, my treasurer, my adviser, my prayer warrior, my mother, my soulmate and my wife. You made me a real lazy man because you pampered and revered me like a King. I have refused to refer you in the past because I believe you are not dead; you are only sleeping and would wake up. Remember the vows we took before God and man, that, “until death do us part”. Unfortunately, with your exit, it has become very clear that the vow has no real connection with reality. No, it does not. Your exit has shown that death only brings a physical departure between couples, it never do them part. Our bond is still inseparable; our love still burns inside and never dies. I know that our love will carry and sustain me even as you sleep on.

Your wrappers were our curtains when we stayed under a room without curtains.              Our life reminded me of Dolly Paton’s “coat of many colors my mama made for me” because it was our story also. You stood by me; you prayed me into success and remained faithful to me despite my weaknesses. You are always quick to say, I am sorry even when I am the one to apologize. You are so generous and made our home a ‘Mecca’ for all in need. I can’t stop laughing in my mind when people say they understand how I feel over your departure. How can they understand? Do they know how we started, what we went through, our plans and aspirations for the future? No they don’t and therefore cannot claim to know how I feel. They can’t, it is absolutely impossible to know.

My dear wife, you are not only a wonderful wife and mother but a meticulous housekeeper and homemaker. You are a cheerful, friendly person and made many warm friends. You seldom, if ever, criticize any person. Instead, you preferred to refer to their good qualities. You are the soul of honesty. You would never shade the truth no matter what the consequences. You loved God and the Church and very faithful to your allotted tasks. You are prayer warrior/winner. Mum, your prayers were always you will not build for another to inhabit. You always prayed for long life, fulfillment of your destiny and accomplishment of God’s purpose for your life in your lifetime. I ask you, who do you want to inhabit all you have built now that you’ve continued to sleep on? Have you fulfilled your destiny? Is 42 years a long life? Have you accomplished God’s purpose for you on earth? I need an answer, please. First lady, I ask you again, have you accomplished your work?

Mum, as I close this tribute, be assured that, God helping me, I will continue running the race with even much more vigor and commitment. I will continue to train our children in the way of the Lord, academically and morally. I will endeavor to do only those things you would have supported if you were not sleeping. I will work to always make you happy wherever you are. I request you to, also, in your capacity as a Saint, to continue praying for us. You know I have to start learning the ropes afresh. I am now both a father and a mother. It won’t be easy but I know with God, I can do it all.

Finally, though with great pains, broken heart and overflowing tears, I submit to Divine authority for the passing unto eternal glory of my beloved wife. I know many men have a wonderful wife but no one has ever had a better one than I. She is faithful, efficient, loyal and true. She inspired me in ways I cannot explain. I have lost a worthy helpmate but I have nothing but happy memories of our years of life together. To mum, I cannot end this tribute without the song we love singing together always:

Down at your feet Oh God
Is the most high place
In your presence Lord
I seek your face, I seek your face
I am amazed at your glory, embraced my your mercies
Oh Lord, I live to worship you.

I am confident that we shall meet again on the resurrection morning to part no more.

Sleep on my beloved wife!
Sleep on Mum!!
I love you!!!

Your husband, Safe

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Recent Tributes
July 4, 2023
July 4, 2023
Mum,

Today, July 4, 2021 is exactly 5 years of your exit from this horrendous world into the ever-loving embrace of your creator, God Almighty. You are not just my wife, but a special lady to everyone. You are a daughter to my mother, a sister to my siblings, an aunt to all that came across you as well as an ever-ready, comforting and resting shoulder to all. I and our children miss you terribly and the loss of you is felt deeply by many.

Truthfully, we mourned you. A half of me gone with your exit. The void your exit created appears to be irreplaceable. Nonetheless, knowing that you are in a better place, resting, communing and worshipping God with the host of other angels, I and our children have converted the mourning process into a nurturing process, as we rebuild and reorganize our lives without you. Our identity has changed, but we have become stronger. As I promised, I have been doing a great job taking care of our children and together, we have continued to keep your ideals alive.

The Bible says God is the husband to the widows. Even when a similar provision was not expressly mentioned in the Bible, God has not left me alone. In fact, God has also become my wife as a widower. After all, through His direction and help, I have carried on, performing the duties of a man and a woman in the last 5 years you left. God is so good. I am a witness and testify of His unfailing love, provisions, protection, mercies, grace, guidance and loving kindness. I love you my darling wife. Continue to rest in the bosom of our creator, the God of all universes, till the resurrection morning. God is, indeed, with us!

