Dear friends, please join me on this platform, as I pay tribute to honour the memory of my mother who passed on exactly 13 years ago (June 25, 2005) after a brief illness. Sweet mother, I remember most especially your tenacity of purpose, unquenchable spirit of hard work, diligence, and self-discipline in managing the little resources and commerce that fate brought your way in your short but remarkable, eventful, and impactful sojourn on this sinful world.
Dear Mummy, I salute the uncommon and remarkable success you had as a petty trader, farmer, and farm produce merchant. From the meagre income you earned through a dint of hard work and perseverance, you single-handedly gave me a good life and quality education that made me a fulfilled and successful man today. You were such a caring, loving, and supportive mother. Your faith in God throughout your life was awesome. Faced with pro-longed infertility challenges that lasted for 20 years, you remained a loyal, caring, loving, faithful and supportive wife any man could ask for.
Today, dear sweet mother, I remember you for so many core values and virtues that earned you my award as the best woman Ebira Nation gave to the world. It is safe to conclude from your exploits in life that if you had western education to at least first degree level, you would have probably towered above the likes of Okonjo Iweala, Kemi Adeosun, Funsho Alakija, and other female bright minds in the economy and corporate world today. I make bold to say that you were the greatest illiterate manager of human and capital resources I know. Who knows, maybe President Muhammad Buhari would have considered you in his cabinet at a perilous time like this. You were simply a genius that came before her time.
Dear sweet mother, I wish to inform you that as your first child, I have kept faith and would continue to sustain your legacy and the good name you left behind, no matter the challenges and the test of faith.
As I sign off this tribute, please continue to rest in the bosom of the lord until we meet to depart no more. Greetings from your grandchildren who you couldn’t live to see them blossom into adulthood.
– Otori Ozigi is a retired public servant and Journalist.
