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Amoge Ifeora-Umeugo, good bye African princess
By Chido Nwangwu, Founder & Publisher of USAfricaonline.com, CLASS magazine (Houston), PhotoWorks.TV and The Black Business Journal
http://www.usafricaonline.com/amogefuneral2009-chido
788 USAfrica and CLASSmagazine pictures/slideshow from the transition events shot by Chido are, exclusively, on our PhotoWorks.TV web site:
http://photoworks.tv/amoge2009chido
http://photoworks.tv/amoge2009chido/slideshow
Early on Friday October 9, 2009, I flew from Houston, Texas to Bradley International airport in Hartford, Connecticut for a painful but necessary task. I set forth to join friends, family and folks from different parts of the world, from London, from Nigeria and key parts of the U.S to congregate to mourn the transition of, painfully, another young woman, a daughter of the resourceful Ifeoras of Nawfia, a young wife, a young mother and a daughter of Christ.
I also had the professional task of honoring and covering the ceremonies of the transition and burial of the much beloved, departed but worthy forty-something years old pretty Amoge Ifeora-Umeugo. Her soft-spoken sister Mrs. Ngozi Obiaku and her cousin Edith Okadigbo-Uzoh told me about Amoge and invited.
Amoge’s deeply pained husband, Onyedikachi Umeugo, held on with grace but anguish and agony written, understandably, on his face. His first son Junior Umeugo, 16-years old, honored his dear mother in many ways, while she lived and at her death.
During the funeral, there were remarkable words of encouragement from many, especially the distinguished patriarch of the Nwoye and Ifeora lineage who flew in from London, Mr. Emmanuel Nwoye. Amoge’s bossom friend and University of Ife college buddy attorney Lorreta Mabinton spoke and collected touching letters and notes to Amoge from her friends and family. Some of them were read.
Henry Okadigbo came in from Virginia and spoke superbly about the pain of death and triumphs of the lineage over adversity.
I need to mention the outstanding logistics work done by Osita Obuekwe and Dr. Austin Obiaku.
A difficult and haunting turn at Amoge’s funeral event occurred twice. First, when the late Amoge’s youngest 4-year old handsome son Chibuzo stood (with his father and aunts) a mere 10 inches from her mom’s casket and touched her saying “Mom, wake up….” There were tears and pangs of pain. The innocence of children. The irreversible reality of death. The hopes and faith of christians that we should not mourn like people without a sense of the kingdom of God, of life beyond mortal death…. For Chibuzo, his mother was only sleeping…. As folks “viewed” Amoge’s lifeless body, a few minutes followed and Chibuzo’s 9 year old sister Amoge Adaugo Umeugo repeated same thing….”tell her to wake up, wake up mom.…” More tears, more pain, more reflection on the innocence of children, more thoughts on the marginal line between life and death; and more…
The memorable weekend funeral events started on Friday October 9, 2009 with special Service of Songs and Wake Keeping from from 8pm until 12.40am at the Shiloh Christian Church (373 East Main Street in Middletown, Connecticut). On Saturday morning of October 10, 2009, was the viewing (open-casket) and the funeral service at the same Church.
We all then drove in a long procession of almost 50 cars to the Pinegrove Cemetary’s South Main Extension in Middletown, Connecticut.
It was befitting farewell for an evidently much beloved Igbo princess in America. Good bye, Amoge Ifeora-Umeugo. It was truly too soon for the lively, progressive and caring woman Amoge. But who knows when death will come? No one. I recall the words of Charlie Chan who wrote that “Death, the one appointment we all must keep, and for which no time is set”.
I, like many, would have asked for a customized, reworded version, amended lyrics of Elton John’s timeless masterpiece song, Candle in the Wind…. for you, Amoge.
Your candle burned out so soon, too soon….
But, again, what do I know; what do we as mere mortals know?
Even your full first Igbo name is fitting, and
said it all, Amogechukwu: who knows God’s time?
No one! No one; yet, and regardless,
would have loved to know you
but our paths never, really or directly, crossed
‘except we both had a common connection by the fact your iconoclastic, flamboyant and scholarly cousin, former president of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Chuba William Wilberforce Okadigbo mentored and encouraged both us at different times, different places while he lived. I worked closely for the vibrant Chuba in Lagos.
Good bye, Amoge!
