Mama In The Company Of Children And Grand Children

The Life And Times Of Late MADAM Nwannadiya Ude OLUGHU (Nee Kalu Ocha)

Place of Birth ,Origin And Age:

Our Mother, the late Madam Nwannadiya Ude OLUGHU was born in 1926 at Ndi Uche Compound, Amanta-Abiriba. The father of our mother popularily known and called Kalu Ogbu(alias Kalu Ocha) was a travelled astute businessman.He married his beautiful wife (a seamstress and fashion designer) Ihudiya Kalu Ogbu- our Grand-Mother from far away Ezeogba -Emekuku Owerri in the present day Imo State.

Early  Marriage:

Mama was the first to be groomed at a tender age at Ndi Eleanya as a would be wife by our father -The late Eze Umon –Chief  Ude  Olughu. Being a very small, young and beautiful girl, our father betrothed her and  caused her to be looked after by her maternal relations The IBE OBOBI FAMILY  at nearby Ndi Eleanya in Amaebelu. There she grew up, matured though still young  before being brought into Ndi Ayo compound  as a wife to Papa.

Education:

Mama was not opportuned  to get formal education owing to the early demise of her mother, but got alternative education through the various exposures she underwent. One of the reasons for our mother not being enrolled into a formal school system was the fear that Emekuku  people might go there and steal her  as a replacement to their dead  sister- our grand-ma. Nonetheless  Mama attended  Okwu Igbo. When  my grand mother died, Emekuku  people came with all it takes to make sure they go with my mother. The Abiriba blood in  our mothers paternal relations gave them the intuition  to hide her-being the only surviving  child of Kalu Ocha. The rest of the story is the reason for God’s benevolence that I am here to read  his funeral oration today.

Married Life:

Our late mother was one of thethree wives of our father. As I indicated above, here name originally was Ikodiya. When our father brought her in as a bonafide wife (Nwami ALu Kua Atang!) he gave her the name Nwannadiya to depict and show she comes from the neigbouring compound, Ndi Eleanya as 1 said before. Mama had six issues for Chief Ude Olughu, the fifth a baby boy died a month after birth due to a cut at the head during delivery. Surviving today are three females and two males.

Our mother imparted a lot of good doctrines to all her children and other relations. As children, we learnt  so much from her. Like going to take our  bath in the stream  before going to school.

She drilled us in the act of "listening to the teacher at school". She made a mark on our slates, which she said should always be used for indentification, ensuring that we do not loose it.As infants she made us to imbibe honesty and hard work of which, she said "ability is a poor persons wealth".
During my brief stay with her in Abiriba 1986-87, I obtained from her a blue-print of what a wife should be to a husband. How she would prepare our breakfast before she leaves for market or farm. And in the evening our dinner my father and I. She knows how to marry a husband.Embeded For Mama
Social Life:
Nwannadiya as she was fondly called  is an epitome of love, respect and dignity. She was at peace with people she came across with. At Ndi Ayo Amaebelu, Amanta her paternal place to Ndi Eleanya and in the market places.Our mother was an active member of the Okezie Age Grade of Abiriba.
Occupation:
Our mother was a petty trader and a subsistent farmer. She sold soup items from, salt, crayfish, smoked fish, soup condiments like maggi cubes, oil etc. As a farmer, I bet you to check out the fact that she cultivated all the cassava we ate, yams, sweet yams, coco-yams in those days. Vegetables , pepper and the likes. She would always package same to my sisters and brothers during each year festival or when any of us came home on a casual visit to Abiriba to return to our places of business.
Christian Life:
Naturally,Mum was a very religious person by birth of Christian parents,but fate made her not to follow after the legacy of her parents until later in life,before her Uche ceremony ,that she received Jesus Christ as her Lord and personal Saviour..She  was baptized as an adult in the Apostolic Church,Umuoboghoro,Amogudu and was a very committed Christian who never missed any church services and activities.
Mum later joined Christian Penticostal Mission Int'l, Abiriba where She continued her services with great zeal.She was afull fledged member of the church and was loved by everybody.However when she came to Aba, despite her failing health, She still managed to to attend services at Clifford Road branch of CPM, until She was bedridden; nevertheless, she never relented in loving the Lord with totality of her Heart.
Later-Life:
The later part of Mrs Nwannadiya’s life was normal thing that happens to human beings. On few occasions we noticed she could no longer carry out the farming which she so much wanted to do. Neither was her foodstuffs trading anymore fruitful. It was then the setting in of old age. Mama was evacuated to Aba.
Between 1995-2009 Mama was living in Aba –in her first daughter's household. Then at my immediate senior sister's (Mrs Maureen Lekwauwa Ndem). Later again with Lady-Ezinne Diamond Rose E. Uba, Evang John Kalu Udeh and my household back to Ezinne Rose E Uba until the straw that broke the carmels' back, when she fell and sustained a fracture on her left hip bone. The family did what should be done to see she stays a little longer for us. In one of the ways to actualize this a wheel chair was procured. This was useful and served its purpose. But age and death seemed imminent.
Precisely on one Wednesday July 22nd 2009, my nephew Michel Akobundu Uba sent me a distress call to come immediately

On arrival  Mama was going. Thanks Goodness we rushed her to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Aba where she was resuscitated to live for more days. The in the hospital the doctors kept her on intensive care unit and at least she was able to see us, talk to us till the Tuesday 12^th day of August 2009 when Mama waved us goodbye.

The good thing about Mama during  the time of ill-health is that she was always peaceful. Before I left  her on  the Sunday She  wanted all the time  to hold my hand as to say my son I am with you. That gusture did not elude anybody who was opportuned to visit her at her sick bed.

I must acknowledge the immense care and attention during the last moments my sisters and brothers particularly   our last born gave to Mama. I pray that God Almighty will grant her eternal peace and joy till we meet to part no more. Adieu  Mama.

Engr. Okeke Ude Olughu   Son, Chief Ole Kalu :     
Mama is survived by:Many Children,-Grand and great  Grand Children together with a host of other relations.