Safe, and the children
July 4, 2023
July 4, 2023
Mum,

Today, Monday, July 4, 2022, marks six years since your departure from this sinful world, after sleeping in the Lord on Monday, July 4, 2016. It's been six years without you. Six years of loneliness, of being a loner in the midst of crowds and of working so hard without you to ensure our dreams are realised. I promised to train our children on the path of the Lord, in education and morality. Although it is not easy, I have not broken this promise to the best of my ability. In this journey of being a single parent, I have learned much, and I have witnessed the best, the joy and the pain of being a single parent. Taking care of the teenagers our kids have become is hard without you. All thanks to God, our children are doing great ad will continue to do better.

Do you know what? What you witnessed while you were with me is child's play compared with what I'm going through right now. I have realised that widowhood is ‘sexy’ as I have without notice, become excessively strangely attractive to women. Your exit exposed me, without protection, to increased pressure. Nevertheless, despite the pains, depression and confusion, rebuilding has commenced. We hold on to your ideals and use the Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF) to reach out to the unreached and vulnerable population of our community. I urge you, as a saint, to continue to pray for the children and for me. I went back to learning the ropes, working as a mom and dad.

Your exit has shown that death only brings a physical departure between couples, it never really separates them. I know that our love will carry and sustain me even as you sleep on. Now that you are with God Almighty, I am sure that our usual duet to God has become your daily activity in heaven. At any rate, you can always hum the song from above.

Down at your feet Oh God
Is the most high place
In your presence Lord
I seek your face, I seek your face
I am amazed at your glory, embraced by your mercies
Oh Lord, I live to worship you.

Keep resting in peace in the bosom of God, my beloved Nwamaka Onyemaechi. We celebrate you now and every time. All glory goes to the Almighty God. God is with us!

Safe
July 4, 2023
July 4, 2023
Nwamaka Onyemaechi Lives on 7 Years After

Today, July 4, 2023, is the seventh anniversary of my beloved Amaka, being with Jesus Christ in heaven. Seven years seems like such a long time, but it also seems like such a short time. I can always say that hardly any day goes by without my thinking about her. But those thoughts tend to be silent, deep in my mind. Time has moved on, so have I also.

The cells in my lips that caught her last kiss vanished years ago, as did the cells in my lungs that held her last breath. But I always feel that last kiss, that last breath. Although, I can't hear her voice, but those touchy moments are still there. I can see her walking down the aisle on our wedding day, feeling her hand in mine. A day shall come when I will share the story of our journey to marriage. Who knows, a lot of people can draw a couple of lessons from our journey and experience.

I wish I could say the loss gets easier with time. Unfortunately, and yet, the truth is, mourning is different every day. Life continues and I have recently learned to live without Amaka being physically present in my life. Although she is not physically here on Earth, she is always with me in my heart, in the spirit with her presence, and in the memories we shared. I miss you so much, Mum.

Mum, not everything was great, but I keep the good times we shared. I learned sacrificial love, living forth the fruits of the spirit, and acceptance. Amaka was not perfect, but she certainly demonstrated and lived the fruits of the Spirit on a daily basis. I don't know what the secret is, but the Lord made Amaka unique! I focus more on the fruits of the Spirit than the gifts of the Spirit, anyways. What you do with the gifts is more important than the gifts itself.

The loss of Amaka taught me so much about life, love and myself. It taught me how to start visiting and how to communicate with others better. A lot of people don't know about me being a chronic recluse. A vulnerability covered by Amaka's presence. Although I am becoming more and more skilled at visiting and reaching people, I still prefer my space, my little room, rather than visiting people. A virtue which Amaka demonstrated effortlessly. She was able to visit the largest possible number of people every day. Mine was the provision of resources for such visits and outreaches. Her exit finally exposed this weakness in me.

I can say that over the past seven years, one of the lessons the Lord has taught me is how to have joy in the midst of tough seasons. It is a lesson which the Lord continues to impart to me. I have been betrayed by many, even by my loved ones, but in all those things, God strengthened me. I also know that in the last seven years, I have hurt a lot of people unintentionally. I cry differently from most and it's all right! I have also suffered from depressions that were poorly understood by many and they resented me as well. With this come profound valleys. Learning to be cheerful in the valleys is a great thing for me.