Good bye, majestic princess of the great Ifeora lineage.
Good bye!
Please, remember that Chibuzo still believes you’re just sleeping….
Good bye!
•Dr. Chido Nwangwu, recipient of the Journalism Excellence award (1997), is Founder and Publisher of USAfricaonline.com (first African-owned U.S.-based professional newspaper published on the internet), USAfrica The Newspaper, CLASS magazine and The Black Business Journal, USAfricaTV, AchebeBooks.com, and several blogs/e-groups. He served as an adviser to the Mayor of Houston on international business (Africa) and appears as an analyst on CNN, VOA, NPR, CBS News, NBC and ABC news affiliates.
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President Obama, hate-mongers and mob cons http://www.usafricaonline.com/president-obama-hate-mongers-and-mob-cons-by-chido-nwangwu/
http://www.usafricaonline.com/chido.obamavshatemongers09.html
By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfricaonline.com, www.Achebebooks.com, CLASS magazine, The Black Business Journal, the largest digital images/pictorial events domain for Africans abroad PhotoWorks.TV and USAfrica.TV.
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USAfrica and USAfricaonline.com (characterized by The New York Times as the most influential African-owned, U.S-based multimedia networks) established May 1992, our first edition of USAfrica magazine was published August 1993; USAfrica The Newspaper on May 11, 1994; CLASSmagazine on May 2, 2003; www.PhotoWorks.TV in 2005 ——
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I knew Amoge as a very kind and generous woman; always looking out for others in need especially friends and relatives in Nigeria. Amoge gave me a large sum of money to give her sister in Nigeria with an instruction of how to make sure a lot of her friends and relatives got a share of it. What’s amazing was her special instruction to not bring that money back, “Please make sure you find my sister and don’t bring this envelope back,” said Amoge. What a cheerful giver she was and you should’ve been there to see that same wonderful smile she was known for while giving me the envelope. Anyone who is reading this, please carry on that same spirit of generousity that our beloved Amoge lived for by reaching out to others no matter how small; God always loves a cheerful giver. I will always miss her.
Bro Worthy, stay strong with the children and be rest assured that your wife and the mother of your children is in a better place. To us, it was a loss, but to God, it was a home-coming. May her soul and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of the Lord, Rest in Peace……Amen
IT IS QUITE SAD TO LEARN OF THE DEATH OF A GREAT IFE ALUMNUS. MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE. MAY GOD ALMIGHTY CONSOLE HER HUSBAND, HER CHILDREN AND HER EXTENDED FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
LOLA AKEJU, ABUJA, NIGERIA
October 12, 2009. 3.24pm, Attorney Vicky Nkiru Ewenike via sms:
Thank you for sharing the sad story n pics of Amoge’s funeral.
AMOGE Ifeora-Umeugo, goodbye to an African princess… By Chido Nwangwu, CLASSmagazine.
788 pixs on PhotoWorks.TV http://www.PhotoWorks.TV
I am sitting here in my office struggling to hold my tears back.
I knew Amoge from Enugu to (University of) Ife (both in Nigeria).
May her gentle soul Rest In Peace.
Nkiru Ewenike, Little Rock, Arkansas
Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 2:45 PM Loretta Dr. Mbadugha.mbadugha@gmail.com> wrote:
Re: AMOGE Ifeora-Umeugo, goodbye to an African princess… By Chido Nwangwu, CLASSmagazine. 788 pixs on http://www.PhotoWorks.TV
Thanks for sharing this well documented tribute of a sister gone too soon. Though, I was not in attendance, but Chido through your words and visuals of the weekend, you captured the spirit, the sorrow, the pain and most of all, the collective outpour of emotions and love of the mourners for this daughter of Zion.
May the Precious Blood of The Lamb, grant her access to the throne of mercy. May her soul rest in peace and through faith I know that our
Great Comforter will take care of her beloved family, Amen.
Warm Regards,
Loretta Akosa-Mbadugha, Ph.D.
Re: Biography – Amoge Ifeora-Umeugo
Born in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria (West Africa) on July 13, 1962
She was one of five girls and one brother raised by strict, conservative and God
fearing-parents in Enugu, Nigeria.
Her elementary education was at Christ Church Primary School, Enugu.
She attended Queen of the Rosary College Nsukka Nigeria for High School.
