It is obvious that you are no more a mundane cast but we still feel your presence in all we do and will continue to feel it till the end of time. You were the best and still is. Rest on my Queen, it is well with your soul!

My one and only Mum, "Muna Nnem Bu Otu", it's unbelievable that you took your last breath 6 years ago today. Miss you so much. A lot has happened and we are doing well. Mama, I am sure you watched me getting married to Maduka Ijere from your compound Ndike; that must have put a smile on your face. A lot is happening, I am renovating my home at Nkwunabo now by changing the roof and giving it a little face-lift. That home holds beautiful memories of you and I cannot stay away from it completely. Love you so much my Angel. Keep resting Akanjo nnem.

Mum ,today marks exactly six years since you left us.
We have all gradually come to terms with our loss.
I thank you for the gift of Love which you left us,for it has gone a long way to keep us going.
Ndewo mma
Continue to rest in peace nnu
Nne.

We miss you always, Mama! Continue to rest in the bosom of our Maker!! Requescat en Pace!!!

Mama White
Akanjo Ngori
Aka ekpuchi Onwa
Oji Ugo nne M
Ndewoooooo!!
I meziri ulo Nta m zoo ije.
Dia Ndoo nnu Oyoyo M.
Azi gi akana ivu gi mma.
Ihe di Ka gi akokwala m.

Ndewo mma.
May your gentle soul continue to rest in peace nnu.
We are doing our best.
Thanks for the solid foundation you left us.
Nne.

Nne Oha,
Here I am again on the 5th Anniversary of your exit from this world, to say: may your beautiful soul continue to Rest in Peace. Mama, I sincerely believe that you are in a better place. Times spent with you will always be remembered. Mother to many, you left an indelible impression of love and kindness on me. Adieu Mama.

My mom,
Odiegwuooo, life without you mama mhhh; they say it is the natural process but we miss you dearly. I miss you "Mu na Nnem bu Otu" . Now there is something cooking and I wish you were here as I believe you would have been happy. Your wish is actually about to happen. You didn't want me to go far and your spirit has been around, directing me. We are doing well and will sit with you in your bedroom this Easter. We will update you after everything. Love you mama.

Mama , no day passes that you don't come to mind. The love you thought us is keeping us together.
Continue to rest in the Lord till we meet to part no more. Amen.

Maama Whyte, no one can ever take your place in our lives! The wound is still very fresh and will never heal!! Continue in your unceasing rest with your Maker!!!

Mum Good evening,
It’s me Nne.
How are you ?
As part of the preparation to lay bro Sunny to rest, in Ndike,all old buildings were demolished including ulo gbam gbam and all the wives Appartments.
Bro Sunny was laid in his usual room in ulo gbam gbam.
Presently,work is going on to fence and secure the Nwafor Nwaobiara premises to keep it safe from intrusive neighbours.
We are coping mum,but it’s not easy for us mum.
Ndewo mma.
Nne.

Mum good morning. It is another Christmas without you; It will never be the same. Bro Sonny was buried on the 18th of December. His body was brought home on the 17th and the ceremony was colourful and well organised but the fact remains that he is no more. It is a new dawn for us and I pray that this is the last.

Mama, some good news for you. Nkemka's( Bro Sunny's son) partner had a baby on the 17th and he named him Sonny after his father. The arrival of the baby brought so much joy amidst our sorrow.

Mum, how are you? I struggle to come here and write as I cry all through and end up not dropping a note for you. Can you believe that we are now 5, we have lost your 1st. It has been very difficult for us. Nnanna has been crying like a baby. We cannot get our heads round to understand that Bro Sunny is no more. Mum, have you seen him? He will be very happy to stay with you but we miss him; life is unfair. Nkem his son has been a great consolation to the family. Mum, aside from Bro Sunny's demise, God has remained faithful. We had this terrible Pandemic that killed so many but God kept us safe. Mum, I am so thankful that you did not witness the Pandemic, it is horrible and very unkind to the elderly. In everything, we are thankful to God for His protection.

Mum, I love you so much and I miss our special times. Keep resting nwanyi oma.

Mum,it’s me Nne .
Our Sunny turned dark.
We are devastated.
Yet another big gap
The feeling is worse than your exit.
I can now relate to the emptiness you felt, when bro Kanu your brother passed away.
We will chat again in December.
Meanwhile RIP mum.
Nne.

It is just like yesterday, we miss you a lot more especially now that Bro Sonny has joined you.
Rest on my Jewel! You will forever remain fresh in my life!!

