It's exactly 6months today that my friend of 26 years, wife of 21 years, was laid to rest.

I still lack the words to explain my emotions. I knew the meaning of friendship with her. Love became a sacred word. Loyalty was redefined.

Hand in hand we had walked down the lonely path of childlessness for 10 years. Some so called friends jeered at us as if they had control of determining who gets a child and who doesn't. She thought me to ignore all such side distractions and to focus on the only Being that had the final say -- God! And He did have the final say and in the positive too!

And when it was just time to start the real round of honeymoon and marital bliss, she was struck down with an acute form of Rheumatoid Arthritis. A disease that left her with Pulmonary Fibrosis, an irreversible and progressive deterioration of her lungs. She was told it was terminal!

And that was when the strength in her became fully manifest. She did not panic, she took it in good stride. Whilst asking and believing God for a miracle healing, she still reached out and started preparing the children for life without her. She clung on to life for my sake and for the sake of the children.

The healing didn't come and she came to terms with that fact. Then it was as if she asked death to wait, even in her weak state. She appeared to put it on pause! She dared it! She stared at it in the face without fear. She knelt in prayer and attained heights of gigantic proportion, made peace with God and man and when she crossed over into the Year of Mercy she quietly took her leave having held on for almost 4years. She passed on in my arms.

She was attached to an oxygen machine 24/7 for almost 3 years. After the initial period of being self conscious about it, she squared her shoulders and bore it with poise and grace. Even when she couldn't go out much, she was the one impacting positively on those that came near. She silently offered her pains "as a sweet smelling sacrifice to God, who had allowed her to her on this journey".

She was a rare breed. She was strong. She was graceful and dignified in her sickness. She was a Lioness. She was a Princess. She was my Princess. She was my Iyoo. She was my friend. She was my lover. She was my wife. And I am a much better person for it. Whatever I am today, is largely thanks to Juliet Chinagorom Okorie-Agwu.

And I pray from the depth of me that her Soul and the Souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.

Nanna, my heart bleeds reading your touching story. I share your pain and comfort in your story of courage and strength?

 Larry my husband who loved me beyond words can ever express passed exactly ten years yesterday. What keeps me and the boys going is the fact that Larry loved us so much and that keeps us going.

I know the love you both shared for each other will keep you and the kids going?

Larry unfortunately died of a heart attack which is nothing compared to what you and your dear wife went through. That period of struggle was a special time to spend bonding? I know one of my boys always wished,  Daddy would have been sick for us to nurse him instead of him dying so quick and not knowing if he wanted someone to hold his hands, but his twin brother is always telling him he would not have wanted Daddy to go through any of that. To me I would have loved to share that moment and time with him but it happened so quick and we never had the chance to say good bye. Who are we to tell God when and how it should happen? The same God has kept us and still keeps us going until now that my dear son Aleje, has again gone to be with the Lord.

I have asked questions and close to forgetting my faith, as "in all things, give praise and thanks". In moments like this is when our faith is tested and tried and life does not make any sense. Am a living example of one's faith been tasted and one day, someday, God will make sense to me and my boys as to why. I want God to teach me to accept things without blame. " God weeps wth us so that we may one day laugh with him" Jurgen Moltmann. By asking questions, it brings us to asking " where is God when it hurst?"

I have my family and friends support and share the pain and sufferings of those who have passed through similar experiences and we draw strength from each other and I know you will because God is alive and stand to tell you this.

We talk about Larry everyday, when I say we, the boys and I find consolation talking about Larry because he had so much love and shared it with his family. They will never be another Larry in our lives but we are happy he loved us. His love keeps us going. We miss him everyday. 

I am going to leave you with the fact that though, they have gone, they are still with us and I know your beloved wife, Chinagorom, is with you, looking above from heaven and smiling saying, you are a fantastic husband and father and could not have picked a better  man other than Nanna. I share that with her. Larry says it too because, my boys tell me how fantastic a mother I am and have been. Your kids would say same.  God will look after them beyond your expectations and favour will be their name.

Remain blest my brother.

Helen Adoga (Ntol's sister and Imaji's cousin)

Princess with Nwasinachi at 3 months. 

Princess, in Havana Hospital after having Chikameleanya

26 years ago today (Thursday January 18, 1990. approx 16:00hrs), I walked into the Nkrumah Hall (University of Nigeria, Nsukka Postgraduate Hall) Tuck Shop and there met for the very first time, the woman that changed the course of my life, for the better, forever. I was love struck and from that day she became a central and key part of my existence. She was an undergraduate while i was a graduate student. The intense feelings however scared the heck out of me initially but it seemed that the more scared I got, the more in love I fell!

I had no doubt that that woman, Juliet Chinagorom Adams was the bone of my bones and the flesh of my flesh. The proverbial missing rib. We promised and agreed to love each other, warts and all ( and I had a truck load!), forever. I was her Prince and she was my Princess. But, some of my habits just refused to go. She offered to step aside for awhile to leave me sort out my demons. She promised to be there waiting for me to come back to her whenever I was done. I didn't dare to put that to test. I started to clean up my act! Pronto!!

