Today we would have planned to be all around you this weekend to celebrate your 84th birthday with all your in-laws and grandchildren. Hmm, oyiumuaka as you were called by Club Justicia (Association of Lawyers Wives Onitsha), it would have been marvelous especially taking you to Uncle FC, your beloved brother of blessed memory at Amawa Ogbunike and having you see all your brothers and sisters. Oh, nne m Okasigbala, it would have been great fun for you and all of us. Unfortunately, death Oh death whisked you away from us very early. You and Dad stepped your footprints on sands on time.

The family you left behind are all here except "IKE" your husband, our loving Dad who joined you immediately after your burial. Your beloved twins Emeka and Nnamdi who refused no one else to carry them except you while still babies are now blessed and happily married. Emeka now has a son-in-law, and a renowned mathematician, Your son Engr Mekus Mekandum!. Nnamdi is a Physician and happily married. Your Jide Jide is driving his global train to meet with your prayer and wish on him. He is happily married and blessed. You still remember Uchemefuna, you ally of fun and jokes. You remember his dance before you and Dad when you go to Daddy's awote high court in the living room! He is happily married and enjoys well with his career wish for him. Your Elonma, your golden voice and dancer is doing great with her husband and children, we see you in her daughter Chinwe, she has shown to grow like you in height.
At her age, she seems taller than her peers. And off course your boy, your walking stick and handbag chukuma as you called him is now okokodem and a Mechanical Engr filled with all the leadership qualities as you! What a love story and love song we would have shared this weekend around you. I know you would've made ofe onugbu and ora with Ukwa, rice and stew, you would have asked IKE to pray and he will pray and tell us stories of "afufu" and reminded us of his first ever visit to you at your place of work as a grade three teacher and how you used ruler to measure yam and cook for him and his friend with palm oil, and how you left them at your one room house and went back to your class. He will tell us how he stood his policy to make you learnt how to drive and how he was grateful to God for giving you to him and end by telling us his seven years prayer for a wife gave him his destiny wife as well as affirming to us that the only person that can disappoint him in this world and he will be hurt is you his wife, our mother. He meant all of it you know. You can see he joined you immediately after your burial!
Your back is blessed Mom. God saw your pain, tears, efforts and sacrifices in the family, community and the church, efforts on early child education east of the Niger and has kept His Divine promise to you in motion.
Many a time I sit back in my most moment to reflect on you and our upbringing, your styles, love, care, support and humane principles, your public relations, and your personal sacrifices. Tears of joy roll my cheek and I thank God for making me your first child, I thank you for making you, my mother.
I grew up to know I took after you, resembling you in most areas though my behavior is a blend of you and Dad, but I feel bad not growing as tall as you were. I still struggle to live up to your expectations. Yet I have grown to be like you doing all I can do to all you wished me would do as an elegant lady, driving force for women, children, education, and the community, though not as tall as you were. I wish I really am! I wish you were still here to guide me more. Do you know want, I have spoken at the United Nations General Assembly on many occasions, spoken to world leaders and now driving a motion on your pertinent concern, improvement of education in the community at the United Nations.
Your love, the school changed to your name, Irene Menakaya Schools Onitsha is doing excellently well. It’s a registered learning institution with the United Nations and UNESCO and drives the United Nations agenda in Anambra State through the Model United Nations and SDG School club in the school. We established Barr JUNI and Irene Menakaya Endowment Trust at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Faculty of Education for the Best graduating Student in education and in your name at Nwafor Orizu College of Education for the Best graduating student in Early Child Education.
The family faced challenges, but you made us to be focus and look up to a better tomorrow. You assured us that it’s only a short time and tomorrow will be best. Truly tomorrow is Best today and always! Your spiritual prayer and prophecy worked. I can’t Thank God enough for you and all your love, care, humane spirit, and sacrifice for all of us. You and Dad paid the great prize for us all.
On your birth anniversary, is the unifying project as decided by all of us to hold a global discussion on the Legacy of you and dad to humanity especially on “My Child is My Pride”, the Barr JUNI and Irene Menakaya Legacy Lectures!
Keep being with us and we shall continue to do all we can to maintain the track you and dad established for us. We remember you and dad each Day. Tell Daddy we still maintain his prayer values on the Beatitudes and Psalm 23 especially during our Ikechukwu Menakaya Family gathering and our most perilous times. Our children, your grandchildren are now conversant with Daddy’s “Afufu theory”. Can you imagine, ndulu ga ndu!
I am glad and proud I am your daughter just like all of us.
I pray thee, Almighty God, and Angels of Heaven, keep my mom safe around you and let her light continue to shine on us here on earth. She was a great loving mother and mother Israel to everyone around her.
Your Daughter  
Adaeze
August 18,2020