By Nnabugwu Chizoba
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| Mrs. Ihuoma Uzoanya (The Faithful Mother Awardee) receiving her Award |
Amafor, is a small but boisterous,
bubbling and very serene community in Isingwu, Ikwuano/Umuahia Local Government
Area of Abia State. The people of the community are known for their love for
peace, hard work, discipline, high regard for integrity, tolerance, fear of God,
respect for one another and other people. They are predominantly Christians and
are made up of largely farmers. The community is not very far from Umuahia, the
capital city of Abia State.
The Methodist Church is synonymous
with Amafor. It is the oldest church in the community. If you like say the Methodist
church in Amafor, is as old as the community. Amafor is predominantly occupied
by natives. This record is same for the Methodist church in Amafor. However,
the few people that are not from the community, be they Methodists or not, attest
to the fact that they are not discriminated against, either by the community or
the church. According to them; they enjoy living among the natives. They
recognize visitors as much as they condemn natives who do wrong; and vice versa.
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Among the things that make Amafor
unique and the Methodist Church, special, in the community is the ease with
which both recognize and celebrate men and women of integrity. As a matter of
fact, one will struggle to say who influenced the other on this part of honour.
But the church being what it is, one may be tempted to say that the Methodist
church in Amafor is fulfilling its objective in the life of the people of
Amafor. Collectively they (the church and the community) honour and adore
people of integrity, over and above, those high network individuals, whose
conducts lack integrity. Although, both encourage sons and daughters to be rich,
hardworking, and educated, what matters most for the church in Amafor and to
Amaforians, is not really the weight of your purse, the thickness and size of your
pocket, but your ability and commitment to keep your integrity intact, uncompromised,
and unquestionable. These are the determinant of how lowly or highly you are
rated in Amafor.
The Methodist Church in Amafor, which
many people have since concluded is in the community with clear Vision and core
mandate focused on winning Souls for the purpose of salvation and eternity, finds
Amafor, a fertile ground to operate and harvest Souls. Recently, the Church and
Amaforians, roll out their banners, bands, tambourines, other musical equipment
and instruments, to celebrate women of integrity.
Among Women selected for honour on
that day is Mrs. Ihuoma Uzoanya, the unassuming, calculated and highly
inspirational Woman known in the community for her hard work, devotion to duty,
excellence and respect for Men and Women of all ages.
Mrs. Ihuoma Uzoanya, is borne
into the family of Late Reuben Okengwu Nnabugwu, of Echiele Otampa in
Isuikwuato LGA, Abia State, as "Ekwutosilachukwu". This name was given to her
when the coast was tough and the tempest very rough and turbulent, with
pressure mounting because, according to the people, the mother was given birth
to only girls, she being the third, immediately following the two before her. The
pressure on the woman of the house and the husband, notwithstanding, the
husband not perturbed in anyway maintained his cool, showed love, care and understanding,
and faced his relations, praying them to bear with them, demanding that they desist
from mounting, what he regarded as unnecessary pressure to the wife. This position
was indeed surprising to all and sundry, but that was the stuff the Man, Late
Rueben Okengwu Nnabugwu, was made.
Late Rueben Okengwu Nnabugwu’s wife,
Mrs. Asije Ihuomakalihu Nnabugwu, the mother of Mrs. Ihuoma Uzoanya, is a
living legend, a quintessential, highly spiritual, intelligent, self-inspired
and highly motivated individual, now in her late 80s, but still very strong, kicking,
active, agile and mobile. She is a disciplined, widely travelled, experienced life
builder and home maker of repute. Her special regard for husband, community and
the family unit is unequalled and highly recommendable. These virtues appear a very
scarce commodity today, but not among any of her children.
The foregoing background, is
necessary, as it forms the nexus to the journey that culminated into the recognition
the Methodist Church, as an institution, bestowed on Mrs. Ihuoma Uzoanya, recently.
As keen follower of this brief analogy, you may wonder, the absence of her
maiden name “Ekwutosilachukwu” from her name today. In Amafor when a Man marries, he gives his
wife the name he wants. Therefore, when she got married to late Mr. Sunday
Uzoanya, a wonderful, kind and disciplined Man, he gave her the name “Ihuoma”
which as he explained then, was to commemorate the good things that his
marriage to her would bring to his life.
The expectations of her husband
all through their marriage, really followed them about. The man grew from one
level of success to another, traversing many lands and institutions and waxed
strong until death that ends all things, struck and took him away. Since the
passage of the Man, she has remained faithful, respecting the values that the
husband stood and died for. Any wonder the Church has recognized her as “Faithful Mother”. A recognition that
not only the Church but all that know her agree is a worthy and true recognition
of who she truly is.
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