I am here to talk about a truly amazing woman, who was peaceful, compassionate, had the fear of God, funny, resilient and had the most impact on my life. My name is Alex and I'm one of the children of Mrs. Esther T. Akuagwu, Fondly called "Sister" by her kids. Time would not allow me to intimate you fully about the life she lived, but I will do my best. When we were kids, she would always say " I'm poor, but not stupid", " be humble and live within your means".   She was born into a wealthy family on September 7th, 1939 in Enugu, Nigeria, but she hardly benefited from the wealth due to the demise of her parents at a very tender age. She was the only child of her Mother ( Mrs. Roli Brodrick ( Nee Yalaju)- a successful businesswoman) and her Dad ( Chief A. W. Brodrick, The Obamariaye of Benin Kingdom) in a polygamous setting. At the age of 8 yrs, she was an orphan and had to be raised by uncles. Though she was a very intelligent woman, she was not able to achieve her educational goal due to minimal support from extended family members. She had to get a Job at an early age as a Telephone Operator at Armels Transport Company ( Now Edo Line Transport) after graduating from Abbot Institute, Sapele. she was also a practical person and never wanted to depend on people. She worked in various capacities until her retirement at Edo Line. This made her resolve that she would do anything within her power to ensure all her kids achieve their educational goals. As a child, I loved soccer and was great at it. I could play the game all day and be happy, even on empty stomach. I was not studying and my grades at school were declining. She would come chasing me away from the field. She at one time, confronted my coach and made him realize that he would be held accountable for my failure. Today, all her four living children achieved at least a bachelors degree because of her relentless effort. For this, I shall ever remain grateful. Family was very important to her. She endured a lot to maintain peace and keep the family together. She cared for each and every one of us equally. When I had surgery at a very young age, the pain I experienced was unbearable. She was awake and cried with me every night for over 2 weeks. She would not eat, until I did. She would encourage me to be strong and that life is not easy, but my current situation, like every other in life, shall come to pass. She would always tell us to be humble and live within our means. As a Teen, I wanted a sneaker for Christmas. She took me to BATA and bought me a pair. It was not fancy enough for me, so I told one of my aunts. My aunt then bought me an expensive sneaker. When my mom found out, she was furious. She made me return the sneaker, and made it clear to me that greed won't be tolerated in this house: She took care of the situation- you know what I mean. Her bedroom was where we congregated almost everyday (The Situation Room) to recount whatever stories we had, passed experiences and make fun of ourselves. She knows how to tease a lot, and a very engaging person. During our visit to Nigeria recently, my wife witness it first hand. She has so many friends, some of them we knew as kids are still her close friends till the last day of her life. They respected her opinions because she would tell you as it is. So many young women she worked with took her as their adopted mom because she was always there to guide and counsel them through life's journey. Her faith in God was unshaken. She was the president of The Legion of Mary for many years at the St. Jude Catholic Church, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City. She dedicated her life to the service of God. She succeeded in converting many souls, one of them became my sponsor during my wedding.   Sister is with us today in our hearts. Words can't express how much she meant to me and my family. Let us remember her for the peaceful, compassionate and lovely person she was, and celebrate the life of a great woman as we honor her memory today. Thanks you for listening and may the Lord almighty shower His blessings upon you. Amen!   Alex Akuagwu, MD