A Tribute to My Beloved Auntie

In the blink of an eye, we lost someone irreplaceable—someone whose love, laughter, and light filled every room she entered. Auntie, you were a beacon of kindness, a steady source of strength, and a heart full of warmth. Your generosity, your joy, and your ability to make everyone feel like they mattered will never be forgotten.

Though your time with us was far too short, your impact was immeasurable. You made each of us feel seen, cherished, and important. Your presence was a comfort, your wisdom a guide, and your love a constant reminder of what truly matters in this world.

The suddenness of your passing has left an ache in our hearts, one that only time can begin to heal. But the memories you gave us—the laughter shared, the lessons taught, and the love you showered upon us—will live on forever.

Auntie, you were more than family. You were a friend, a confidante, and a pillar of unwavering support. While we may not be able to see you or hear your voice anymore, your spirit will always be with us, gently guiding us through the days ahead.

You’ve left a legacy of love and grace that will never fade. Thank you for being the incredible soul you were. We will carry you in our hearts, always.

Rest in peace, dear Auntie. You are loved beyond measure and will be missed forever.

Chinwe Umeh-Ukaegbu

Tribute To My Beloved Grand-Aunty – Mummy Bridget Nwankwo

Death is an inevitable part of life and though we comprehend this reality, it is not always easy for our hearts to accept it.
How do I make sense of the demise of a dearly beloved Aunty and role model?

Aunty you wholeheartedly played the role of a mother and Aunty to all of us who had the privilege of knowing you. You never failed to prepare your special delicacy (Beans and Plantain) each time we visited you at Aba. I recall vividly your joy and excitement when I informed you last year that my son David was preparing for admission into secondary school. You immediately went ahead to obtain a form for him at St Bridget’s secondary school at no cost to us. Your love, genuine concern, generosity and commitment to the well-being of your family and humanity at large is unparalleled.

It is exceedingly difficult for me to write a tribute to you Dada’m. I love you so dearly and I know you loved me too. There are so many memories to cherish in our relationship. 
I thank God for your life which was well lived, for the positive impact you had on our lives, for the family you raised and your various endeavors which are all part of the legacy you have left behind. I also thank God for the eternal hope we have in him; the hope that as Christ was raised, we too will be raised to join him in glory. So I say farewell for now but not forever. You will be greatly missed and the vacuum you have left will not be easy to fill.
Rest in peace my beloved Aunty B, till we meet to part no more. 

Judith Ukagwu (Nee Ezeocha) & Family.

Tribute in Honour of Mrs. Bridget Nwankwo by Mrs. Gladys Gafrey-Umeh

This tribute is in honour of my aunt-in-law Mrs. Bridget Nwankwo, who we fondly called Aunty Bridget. I met Aunty Bridget in 2014 when she visited my husband Dr Hilary Umeh at Reading, United Kingdom.

Prior to her visitation and during our courtship, Dr Umeh spoke fondly of his aunty and told me the special relationship they had. This energized me to look forward to meeting this incredible woman and I was not disappointed.

Within a few days of her visit, we learnt about each other so much and my admiration for her just grew from strength to strength.  Just to name a few, Aunty Bridget was beautiful, classy, wise, soft spoken, loving, kind, articulate, intelligent but very humble and above all a woman of strong faith.

My husband and I organized a surprised birthday party to celebrate her 80th birthday, which she reluctantly accepted, however, when she heard the voice of her cherished friend Aunty Margaret, she got so excited and subsequently had an enjoyable celebration with friends and family around her.

As the years went by, my relationship with Aunty Bridget became stronger and stronger. I found her counsel to be honest and full of wisdom. Having lost my mum nearly 15 years ago, I never thought anyone could ever love me the same way as my mum, but Aunty Bridget did and I will forever be grateful to God for making it possible for our paths to cross through marriage. Aunty Bridget ensured that I had my supply of beautifully made Nigerian native wear and this makes me feel so special anytime I wear them.

Our love for each other was deep and unconditional, she made me feel that I do not have to be from her bloodline to be considered as part of her family and to me that transcends everything. Aunty Bridget saw something in me and embraced me as a daughter and I also found so many things in her and reciprocated the motherly love that she accorded to me. Most often than not, the phrase, “one in a million” is over used, however, in this case Aunty Bridget was truly ONE IN A MILLION and we are going to miss her. It is rare to find such qualities embodied in one person so this made Aunty Bridget unique.