Am l still in pain? Yes. Is the pain the same? No. Have I been able to recover? Yes and no. The pain never ends. It's like a part of you. It's always around, but with a calm presence. This presence testifies to new comforts, new losses, new loves, new heartbreaks, new choices, new mistakes - the list is endless. Everything has changed. Even that which you remember is new because it will now have a new life, a new color, a new perspective. It's a new and different kind of memory. My energy is focused on celebrating her. Not on grieving. Life will continue and happiness will definitely come back to me, and who I am will be greater through the lessons I have learned.

Amaka and I dreamed of things that we knew we may not see, except, maybe, from a mountain top across an ocean to a far shore. Yes, we had great dreams on how to move unimaginable mountains. They were dreams developed out of love and desire to be impactful, to leave legacies and we knew they could still be. But no dream comes true from the dream and therefore we laid our shoulders on the rocks on the way ahead of us. Many told us that we were mad, that we gave too much and that we expected too much.

Grief is no longer constantly before me on a day-to-day or weekly basis. Nevertheless, Amaka is obviously always in my heart and in my thoughts. I've learned to hold on less to sadness and yet it still hurts not having Amaka here. I miss her so much. Over the last seven years, I've been able to do some of the things that Amaka and I wanted to do together. Although it's difficult, I know I'm building a life for myself, our children, and generations unborn after her death.

Amaka never abandoned me even in her last moments. She showed me an unspeakable love; she was so concerned about my safety, security, happiness, and prosperity. Yes, Amaka has departed. But her love lives on. Her ideals and dreams and goals remain. And the work of those countless interconnected dreams remains unfinished. They may die with me. Perhaps not. But I'll keep those rocks out of the way, though. And the rocks that we moved will be moved.

Thankfully, we achieved some of these ideals, dreams and goals while Amaka lived, and I've achieved more in the last seven years of her exit. All thanks to the grace and mercies of God. And, perhaps, when I am gone at a ripe age and at the proper time, other souls, perhaps our children and others, will take the rocks that Amaka and I leave unfinished. I sincerely thank God for the grace to convert our sorrows into a resource, through the establishment of a Foundation to improve the quality of life of people. Especially, those with asthma, allergy and other respiratory conditions.

Yes, the Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF), which was established in memory of Amaka in 2016 is a product of pain, converted into a resource. A generational and sustainable resource to achieve those ideals, dreams and goals we live on. Join us on July 20, 2023 at the Oakland Hotel in Enugu at 9:00 a.m. as we collectively discuss the status of *Health Financing and Universal Health Coverage* in Nigeria as the 2023 Amaka Chiwuike-Uba International Asthma Conference (ACUBIAC 2023).

For more details, visit www.acufasthmaconference.org.ng or www.acuf.org.ng.
Recent stories

Evergreen in our hearts -- two years gone

May 12, 2019

Mum,

Today, 4th day of July 2018 is exactly 2 years you left this world to a better place and my mood today is aptly captured in the words of Alan D. Wolfelt in The Wilderness of Grief. “My grief journey has no destination. I will not ‘get over it.’ The understanding that I don’t have to be done is liberating. I will mourn this death for the rest of my life.”  Notwithstanding my feelings, I will not stay drained by grief. I assure you that I will be strong for our lovely children, and that together, we shall make you proud. As I write this morning, I write to celebrate you, not to wallow in grief or self-pity and it is my desire to see others join me in this celebration. I am here to celebrate you not to mourn you.
I took some time to go over your personal photos and the ones which we did together since we met, last night and I was truly overwhelmed by the amount of energy, life, love and hope those pictures exudes. You were truly charming and played the main role. For all the years, you were not only my wife, but also a very faithful and God-sent companion, trusted confident, an indispensable helpmate and a pillar. You were my prayer warrior, counselor and at various times, a mother and sister. You were patience incarnate, my perfect and only female model, and my ongoing inspiration. I miss many things, I miss every detail of who you are, and I miss your mind, body and soul. Having you in my life, was the best dream come true. I have shared the story of how met with our children over and over again. The challenges we faced on our path and how we surmounted them all through God’s grace, our love for each other and understanding.  Since you left this world, words cannot describe the emptiness inside me. I get so lost without you but I am sure I will pull through. You always want me happy and strong. 
Mum, as I deeply reflect on our lives, it is evident that there are many things I think I should have done for you or insisted that they happen. Please accept my forgiveness for procrastinating. Our children are doing very well in school---making us so proud. I am also happy that God has granted us good health.  Chukwubudom has always wondered why and what you are doing in heaven. Sometimes, he gives an impression of a child whose mother has abandoned. It is nothing to worry about, Mum. I told him that you are in heaven to make sure God answers all our prayers. I guess that ‘lie’ is working but he made one strange request recently. He requested that you need to see how big he has become. Poor boy! I cannot blame him, after all, the size of a child of 2 years when you left and a child that is over 4 years now are not the same. He has realized some changes in his body and is unable to understand what you are still doing in heaven. I told him you see him daily. I don’t know if he is satisfied with that answer or not. His next questions will confirm it. 
Mum, the Foundation – “The Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF)” established in your memory is doing well. Currently, I and our children are funding it from our savings and we ate happy knowing that the Foundation is achieving its objectives. We are having serious funding challenges and wish to request that you interceded on our behalf, given your closeness to God now. We need financial support to continue the Foundation’s programmes and activities.
I am consoled by the fact your spirit, your beautiful soul, your uncommon ability to calm the storm is still with us. Things will never be the same for us yes, but we all have been made better because you were in our lives.
Finally, be assured that in life and death, I will not stop loving you and as earlier promised, I will be strong for you and our lovely children, and that together, we shall make you proud. Sleep on, my beautiful and loving wife.
Before I end this message, permit me remind you of our duet, your favorite:
Down at Your feet, oh Lord
Is the most high place
In Your presence, Lord
I seek your face, seek your face
There is no higher calling, no greater honor
Then to bow and kneel before Your throne
I am amazed at Your glory, embraced by Your mercy
Oh Lord, I live to worship You