Mama, we celebrate your birthday even though you are no longer with us. Your loving memories still hold us together.
We have lost our eldest brother, your son Sonny mama. He has joined you.
We are all devastated but what can we do? God gives and when it is time He takes.
May your souls continue to rest in the Lord. Amen. We miss you.

Now that four years is gone mum,it’s beginning to feel a bit better though it still hurts.
I know you can feel our pain but be rest assured that we are gradually moving on,so do continue to rest in peace mum.
Thanks for the way you brought us up nnu.
I miss you.
Nnennaya

Madame Nneoha Mgboro,
This is the 4th Anniversary of your exit from this earth. Continue to rest in peace in the bosom of the Lord Almighty. You memories will always be fresh in our hearts.

Akanjo Ngori, ukoto azi Gi di mma! Dia ndoo!!
You live on for your pictures are no furniture.
Though we miss you greatly on this mundane realm!!

Oyoyo M ,Continue to rest in peace nnu.

Akanjo ngori nnem. Ada Mkpaña .Rest on Nwanyi obioma.

Ada Nkpaña, continue to rest in the Lord.

Mum l feel your presence each day.
Your perceived presence gives me courage.
Living with you towards the end helped the life l live today.
Relocation to me ,is a better way to describe your absence.
Mum, continue to rest in peace while we hold tight to Love that has always been our secret.
Nne.

Akanjo Ngori, yesterday was 3 years you left this earth, we still miss you mama. Continue to rest in the Lord till we meet to part no more.

It is exactly three years that you slipped away to sleep in the Lord!
Rest on, my Jewel, it is well with your soul!!
We miss you as ever though you are alive in us!!! And your pictures are not Decorations......

Mama, continue to rest in peace. Can't believe it is 3 years today when the Lord called you home. Your memories will always remain fresh in our hearts. You will always be missed.

Mama we miss you dearly. It will never be the same. Continue to rest in the Lord Mamawhite till we meet to part no more.

MAMA, Always in our hearts & could never be forgotten. Miss you a lot but God loves you more.
Love from your Uzobeke

Mama ukwu, mama ocha and nne oha. I and my girls really miss you. You always check on us and hungry to hear and see us. You are more than a mother. May God keep you safe by his side ijn Amen. Continue resting in peace.

Mama,
Today I want to talk to you, I'll be very brief because I know you're a very busy Angel with so many important heavenly duties to attend to.
Mama, do you know that nobody has been able to call me 'Asanma nwanyi bekee' the way you did? I'm very angry about that.
In the family you left behind, Mama, a lot of things have changed for the better. We are yet to fully recover from the melancholia your death brought upon us but we’ve made a lot of progress.
One more thing Mama, and please don't tell anybody I told you this; a lot of things have gone very wrong since you left. Your culture was love, you made it our culture too but I don't think we genuinely practise it anymore.
We still love you dearly,
We still miss you greatly,
Talk to you again soon.
Give a hug to Ezinne for me.
Bye Mama.

I woke up today with memories of your Last Xmas on earth...How were we suppose to know that it was going to be your last. You called myself, Shawn and Aunty Chinelo and presented us with your Christmas token which got us all excited. You did not forget to send me to Uzoaku who is also your own with her Xmas token. As I remember vividly that was the day the discussion that led to you asking me "Iwu adult, Idara nu iberibie" ensued. We started playing and dancing one of your favourite tunes "Sunny Bobo" which you could not resist but joined us on the dance floor.
Mama, you were such a rare gem filled with motherly attributes. I was talking to Aunty Ely sometime on how motherhood was not an easy task. I remember the only example that came to my mind was the undiluted love you had for Aunty Chinelo as your child even while she offends you occasionally...it still did not affect that love. That love you had for her made me grow closer to her till today. I always pray to develop some your motherly attributes.
Mama, I really miss you as no one is fit to wear your shoes. Love is the secret is slowly fading away with your departure...we will only take solace in the memories of how it was with when you were around.
Continue resting in eternity...Nwanyi Nwanyi ibe ya na aja mma.
Still your Nne mama that only you know how to add splendour when you call me.

Nne and Ely,
I am sorry to just learn about the passing of your kind, gentle and lovely mom. She touched my life like many other lives. May her soul rest in perfect peace. She is Mama Oha who is full of wisdom and fairness. I am glad that she lived and enjoyed the last days of her life with the people she loved most. Though coming late, please accept my heart-felt sympathy. May the good Lord give you the strength to bear your loss and the ability to focus on the memorable and joyful times you had together. Take solace that she lived a long and impactful life and that you did your best in looking after her till the very end. We will all miss her
Farewell Mama!

