Lady Esther Onyenonachi Nwamadu-(1946-2018) Aged 72 years : A Heroin of Our Times

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Lady Esther Onyenonachi Nwamadu

(1946-2018)

Aged 72 years

: A Heroin of Our Times

The hardest thing that I have ever had to do is to refer to my mother in past tense and to accept that she is, and would be no more in my world, and our world. The lady we are honoring today was a rare breed that epitomized, combined beauty, brains, wisdom, and incredible moral values. The story of this Virtuous Woman began in the bible times where a young beautiful and morally upright orphan girl, through the grace of God, saved a whole generation of God’s people. The story of our Lady marks an equally unique parallel. Lady Esther Onyenonachi Nwamadu was a precious child that came after her parents lost so many children. This may explain why she had many names: her paternal uncles called her Dada, the big aunties called her Eshie, Ada Opara Nnem, Ada Nnaya Muru na Okorobia, Ada Blatus (for her aunties that could not pronounce her father’s name Donatus). From the women of Umueze , she was called Ada Dona. Her many siblings called her, Da Esther or Dida, Adannem Nwanyi mara nma, and Margret Thatcher (Famed Prime Minister of Great Britain). Her school mates and friends lovingly called her Esie Nwandu. When she got married into the Nwamadu’s family, the aliases continued. The old wives in Umunwambiri kindred called her Omasiri Di Ya (One who is greatly desired by her husband), Nwunye Young, Nwunye Eze (from Esther in the Bible), and Ogaramba Nwe Ugwu (Commander of respect even in distant lands). Her father in-law referred to her as Nwambia (Orphan as in Esther of the Bible). Her French scholars addressed her “Viola ‘Madame Nwamadu”. In Mbaise, she was known as Lolo Ugoha 1 of Ogwuama. In the Anglican Diocese, she was Lady Esther. Her mother Ezinne Rosana simply called her, Adam (My daughter). To us, her children, she started out as Mommim da Esther, Nmam, Ma; her husband (the love of her life) called her Nkem and more intimately Olujiugo. Her last familial name and status was Grandma from her grandchildren in Los Angeles California.

She was born on April 13 1946 to Late Nnai Donatus Muonaka and Late Ezinne Rosana Nwaibari Soribe Ndunaka of Umeeze Enyiogugu in Aboh Mbaise LGA; the first child of 15 siblings in a blended family. While her parents were not educated past grade 2 and 4 consecutively, they believed in education. It was even more profound that they sent their first daughter to school, as girls were not top picks in their families to receive education in those days. The myth was that girls that became educated would not attract worthy suitors. Our Lady disproved this myth by becoming not only highly educated but snagging (right in front of the long que of interested young maidens) the most eligible bachelor of her times: Sir Bertram Nwamadu (aka School Boy Millionaire) a man whose God-given physical attributes is still being raved about till date. The first son of the legendary Pa Timothy Mbachu Nwamadu (a notable Court Clerk and Evangelist that established a lot of Anglican churches in Imo State), and the grandson of late HRH Eze Ohanu Ejere of Izuoha Amuzi in Aboh Mbaise LGA.

Lady Esther would go through her Primary Education at Holy Rosary Primary School Enyiogugu Mbaise and a two-year college at Regina Caeli Teacher’s Training College in Ogbor Nguru Mbaise. Lady Esther was to receive a rigorous education and strict moral code of conduct by the nuns at this training school. It was also in this institution of higher learning that she was to learn all the habits that made her a legend and an iconic figure that she was.  By age 16, our Lady was a highly trained Teacher. She also attended other colleges both within and outside of Nigeria. Our Lady was a product of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (Great Lioness). Her career path spanned over 40 years as a Teacher, School Administrator, and Superintendent of Schools. All that came across her would bear witness to her outstanding professionalism and excellent work ethics.

It will be worthy to at this point introduce you to Chief Sir Bertram Chukwunyere Nwamadu; the most important figure in the life of our Lady. They met in December 1962. She was only 16yyears old waiting to be posted as a grade 111 teacher. He was 22 years doing his Higher School at Government College Owerri. It was love at first sight, yet their love was to endure so many obstacles. The most notable was that they were of different religious faiths. This was a time when Roman Catholics and people of Anglican Communion did not inter-marry. For our Lady, her father wanted his investment in her to pay off, so he had already arranged for her to marry the highest wealthiest bidder he could find. For Sir Nwamadu, his oldest sister had already arranged a girl of Anglican faith for him to marry. As both were not ready for immediate commitment, they agreed to wait. This explains the 6 years courtship of this blessed union.

Their courtship and love were celebrated as they had very little hope that they will be allowed to marry. They bid the odds; their dreams came through as they were allowed to wed on June 2^nd, 1968. This past June was 50 years of their marriage. Their marriage was blessed with 5 children; a daughter and four sons. Our lady noted that she loved her husband more because he kept all his promises to her. The first promise was to allow her to pursue higher education; another was to allow her freedom of worship. Lady Esther was able to on the strength of this promise, go to university even after her marriage. Some of her education took her outside the country. True to his promise, her main man Chief Sir Bertram Nwamadu stood the gap and held the forth.

Some of the significant things lady Esther learnt in school, life and brought into her matrimonial home was “Read Everything Readable” an advice from her school principal; “Nothing Goes for Nothing” with regards to female/male interactions; “Cut your coat according to your size” Our Lady never bought things on credit especially wrappers and jewelries like most of her contemporaries. In fact, Lady Esther excelled in everything she did, and could be rightly construed as having the “Midas Touch”. Everything she touched or mentored progressed. The evidence is all around us both at home and in the United States of America.

