Mama Jemimah Nwakanma exits in style

The remains of late Mama Jemimah  Nwachi Nwakanma, the mother-in-law of Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has been laid to rest in her home town, Umuorji, Ohanze in Obingwa Local Government Area of the State.

Speaking at the funeral ceremony conducted by the Seventh-Day  Adventist Church at Ohanze Primary School, Obingwa Local Government Area, the Governor said the death of his mother - in-law marked a closure to a very important chapter in the annals of humanity .

Governor Ikpeazu noted that the life of Mama Jemimah Nwakanma was that of a faultless care giver, stressing that the deceased continued to give care to people until her last breath . According to the Governor "today marks also a drawing of a curtain of a brilliant professional, a compassionate care giver, a daughter of Zion and a hopeful candidate of heaven"

Dr. Ikpeazu who said her death was a glorious passage, described her as "a pillar of strength and a compassionate mother" who represented everything good to him, his family and her children. He maintained that the beautiful story of the burial ceremony was that those who knew Mama Jemima were confident of where she was going.

Also speaking, the Wife of the President, Hadjia Aisha Buhari, represented by Mrs Tina Abike, Deputy National Women's Leader of APC commiserated with the bereaved family and entire Abia people .

The First Lady of Nigeria stated that  "Mama Nwakanma contributed greatly to the society by training her children well" and called on them to take solace in the fact that she lived a good life and affected many lives positively. She implored  all who knew Mama Jemima to immortalise her by emulating the good virtues she left behind.

Paying tributes on behalf of the Wives of Governors, the Chairperson, Southern Governors' Wives Forum and wife of the Imo State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha said that with the things she has heard, Mama Jemimah Nwakanma was a role model.

Mrs Okorocha who was flanked by  the wives of the Governors of Lagos, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Anambra and Delta states urged the Wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu and Abia people not to mourn as those who have no hope as Mama Jemima lived a good and fulfilled life.

Members of the bereaved family, represented by grand children of Mama Jemima, also delivered moving orations that highlighted the sterling qualities of their matriarch, saying that she kept the family intact even after the death of her husband.

According to them, Mama Nwakanma was a well-trained Nurse and Midwife who retired in 1982 to establish Nkechi Maternity Clinic where God used her to save many lives and bring many children into the world.

In his sermon, the President of Eastern Nigerian Union Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Pastor (Dr.)  Bassey Udoh, challenged people to ask themselves four ontological questions: who you are, where did youI come from, what  are you doing here and where are you going from here? According to him, "honest answers those questions will help you  live a godly life in the present world".

The man of God who took his text from Genesis 3:9-10 spoke on the topic "where are you". He noted that the question was not that of geographical location but a question of character and enjoined people to live lives worthy of emulations so as to meet the Lord in peace at the end of life.

Mama Jemimah Nwachi Nwakanma, the mother of Deaconess Nkechi Ikpeazu, Wife of Abia Governor and Chief Acho Nwakanma, the former Deputy Governor of the State, among other children, was a retired Nurse and Midwife who died on first October 2017 at age 87.

The selfless service of Mama Jemima to individuals and her community will be greatly missed by her children, grand children and others whose lives she touched positively.

~ The Abia Info