You are still ever green in my memory

July 4, 2017
My dearest wife, Mum,

I still find it difficult to accept the fact that you have ‘slept on’, waiting to wake up on the resurrection morning. On this day, July 4, 2016, God, your maker, who gave you to me decided to call you home without any prior notice. I just want you to know that it has not been easy; not for me, not for our children, and not for all those who truly loves you. I still dial your numbers from time to time in my usual way to share both my good and bad moments, to seek your input on issues and to gossip. It is always my worst and down moments as the realities dawn on me that you cannot take such calls anymore. Nobody assures me and says to me, Safe, be strong, you can make it.

Mum, I wish you are here to realize and appreciate my usual joke about your friends. If you recall, I always reminded you that ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed but a Friend in NEED is a BLOODY NUISANCE’. How true those words have become. Most of them swarmed around you because of the benefits they derive from you--they are no more. They dispersed as soon as the chicken that lays the golden eggs departed. They were not friends…they were friends who came around because they needed your help. Those who promised your children that in them they have another mother…none of them have even called to find out how your children are doing. Thank God I knew there can never be another mother for them. Thank God I made them realize that as soon as you slept –on. Yes, I did make them realize that we are on our own. The good thing is that we promised ourselves to be united and stand for one another. I made a promise to you, my wife, that, as long as I live, I would do all to ensure you and our children are happy always. By the Grace of God, I have not failed in that promise and I hope not to fail. Be assured also that I would preserve your ideals and would cast your name on stone. Generations to come would know that a virtuous woman; Nwamaka Onyemaechi Chiwuike-Uba lived in this world. You cannot be forgotten. Never ever!

I and the children had our fair share of crying this morning. We did not plan to cry. Yes, we didn’t, we have resolved to be strong for you. We know that our crying breaks your heart where you are; but as I reminisced on our life together, our journey, your struggles and your contributions, I could hear your voice calling out to me as you did that morning, saying, Safe, should I apply it again…I couldn’t hold myself … I wept uncontrollably. Our children couldn’t hold theirs seeing their father cry. It is well! 

Mum, lest I forget, I and a few others shall be on radio this morning to talk about the Asthma--the diagnosis and management. We shall talk about the scheduled Conference coming up on the 6th July 2017---the 1st Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Annual Asthma Conference. We shall also have a spot on the Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF). I was just wondering if you were able to follow the reportage on the event…more than 596 mentions in media outlets all over the world! Mum, Idi egwu, your spirit lives!

Before I end this message, kindly permit me to thank you for making me a better man, a better husband and a better father. You never saw my weaknesses; you saw and appreciated my strengths. You never saw my poverty, you saw a man who has great future, you saw a rich man, and you saw the best man in the whole world in me. Despite my flaws, you believed you are safe with me. You called me Safe till your last breath. To ensure that all you saw in me materialized, you never stopped praying for me. My confidence grows each time I hear you praying, speaking in tongues. You indeed prayed me into success. You are rare, very rare and irreplaceable.

Mum, I love you. Continue to rest in the bosom of our God, king of all glory and He who knows the end from the beginning. Sleep on till we meet to part no more. I love you!    

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