The journey of over 25 years started. The best days of my life followed. Even when we were childless for 10 years. Through the ups and downs. We fought and made up (boy! did we make up!). We had each other. And that was all that really mattered. I told God that if the Child/children didn't come from Princess, then I would do without any. Then they came and we were complete! Fulfilled!!

Now, I share this anniversary alone. Dark, cold and lonely is the night. Yet, she left parts of herself behind for me to cherish and to behold, to bring up in the way of the Lord. Chikamele Amarachukwu Julian Okorie-Agwu and Chimezurum Nwasinachi Jasmine Okorie-Agwu are fruits of that love at first sight. I will have to have that Anniversary Drink with them (non alcoholic, of course!)!

Sleep on, my Princess. I LOVE YOU, Lazybones. My Bambino. Nkem!

Today would have been Princess's birthday. She would have been 49!

Princess was really the proverbial Eagle Egg that mysteriously found itself amongst chicken eggs. When Mother Hen came home from her foraging, she saw the strange egg amongst her own. She just shrugged her shoulders and adopted Eagle Egg. She kept it warm, dry and safe along with her own eggs. Then all the eggs hatched. Of course from "birth", the Eaglet was different. She knew she was different but couldn't put a finger as to why. Mother Hen had realized who she was but kept it to herself. She brought up all the hatchlings and treated them alike. They grew fast and started learning the ways of the world. The Eaglet ate worms and the likes with the other hatchlings. Played hop scotch with them. Did every thing that chickens do in the world of chickens.

Then one day an Eagle hovered over head and Mother Hen drove all her hatchlings into hiding. When the danger was over, all the hatchlings came out again and Mother Hen tutored them on how to stay safe from the Eagle to survive! The Eaglet listened carefully and later went back to Mother Hen to tell her that she would love to be like the Eagle, to soar high and majestic, fearless. To command respect from ALL. Not to be weak. Mother Hen listened but kept her secret to herself. After a short while, the Eaglet came back and repeated her desire/dream. Then Mother Hen told her that her dream and aspiration were not strange nor far fetched. (Word of God being revealed to Princess!). Mother Hen told the Eaglet who she really was (a baptized child of a Living God. Marked and set aside. A Princess of the most High, Priest and a Prophet-an Heir to the Kingdom). She would attain her full potential by being her true self and listening to that buried deep within her(the laws of God are indeed enshrined in the hearts of men).

The Eaglet started her training. She would try and would fail. (Trials and temptations to over come while growing up, 10 years in the wilderness of childlessness, protracted illness etc). She had to be purged of the chicken life style and mentality. She failed many times, naturally. But she would work harder each time, holding onto what she had been told that she was and the prize that laid ahead (the Word of GOD and its promises. The Crown of Glory). Passing through the furnace of affliction (failed efforts and wrong turns in life), the Eaglet was purged of its imbibed frailties and was, finally able to fly. And my ---did she fly! Soaring high above -- all powerful and majestic. Fearless! Above the chicken mentality and its lowliness that was characterized by pain and fear (sin, weaknesses and sickness).

The Eaglet matured into the Eagle that she really was. She soared high and crested the promise, the pains felt in the process all but forgotten. She had searched for and found the WORD of God! She devoured it. She loved it. She lived it. She was tallest when she was on her knees in prayers inspite of the pains! For 4 years she knew she was dying in installment, yet she stared at death in the face without fear, almost teasing it. She knew where she was headed and her confidence swelled!

And so she soared high and soared into eternity, for eternity, an Eagle that she was born to be -- A HEAVEN CITIZEN! With a new birthday, November 6, 2015!

Yes, we met for the very first time at approximately 16:00hrs on January 18, 1990 at the Tuck Shop in Nkrumah Hall, UNN. I still vividly recall what you were wearing, the glasses you wore and that awesome smile that lit up the entire room when you flashed it. The ring of your name when you were introduced- Juliet Adams! I took your outstretched hand, raised it to my lips in a kiss. I looked straight into your eyes and muttered - my English women in a black skin! Your laughter rang out and I knew immediately, without any iota of doubt, that I had found my other half. My Soul Mate, my friend, my Goldilocks, my Bambino, my Cream Cake, my LazyBones, my Nkem, my friend, my confidant, my confessor, my Iyoo, my Princess! And I started the best journey of my life. 25 glorious years! The best years of my life.

The children were our world; we were to be there to see their children. That was our pact. Now, I go it all alone. Nay, not fully alone, because I know you are watching and guiding. And to be strong for the children, I will do my crying and weeping in the rain.

Juliet Chinagorom Okorie-Agwu, I love you with my whole being. It’s been my pleasure and pride to have known you, more so to have been your husband. If we were to set back the hands of time, Iyoo, I would still make the “mistake” of marrying you! A million times over. I love you so much that it hurts physically.

Nnanna Okorie-Agwu (Daddie)