Today would have been your 92nd birthday but you are in a better place now.
Sleep on dearest Mum till resurrection dawn!

Always Remembered.
Never Forgotten.
A light forever burns in our hearts.
A path eternal where we walk.
Ur life, the guide that kindles the light down the path.
Adieu.

Mama, this one year without you has not been the same.You will be forever missed. Thank you for all you thought us. Love has been the secret and we will hold on to that. Sleep on in the bossom of the Almighty Nneoha. .......Chy.

I Celebrate you mum,life without you has not been easy but we are gradually coming to terms,with your departure,we thank God.You will alway be my Oyoyo mum, while l remain your Nne.

Mamaocha, today a year ago you went to be with Lord. Continue to sleep peaceful in the Lord.

Dear El

She will be Missed.

I spoke to her once over the phone and she sounded so gentle and kind to someone she had never met before. She even invited me over to hers. So sad I didn't take her up on her invite maybe I would have shared a few if the stories she would have told me. But I do know we would have had a good time.
Through you it felt like I knew her. I always admired her skin. I thought they looked so beautiful for her age and shone like glass (diamonds)

Eulogy of a daring woman
Survived in a hoist state
Fed souls with wisdom
Moulded from the masterpiece
An emblem of perfect living

Granny, a lady of substance
Her nature perfect and great
Gifted with peace and love
Best of masters creation
I write of the woman I love

Gone, still feels alive
Memories we long to recreate
Someday we knew you will leave
Assembled to give a farewell note
Rest on, your impact still lives.

I love you mom

The inevitability of death is awful. To those without Christ, it is unfortunate while to believers in Christ, it is a glorious welcome and eternal joy.

Life on earth is transitory as according to Shakespeare,"It is a stage". Nneoha Mgboro G.A Umeham you have played your role with exemplary humility, generosity of the Spirit and devotion to God. As your humility showed us how the act of calmness, dignity and intelligence could triumph over belligerent and noisy pursuit of life goals.

Mama, you will still be remembered in many ways how you were a towering achiever. As we bid you farewell, let your legacy and value continuously ring in our hearts and minds for "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord for eternal rest with the Lord filled with joy is their portion. Oh, yes says the Spirit, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them...Rev 14:13 (NIV)

Adieu Nneoha Mgboro G.A Umeham, till on resurrection day when we meet again.

Yours faithfully,
Chinelo

Rest in peace nne bekee, mother of many, loved by all. The heavens rejoice at your entrance!

Mama Ocha!
You are obviously dearly loved and cherished,
We praise God for the fulfilled life you've lived,
Times spent with you will always be remembered.
May the Lord comfort the family and grant them perfect peace.
It is well! It is well!

Grandma, we miss you. U have created a vaccum in our hearts. Words can't express how mich you mean to us. But we are consoled with the fact that you are resting in the bossom of our maker. Thanks for touching our lives in one way or the other. Rest on Nnedioranma.. We love You Mama..

Mama Ocha, may your beautiful soul rest in peace.
You will be sorely missed.

IT'S NEVER ENOUGH...

Whenever I came across an obituary of an octogenarian or a nonagenarian, I was always quick to think, "oh, he/she lived long enough." But now, I have realised it's never enough. I realised this when you died, you were 91 - a nonagenarian.

How can it be enough when I've not had enough?

Ojiugo A Na-Awara Nwafo, I've not had enough of speaking of you in the present tense... Now, I'm forced to refer to you in the past tense.

Bekee Mbu, I've not had enough of hearing you call me 'Asanma Nwanyi Bekee'... Aunty Ely often calls me that too but it's never the same.

Nneoha, I've not had enough of boasting to my friends that my grandma lives in London... Now, I can only tell them my grandma died in London.

Nwanyi Bekee, I've not had enough of referring to the house in Akanu as ulo Nma Ocha... Now, I can't do that without remembering you're gone.

Akaekpuchionwa, I've not had enough of your aura... It was intoxicating.

Mama White, I've not had enough of receiving clothes and gifts from you... You never stopped buying us gifts even when you got very old.

Ucha Gburu Odo, I've not had enough of telling anybody who cares to listen that I got my complexion from you... Stainless was what you were.

Ada Mkpaña, I've not had enough of knowing you're alive and well in Eliza's land even though I don't get to see you every year.

Nye Teacher, I've not had enough of your love, kindness and peacefulness... How can I ever have enough of those?

