The remains of the matriarch of Amobi Dynasty in Uruezi, Egbema Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, Madam Esther Nwanyinkwo Amobi, 88, will be laid to rest on Thursday, February 11.
The service of songs for the deceased will hold Wednesday, February 10 at the family compound at Chief Ezeokunwa compound, Uruezi.
Madam Amobi was the mother of a Lagos based activist-lawyer, Mrs. Helen Nchedo Ibeji, and the Founder of the International Charitable Initiative for Girl Child and Women Development Foundation (ICI-GWODEF) also known as Girl Child and Woman Foundation, an NGO in consultative status with United Nations ECOSOC.
Aside from Mrs Ibeji, the late Madam Amobi is survived by three sons and they are Engr. Edmund Amobi (California, USA), Mr. Ernest Amobi a Lagos based Businessman) and Mr. Chetachukwu Amobi based in Malaysia.
In a tribute, Mrs Ibeji , the only surviving daughter of the deceased, described her late mother
as super woman who believe in girl child education. “She believes that once you trained a girl child you have trained a whole community and by extension the nation.
“She single handedly paid the school fees of her only surviving daughter, Barrister (Mrs.) Helen Nchedo Ibeji, who is the Founder of the International Charitable Initiative for Girl Child and Women Development Foundation (ICI-GWODEF) also known as Girl Child and Woman Foundation.
“The Late Madam Esther Nwanyinkwo Amobi almost missed the western education due to the prevailing financial constraints that compelled her parents to put her western education on hold. But at her old age and as a married woman, she enrolled into Ekwusigo Local Government Area Adult Education Programme which started with her only one teacher, late Mrs. Kate Udeaja.
“Mama said her aim was to be able to read her Bible. All the local government supervisors that visited the programme’s classroom were very impressed with her performance. With progress she was making, she started going round the village and asking other women to join her in the adult education programme.
“Some women would tell her they felt ashamed going to school as adult. Mama will reply them that ‘’the shame should come from not being able to read and write’’ and not from going to school to learn how to read and write’’.
“Because of her super and intelligent role as a mother, she was given an award called ‘’Senior Mother’’ and was fondly known and called senior mother by all and sundry.
She gave instructions which includes ‘’tell the younger generation and those coming after me to get education first before doing whatever they chose to do in life’’.
“The sacrifice she made to train her only surviving daughter made her answer Mama Lawyer amongst other Women.
‘’The late Madam Esther Nwanyinkwo Amobi was a virtuous Woman. She believed in Christ and gave her life totally to Jesus! She worked diligently and willingly with her hands! She was like a merchant’s Ship that sails in a far away places and she brings exotic surprises! She brings her food from afar!
“Strength and honour were her clothing – hence her recognition as a ‘’Senior Mother’’. She was a great philanthropist, which same character is making waves in the life of her surviving daughter Barr. (Mrs.) Helen Nchedo Ibeji as a Founder of international NGO! Mama’s legacy should be emulated by every woman for the nation to survive! She is a role model for today’s Woman.”, she said.
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