At the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, she first obtained a BS (Bachelor
of Science) degree in Zoology in 1986, and a MS (Master’s degree) in Banking /
Finance in 1988
She migrated to the United States in 1989, and met her “baby” Oswald
Onyedikachukwu Umeugo in New York, who became her darling husband in 1991. Amoge joined Oswald in Connecticut where they started a family with the arrival of Junior in 1993, Amogechukwu in 2001 and Chibuzo in 2005.
She commenced a career marked by compassion working for the Connecticut
Institute for the Blind. She excelled at her job, loved and admired by
colleagues and clients alike.
She remained a dedicated employee of the State of Connecticut in the Department of Development Services until her death on September 24, 2009.
Amoge Ifeora-Umeugo leaves behind her dedicated husband, Osward Onyedikachukwu Umeugo, her sensitive and sensible children Onyedikachi Umeugo Jr. (Son), Amogechukwu Adaugo Umeugo (Daughter), and Chibuzo Ndubisi Umeugo (Son), her loving mother Mrs Christina Meniru Ifeora, her
forever sisters Mrs Uchenna Obierika, Mrs. Ngozi Obiaku, Mrs Ayodele Okoli, and Ms. Nkechi Ifeora, her brother Ebuka Ifeora, her supportive brothers-in-law Dr. Austin Obiaku and Rtd. Air Vice Marshall Osi Obierika, severalcousins,nieces and nephews, and a host of close friends.
Amoge was preceded in death by her father Mr. Albert Ifeora in 1992, and her
dearly beloved brother Dr. Chibuzo Ifeora in 1996
Amoge is my sister Mmachi Oyudo’s good friend. My best memory of Amoge was when my sister Mmachi took me with her to Amoge’s house in Enugu. Amoge was such a lovely and nice girl.The last time I saw her was in Nsukka when she was with Ayodele and we chatted for a while. I will call my sister and let her know of this sad incident. Ngozi, Ayodele and Nkechi, I pray the Good Lord will comfort all of you the husband and kids aswell.
Re: Good bye, Amoge Ifeora-Umeugo. By Chido Nwangwu.
http://www.usafricaonline.com/amogefuneral2009-chido
October 13, 2009, Rosaire Ifedi wrote:
Dr. Chido,
Thank you for honoring this sister of ours with this piece. I don’t personally know her, but as you rightly said, we mourn like those who have a sure belief in the coming Kingdom of God.
Thank you so much for sharing and we’ll definitely keep the husband and children in our prayers. Who knows when?
Do keep up the good work!
Remain highly blessed!
Dr. Rosaire Ifedi
Assistant Professor, Dwight Schar College of Education
Ashland University – Columbus Center
1900 East Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, Ohio 43229
Nosike Ndu Azubogu, Houston. didisdone@yahoo.com to the USAfrica247 facebook page
“I get scared whenever I hear, or read about somebody’s death. Remembering that the scripture said Death is like a thief that comes to you when you least expect it, scares me the more. But death they say is a debt we mortals owe, and so I join hands we others to wish Amoge a safe journey back to great beyond.”
Ken Ekezie, Lagos Nigeria. mckenzie65@gmail.com to the USAfrica247 facebook page:
“Amoge is gone! Chai! May God give her eternal rest.”
Fidelia Omelebele Nwangwu, Houston. Omeynwangwu@aol.com to the USAfrica247 facebook page:
“Amoge’s gone too soon –look at the little children. May the Lord help the family deal with this great lost.”
Obi Iwuanyanwu, Dayton, Ohio. obiwu@yahoo.com to the USAfrica247 facebook page:
“May she rest in perfect peace.”
I met Amoge in the early 1970′s when she was a student of the Queens Rosary Secondary School, Nsukka, and I was an undergraduate at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was a good friend of my cousin and her classmate, Ms. Mmachi Oyudo, and they frequented my room, 131 Akpabio Hall. I met her again at the NNPC Head Office in Ikoyi, Lagos, where she was doing her NYSC program in the 1980′s.
A family friend telephoned us last weekend and informed my wife about Amoge’s death in the US. My wife and Amoge grew up together at NEPA Quarters in Enugu when both their fathers worked with the electricity company. It is indeed pathetic. May her soul rest in perfect peace. May the Good Lord console her husband and children, siblings, and the entire family.
Mr. Nwangwu, keep up the good work and God bless.