A TRIBUTE TO THE CONSUMMATE LADY EMMIE MUONEKE, NEE BROWN, (1935-2019)
I COUNT MYSELF AS ONE OF THOSE WHO WERE PRIVILEGED TO ENJOY HER CONVERSATIONS AND REMINISCES ON LIFE IN HER LATER YEARS. I ENJOYED HER CALM COUNSEL, FILLED WITH INSPIRATION AND GOOD CHEER. DESPITE HER EXPERIENCES IN LIFE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AFTER OVER 4 DECADES ON THIS EARTH, HER VIEW OF LIFE WAS THAT OF GRATITUDE, UNDERSTANDING AND FULFILLMENT!
DESPITE HER OLDER FEEBLE STEPS, WITH HER VOICE THAT WAS ALWAYS A SOFT, BUT FIRM WHISPER, SHE MADE SURE THAT MY VISITS WERE TREASURES TO REMEMBER. SHE TOLD ME ONCE THAT LIFE THROWS ALL KINDS OF CURBS AT YOU, SOME EXPECTED, MANY UNEXPECTED. SHE SAID THAT WHEN LIFE THROWS PAINS WHICH SEEM UNBEARABLE, IT IS ONLY YOUR FAITH AND HOPE THAT KEEP YOU STANDING, BUT IN TIME, YOU COME TO REALIZE THAT YOU ARE REALLY HELPLESS, BUT FOR THOSE TWO, FAITH & HOPE, THE BACKBONE FOR SURVIVING LIFE’S ROLLER COASTER RIDE!
AS A LITTLE GIRL, GROWING UP IN ENUGU, I KNEW HER AS AUNTIE EMMIE. MY MOM, WHO WAS HER CLASSMATE IN THEIR TEACHER TRAINING TEENAGE DAYS, (BEING A TEACHER OR NURSE, WAS THE PROFESSION OF CHOICE FOR YOUNG GIRLS WITH PEDIGREE OF THEIR TIMES) FONDLY CALLED HER, BY HER FULL NAME, WHICH SOUNDED SO ELEGANT IN MY EARS, “EMMIE BROWN”, THOUGH SHE WAS MARRIED THEN. WE LOVED TO SEE HER, BECAUSE IN OUR EYES, SHE REPRESENTED CLASS, ELEGANCE, AND STYLE. THERE WERE A FEW OF THEM WHO WERE CLASSMATES, WHO MARRIED WELL AND HAD THEIR TEAM OF ENVIABLE LIFESTYLE, MAINTAINING THEIR ELEGANT PHYSIQUES, DESPITE HAVING CHILDREN AND SHOWING OFF AT SPORTS CLUB AND OTHER PLACES.
WITH THE BURDEN OF RAISING CHILDREN, MANY MOMS CHOSE TO STAY HOME, BUT AUNTIE EMMIE CONTINUED TO PURSUE HER LOVE OF TEACHING AND GROOMING LEADERS OF TOMORROW. KNOWN BY MOST KIDS ONLY AS MRS. MUONEKE, SHE FELT A PERSONAL VOCATION AND CALLING TO RAISING GOOD CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY, GIVING THEM THE BACKGROUND OF A SOLID PRIMARY EDUCATION. THERE ARE NOT MANY CHILDREN WHO GREW UP IN ENUGU, WHO DID NOT BENEFIT FROM HER COMMITMENT DEDICATION AND TUTELAGE, FROM EKULU PRIMARY SCHOOL, TO UNIVERSITY PRIMARY SCHOOL AND FINALLY HER OWN ENDEAVOR, SCHOOL OF INFANT MARY AND JESUS.
IT IS WITH AUNTIE EMMIE THAT I REALIZED THE TRUTH TO SHAKESPEARE’S STATEMENT IN MACBETH: “THERE IS NO ART TO FIND THE MIND’S CONSTRUCTION IN THE FACE…”. I SAY SO BECAUSE DESPITE HER OBVIOUS HEAD TURNING LOOKS AND ELEGANCE OF THOSE DAYS, DEEP DOWN, SHE WAS A PHILOSOPHER QUEEN. SHE HAD BOTH BEAUTY AND BRAINS, AS WELL AS, DEEPLY PRAYERFUL.
THE ELEGANT MRS. EMMIE BROWN MUONEKE, ALSO LOVED HER HUSBAND PASSIONATELY AND THEY LEFT A TRAIL OF INTELLECTUALLY BLAZING CHILDREN, EACH ACCOMPLISHED IN HER/HIS OWN RIGHT AND PROFESSION, BOTH IN NIGERIA AND ABROAD. I FEEL PRIVILEGED TO CALL THEM FRIENDS AND JOIN THEM TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF THEIR MOTHER, A GREAT WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE, WHO WAS SUBTLE ABOUT HER ACHIEVEMENTS. AS THE LAST OF THE GENERATION OF OUR PARENTS PASS AWAY, WE LOOK BEHIND US TO SEE AND FEEL THE HOLLOWNESS OF THEIR ABSENCE. WE ARE TRULY OVERWHELMED BY THE QUALITY OF THE LIVES THEY LIVED AND THE SACRFICES THEY MADE TO MAKE GOOD OF US.
THANK YOU AUNTIE EMMIE FOR YOUR LIFE OF SERVICE TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS. THANK YOU FOR THE MANY WORDS OF COUNSEL AND WISDOM YOU SHARED WITH GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN. THANK YOU YOUR LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP. MAY THE ALMIGHTY RECEIVE YOU SOUL AND GIVE YOU A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE PARADISE OF THE GOOD. FAREWELL UNTIL WE SEE IN YOUR NEW CLASS OF GLORY!
WITH LOVE AND RESPECT…LORETTA ANIAGOLU