Mama as we fondly called her loved to sing. One key thing is that songs come readily to her mind when she gets busy with never-ending chores.
I remember very well those Primary School days...She will stand by the exit door of the house to "sign-off" my departure to school by inspecting the dressing of my school uniform and eventually, if "I rubbed powder" to ensure a clean face that is not smeared with oil from the Yam and stew of breakfast.
She will be positioned again at the same door at about 2.15pm when we will come back from school, there to watch and see how "clean or "dirty" I returned from school. The rest of the story includes what happened to me on days when I come later far beyond 2.30pm and of course with a very dirty white shirt (ostensibly from the football filed).

Lateness sometimes also included Mama on some days when her chores lasted so long that she will be caught still busy in the kitchen preparing launch upto and beyond 2.15pm. We will be back from school hungry and milling around the kitchen awaitng the steaming-hot meal. She will busy herself, hurrring to get food to the table for us. Amidst all this hurry, she never forgot to offer us two items: a piece of banana for each one of us while waiting, and, most importantly, a long streaming melody of "Children of the heavenly King; As ye journey sweetly sing.."

That was one tune that ever stuck with me, quelled every hunger pang beyond what banana would do.

To me, it was an angelic tune of perfect motherly care, even on such days when the qaulity of food was nothing to write home about since, in the first instance, it was not realy a very wealthy family.

She favourably intervened between me and Dad when I wanted to join the church choir and supported my going to choir practice until closing time of the practise became the challenge that Dad had initally opposed.

Mam's favorite hymn remained: Abu 216 - ‘Ka m soro onye nwem ga na ndagwurugwu….’

Mama left me an indelible impression of singing. Thank you, Mama, for your glorious melodies and perfect imprint.