Dear God, please don't get me wrong, don't think I'm not grateful to you for her life because I am, truly. All I'm saying is that I've not had enough of my beautiful grandma. Will you please hug her for me and tell her I love her and I'm super proud to be one of her own?

Keep resting Mama White!!!

Your granddaughter who has not had enough of you,
Asanma (Jnr).

MAMA OCHA

You are fair, you are favored and you are beautiful, Mama Ocha.

You are special as fate was biased in your favor and kindly, you shared with many.

You stand head and shoulders above life, you are a force of nature.

Under which many of us took solace and enjoyed protection.

As a Mentor to beauty, as one given to giving,

The past told the present about you and the future huries to catch a glimpse.

And as life begged for your company, you obliged for this ninety one years.

But then how it hurts for as honey that never sours, you should live forever.

It still hurts when the sun sets, even though we had known that the sun will set.

Left in our heads now are memories in eternal watercolours,

set by a life well lived.

We hurry to recount your truckloads of good deeds, but everyone is telling the same.

You have been a long sweet song, but such songs should last forever.

But even as the record stops, we can still hear the songs.
Mama Ocha, we can still hear the songs of your heartbeat.

Dr Ama A Udu (aka: Ama Education)

There are mothers and there are mothers, there are grandmothers and there are grandmothers, you can only see the difference in their children. MamaOcha was an exceptional mother, grandmother, and great grandmother whom her legacy is shown in the type of exceptional children she gave birth to, and brought up. Her life and beauty is duplicated in her children. Adieu mamaOcha sleep in peace in a good ripe age. Good Night MamaOcha. May Your Gentle And Beautiful Soul Rest In Perfect Peace

Nneoha Nke Arochukwu Gburugburu, Mama Nne, Mama Prof Solo, Mama Chibuzo, Mama Chibuo, Mama Ely, your sunset has come. While your sun was shining your were a lovable , white woman, You raised admirable children and enjoyed them. God gives and takes. Your children should take solace in your age and a life well lived. MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACEIN JESUS NAME AMEN.

My Bestie; My Mother

God made a wonderful mother for me, A mother who never grew old in my eyes until the sunset at my Sunshine. Mama’s smile was just Sunshine; Her heart moulded with pure solid Gold; Her eyes full of bright shining Stars; Her cheeks fair Roses to behold; Life clothed with Strength and Dignity; Her stories full of Wisdom; Her tongue full of Faithful instructions; these filled the cavities in my life and gave me strength, hope and reasons to excel and make her proud today and always.

Many women do noble things, but Mama surpassed them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; Mama had those and much more; a woman who feared and lived for the Lord must be praised. Many who knew mama closely can attest that she is love personified. Talking about love; mom taught us the importance of loving things that other people considered unlovable. She had an extraordinary ability to give love.

Happiness was a big theme throughout mama’s life; she bred a home and an environment bursting with laughter and love and filled it with her biological and spiritual children and which many of them are here today to honour her; my mom always had enough love to go around everyone. Being the last with a blooming lifestyle, our home in the village and mama’s home in UK was always buzzing with activities from her numerous children stopping by to our regular meet-dine-drink catch-ups and even in the midst of our craze, mama participated; she was indeed my friend.

Mama was the truest, dearest figure that ever existed; she was more than a mother to me. She stood with my siblings to put me right after dad passed and only God knows the inner strength she pulled up to stand the dimmest times in my life; which she painted pretty with her love and indeed turned very beautiful…no regrets at all! I am a better person today because she stood by me and mended me.

No one would understand how mama’s exit has impacted on me; there is something about it that is permanent and inexpressible; a wound that will never quite heal and I do pray that those close to me would excuse me. Mama left a massive hole that defies suturing because she was the best in everything. She was so good at calling out my shortages but no matter what was going on, no matter how mischievous I must have been and no matter how assertive and outspoken I was which some termed rudeness, my mom was always ready to give me those kisses and big hugs that felt like I was the only kid in the world.

Now directly to you Mama, I will forever salute you for the bond you accorded me; the bond that kept me in London, that same bond that made me visit you on that faithful day (10/04/17) when I saw you not looking like my angel and in agreement with Adanne, whisked you off to Kings College Hospital. From the time, I lifted you from your chair and laid you on the sofa to the time you were picked up by the ambulance, I knew something was drastically going wrong but I stayed in the comfortable zone of denial. You knew that it would be tough for me and you shilly-shallied for me and my siblings to understand it was the progression; that was a great honour mom.