Some of our Lady’s favorite mentors were Rev. Sister Mary Colemen and Sister Mary Alexius. Of all the mentors that impacted Lady Esther, two people stood out in her life. The first was Mrs. Caroline Igbo (aka Ada Nwagbaraji) her father’s only sister who stood in the gap between her, her siblings, and their father who was a state-of- the art tough man and disciplinarian. However, the best of all her mentors was her father in-law the late Evangelist Pa Timothy Mbachu Nwamadu, the Legendary and iconic figure of the Anglican Communion. Pa Timothy was a County Court Clerk who was versed in record keeping and accounting. He impressed on our Lady that a family that prayed together stayed together; and the need for consistent and accurate keeping of family records. Late Pa Tim led the family in daily Bible Reading and prayers. Most importantly, Pa Tim established a slogan that set the ground rules for Lady Esther’s giving of her Time, Talent, and Treasure (Stewardship) in St Andrew’s Church and the whole Ihenworie community. “Whatever you think you are, if we have not seen it in St. Andrews’ Church; it has no meaning”. “Any child of mine who fails to serve Jehovah the only true God will find it difficult to prosper”. Our Lady was to imbibe all these values, incorporate them in her matrimonial home, and even extended them to her grandchildren. Lady Esther gave freely of her time, talent, and treasure in St Andrew. She served in the church committee, a leader in Christian mother’s affairs. She also served the Ogwuama community as a woman leader and Lolo in the tradition Royal Court.

Lady Esther was an embodiment of all sorts: prudence, patience, integrity, hard-work perseverance, endurance, honesty, loyalty, faithfulness, decency, appropriate decorum, humility, kindness, and compassion. Yet, she wielded discipline like a rod of iron. She was widely recognized at home, school, and the community as a loving but strict disciplinarian. She rarely used the traditional canes; rather her stern gaze was enough to put any human being that it landed on in check. Her mere presence drowned the rowdy student voices in the hall way, the little tikes stood in awe and attention as she did her supervision, while her intelligence and wisdom drew significant admiration from her work colleagues and fellow women. The men were no different. The older ones admired, respected her, and envied her husband. The younger ones all wanted to find a marriage partner like her. This explains why a lot of young men and women frequented her home seeking her wise counsel in choosing their life-long partners. Lady Esther was the greatest counselor of all times.

My mother, Lady Esther Onyenonachi, was a hands-on mom that believed in modelling everything that she wanted her children or others to do or learn. She was the kind of mom that read bedtime stories to her children at night; that made out time to do homework with her children; instilled moral instructions. She sang and danced with you, played musical instruments, tennis, table tennis, badminton, volley ball, basketball, sew clothes, and typed with you. She even made out time to get to know the friends of her children and their parents. My mother gave everything she had in her familial relationships. She gave back to her parents that invested heavily in her by helping them to train her siblings. She gave the gift of unalloyed love, fidelity, and shield of honor to her husband. To her children, she was the best mother that any child could wish for and also have; to her grandkids, her shoes could never be filled. Everybody brought their burden to her, yet she performed all he duties and met all her familial obligations with amazing fortitude. Ma, I wish and pray that I could be half the daughter, sister, wife, mother, daughter in-law, sister in-law, friend, grandmother that you were. Your greatest lesson to me your only daughter was that of humility which you told me I would get from reading the Bible. Your words to me were “Vie nwam, Chineke nyere gi onyinye di aha, you are such a gifted person, but nwam you need humility in your life”. “Vie nwam, iwu an avid reader but igucha ihenile iguru ma iguhu the Bible, ibidobele”. “In fact, I read the bible myself from Genesis to Revelation”. “I found the bible to be the most interesting and the best book ever written”. “You will find the humility that you need in reading the bible”.

Being the obedient daughter that I was and still is, I made her a promise to read my bible. Ma, I do publicly testify that 4 years ago, I got on the bible bus and have been a daily passenger till date. I did find humility like you said that is required of every believer in Christ and the Cross. I found the humility you were talking about which came at high cost of varied forms of humiliations and betrayals from the people I loved and served the most. The worst of all the forms of my being humbled was to watch the last breath and strength sip out of my brother, and your first son Kings. However, the belt of truth, the shield and armor of faith that I acquired from investing my time in the Bible has already started yielding dividends Ma. The Truth of His word prepared me for all the trials and tribulations that I have suffered in the last couple of years. For it is written “Set your heart right and be steadfast and do not be hasty in time of calamity. Cleave to Him and do not depart, that you may be honored at the end of your life. Accept whatever is brought upon you, and in changes that humble you be patient. For gold is tested in fire and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation (Sirac 2: 1 – 11)” “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose (Roman 8: 28)”   Ma, thank you for your greatest gift to me, the gift of the Truth of His Word. It was in this great book that I found out that the Humility you wanted me to know about and experience is total submission to the will of God. It is on the strength of this lesson that I say Rest in the Bosom of our Most Merciful Father. Amen! May the soul of Lady Esther  Onyenonachi Nwamadu, the soul of Kingsley Okezuo Nwamadu and the souls of all the faithfully departed rest in peace. Amen!

Ndi Nwem! Let us not mourn like people without hope but with gratitude, humility and total submission to the will of God celebrate the grand exit of this Virtuous Woman: Lady Esther Onyenonachi Nwamadu. Our Lady was indeed Gods greatest gift to the Ndunaka family, Nwamadu family, Umueze, Ogwuama, Ahiara Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo state, Nigeria, and the United States of America. Let us celebrate her as the greatest gift from God to all mankind. Like her name sake in the Bible, she has redeemed a whole generation of God’s people. Au revoir Madre mia! Bonne Nuit! Go rock the heavens as you rocked the Earth!!

Your Only Daughter

Your “One is One”

Mrs. Vivian Akuchinyere Okoro