Florence Ifeoma Uchendu-Wogu (née Ogude) was born on the 15th of February 1963 into the family of Late Chief Alfred Edune Ogude and Madam Rachael Emonena Igor in Ashaka, Delta State, Nigeria. She was the second child of her mother. Florence attended primary school in Warri, Delta State, where she was an excellent pupil and proud member of the children's choir, and had her secondary education at St. Theresa's Grammar School Ughelli, also in Delta State, where she held the post of Assistant Senior Prefect in her senior year. She received her Bachelor's degree in Law from the former Bendel State University, Ekpoma and went on to attend the Nigeria Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos State. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. She returned to the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State for her Master's degree in which her concentration was Transportation (Maritime) Law. Florence got married to the love of her life, Uchendu Ikechi Mbaegbulem Wogu, in ceremonies that spanned across her hometown of Ashaka, Uchendu's hometown of Old Umuahia, Abia State and All Saints Anglican Church (AHQ) Abalti Barracks, Surulere, Lagos between 1992 and 1993. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters and a son namely Uchechi Amarachi Florence, Ijeoma Akachi and Oghoghomena Nnochiri Kingsway. After God, her husband and children were the light of her world. She took great pride in her mother and father, her parents in-law, her siblings and their spouses, her nieces and nephews, as well as her 'adopted' children and mentees. She belongs to a very large and interconnected family of great friends, lifetime clients, classmates, brethren in the Lord, and professional colleagues.

A legal practitioner with over three decades experience, she was the founder, principal partner and lead counsel of FLORENCE .I. OGUDE & CO. LEGAL PRACTITIONERS - with branches in Lagos and Abuja. She was a businesswoman, litigator, property lawyer, transportation lawyer, entertainment lawyer, corporate lawyer and a chartered arbitrator per excellence. Florence served in diverse roles during her lifetime, and she received awards from institutions and groups, so many to mention here without missing out a few, she was an astute advocate for the fundamental rights of the Nigerian citizen. At the time of her passing onto glory, she was the coordinator of AFRICAN WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (AWLA), ABUJA BRANCH. A humanitarian from birth, she was also the head of the JUSTICE INITIATIVE PROJECT of YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FOR JUSTICE INITIATIVE (YEJI), a pan-Nigerian non-governmental organization. Florence, at the helm of YEJI's Justice Initiative Project, led a team of dynamic lawyers whose sole purpose was bringing justice to the doorsteps of the indigent in our society; The widows under some measure of incarceration, The young boy trying to find his identity, The victim of a failing society who finds himself or herself in an IDP Camp, The unjustly detained citizen languishing in any one of Nigeria's correctional centers, Deportees coming from the diaspora with no fixed addresses to return to. Her team also had an aim to formalize the legal framework for ensuring affordable universal healthcare is within the reach of the sick in Nigerian society, to mention but a few. 

Florence was 'A Mother in Israel' – A true friend of Christian missionaries and a champion of the welfare of ordained ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ in every congregation she was a part of. Florence had impeccable taste in fashion and style, some of her hobbies were storytelling, reading, listening to music, singing, actively contributing to the discourse on her various platforms, making memories on her phone - she particularly enjoyed phone photography, and spending quality time with her family and friends whether in-person or over the phone, she was also a great dancer and hostess. She lived a politically active life and participated in election-monitoring activities in both civic and professional capacities, she was actively engaged in groups that focused on the Nigerian Child as well as issues pertaining to women leadership and empowerment. Florence was passionate about quality education, she mentored so many young people and served as a bonafide role model in society. A beloved daughter, a great mother, loving wife, advisor, trustworthy confidant and caring sister, doting aunt and grandaunt, supportive cousin, a generous friend, natural born leader, favorite storyteller, and a brilliant legal mind, we will miss and remember her forever.

MEMBERSHIPS HELD:

NIGERIA BAR ASSOCIATION (Member)

CLASS OF '88 NIGERIA LAW SCHOOL V/I LAGOS (Member)

BENSUE '87- BENDEL STATE UNIVERSITY EKPOMA CLASS OF 1987 ASSOC. (Member)

FEDERATION INTERNATIONAL DE ABOGADAS (FIDA) (Member)

AFRICAN WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION NIGERIA CHAPTER (Member)

WOMEN IN SHIPPING AND TRADING ASSOCIATIONS WISTA-NIGERIA (Member)

WOMEN IN MARITIME AFRICA - NIGERIA (WIM-NIG) (Member)

CHARTERED INSTITUTE of TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION NIGERIA (CIoTA) (Member)

ST. THERESA'S GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL UGHELLI - OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION - STOGA (Member)

ST. THERESA'S ALUMNI RYZING (STAR) (Member)

MOTHERS' UNION/WOMEN’S GUILD, CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION GADUWA, (ANGLICAN COMMUNION NIGERIA) ABUJA (Member)

OLD UMUAHIA DEVELOPMENT UNION, ABUJA BRANCH (Member)

THE DIVINE FAMILY - A FREE GATHERING OF COUPLES DEVOTED TO EVANGELISM  (Member).

You are all invited to join us as we leave our stories, mementos, pictures, videos and tributes drawn from unique encounters with her on this website which will be maintained for as long as the site remains up on the internet. The story continues…