Glory be to the Father, for honouring me with the privilege of managing your care while in hospital and making those decisions that in your assertiveness, you would have made yourself; those decisions that were for the best interest of you mama; and mama you knew it that had anyone else made those decisions, I would have been fighting and blaming whoever that made such decisions for not doing their best for you. Adannem rightly put it, “managing mama’s care and making those critical decisions was therapeutic for you Ely”. Indeed, I rejoice in the Lord and celebrate you mama knowing that we did our best.

Now, the dawn departs, the morning is begun and I embrace my Sunshine alive in me, there is no more need for tears; the fear is now all gone and my life will continually rejoice knowing that You are at peace and Your soul is at rest. Sleep Tight Mom!

As we celebrate mama’s well-deserved life, please join me in celebrating my siblings - Sonny, Nne, Nnanna, Chibuzo, Chibo for all they have done for mama in her lifetime. Thumbs-up to Chibuzo for sitting day/night by mom and Laurels go to Mrs Nnennaya Alisa who has been the helmswoman that steered the yacht! Truly, Love was “Mama’s Secret” and she has left it with me and you; let us spread it!

Ely Umeham

Tribute To My Beloved Mother

Nneoha, Nye Teacher, Mama Ocha,Stainless, Ojiugo, Aka Ekpuchi Onwa, and so many other names you are called. To address you in the past tense is like swallowing a hard object and because l cannot swallow this hard object, to me Chibuzo and in fact the entire family, Nneoha Mgboro G.A. Umeham you still alive, even though they said you passed on.

Mama you are a STAR, Outspoken, PeaceMaker, God fearing, Teacher, Philanthropist, Friend, Mentor, Mother, Adviser, Prayer Warrior, in fact you represent Justice and Equity. Your stardom is identified in all works of life. Stars like you do not die but they transit from mortality to immortality.

Mama you were the best preacher that I have ever known, preacher's preach in churches, crusades, pulpits etc.; but the best preachers are mothers like you, for by their actions and inactions we the children can be either made or marred for life. But I can proudly announce here that your preaching made us. She had no pulpit but she touched as well as changed many lives. You had no time to cover-up, you said things the way they were.

I want to briefly recall your last 25 days with me at Byron Ward, mama I flew into London on the 18th of April, on hearing that you were hospitalized. When I arrived Kings College Hospital’s Byron Ward, yes you were in the hospital but we had our usual play and fun. All through my stay with you in the hospital you were just always worried about us. It was no surprise to me because that had been your nature. For as old as I and my siblings are, you still buy us cloths and share us money. Who will represent you Mama?

I want to recall some of your last words to me before you moved on. Those words continue to ring in my ears every day. Chi ' Inyi erie kwala ndi'? Chi ndaa aga go nwe mere? Ely O gakwala oru? Umurumaa okuo kwala and so many other questions and discussions we had. The messages these words tried to convey I understood. Mama you were not worried for your health but rather for how we your children will be able to cope without you. Never mind mama the things you have done with us your children and the rest of your children all over the world created memories forever that will keep us strong even when we cannot see you.

I recall you rejecting your drugs from the nurses (Bro. MO and co) and bluntly telling them that it wasn't their drugs that was keeping you but rather ' ABUM IHE MBU' ('The I Am That I Am'). You refused those drugs day after day yet Abum Ihe Mbu was there for you until HE decided that enough was enough.

At times, there in Byron ward you decide not to talk to the team of Doctors and nurses when they come for their ward rounds. I recall one day a new team of doctors came to see you, for 2minutes they were talking to you but you totally ignored them but when they turned to me to ask how they can pronounce your name, you busted out spelling your name M-G-B-O-R-O Mgboro, everyone started laughing. You also enjoyed the laughter as you joined in the laughter too. God bless you Mother Mine.

You made peace with nurses you refused either drugs or food from. You sent for those of them on duty that morning. To me l want to believe that you knew you were transiting, but you never gave me a hint, rather you did to Ely who changed all we planned for that faithful Friday and came in to see and talk with you before going to work, because she had an open-vision that revealed to her that she may not meet you alive if she had waited till the close of work.

Mama, you will be forever missed no doubt, but my happiness is that The Almighty God whom nothing takes by surprise has already prepared a place for you.

Thank you for giving me the privilege of being by your side when you transited. Thank you for that honour.

Adieu Nneoha GburuGburu!
Adieu Mama ocha!
Adieu Ezinnem!


Chibuzo Onyekwere.