 
One thing that resonates with me is our conversations, smiles and laughter. In fact, she always addressed me as “Glad my daughter” and I have gone back to read our messages to which each message brings tears in my eyes. I cannot believe that this day has come for us to say goodbye. 

Being an accountant and working in the educational sector for a number of years, enabled Aunty Bridget and I to always find common interest to talk about. We sometimes discussed the financial implications of certain management decisions and Aunty Bridget always cautioned me to have a manageable work load.
It was always a privilege for my husband and I to host Aunty Bridget anytime she visited the UK and our time with her were always special. Aunty Bridget appreciated everything we did to make her feel comfortable no matter how small.We took Aunty Bridget on a cruise for her 85th birthday, she enjoyed it so much so that she wanted to take another break with us, but low and behold COVID set in and we had to put our plans on hold. 

During our recent trip to Nigeria, we visited Aunty Bridget on 27th December, 2024 which was just under a month before she passed. Prior to the visit, I had been concerned about Aunty Bridget’s health because she was always suffering from one ailment or the other during the year. I was reassured when I saw her in December because although Aunty had lost some weight, she gathered all her strength and was her usual self; charming, hospitable, loving and she made us feel very welcomed. My thought was that after the holidays, my husband and I could encourage her to come to the UK or US for a check-up in order to address her health issues. The one request that Aunty Bridget made when we were leaving Nigeria was for my husband to allow me to come and spend some time with her. She also followed it up with a New Year’s text expressing her concerns for not spending as much time with me as she would have loved to on this visit.

I learnt so much from Aunty Bridget and this has made me realise that our purpose on earth is to make an impact to humanity and leave a footprint. Aunty Bridget certainly left a magnificent foot print which we are all very proud of. We thank God for the 90 years that He gave her and making it possible for us to experience her love. Aunty Bridget, you were a remarkable woman and may your legacy live on. You have gone to your Maker but you will live as long as you are remembered.

Aunty Bridget, we love you so much that words cannot express the depth of our grief and love, and we are missing you terribly. Aunty Bridget, thank you for your love, service and kindness to humanity. May the angels guide you to your rightful place with the Lord, for you have earned your seat to be at the right hand side of the Lord. Heaven has gained an angel but we your love ones have gained our personal Saint Bridget.

Rest well and in perfect peace Aunty Bridget. 

St Bridget, please watch over us.

From your beloved, 

Gladys

A Tribute To My Aunty Bridget   (Dr Hilary N. Umeh)

I never imagined that I would be sitting here today paying tribute in death to my most beloved Aunty Bridget.
Not that I am so naïve as to think that death would never come to us all, for as William Shakespeare said in ‘Julius Caesar’ 
“Death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.”
But Why Aunty, Why? Why did you leave me in the lurch?

Yet, I cannot blame you, for the Almighty God giveth and taketh as he wills and it is not for us to know when or to ask why.
I was with you in Aba for some days in December 2024 (14th to 17th.) to be precise, and as usual we spent some quality family time. You were almost fully recovered from malaria then. My siblings and I again visited you after the New year celebration on the 2nd of January 2025 and we were all so happy to see you looking well and as resplendent as ever. On one of those visits, you gave me a very long hug. Little did I know it was your way of saying Goodbye for ever.
You cannot imagine the shock I got, when I phoned from abroad to find out how you were faring on Thursday 23rd of January only to be told you were very sick in hospital. Things moved rapidly on and by the morning of the 25th of January, that dreadful news, which came like a thunderous punch to my gut, bowled me over with excruciating and numbing pain from which I am still reeling. 

Aunty, you were not just an Aunty to me, my siblings and all remembers of our entire family and beyond, but we regarded you as our second MOTHER. 
A Mother in a trillion! My personal history with you dated way back from when I was born 77yrs ago, because that day as you told me, marked a remarkable event in your own life known to only you, myself and your very closest confidants. Since then, you looked upon me as your son, though the first son of your eldest sister - Adanne Mabel.

You will always have a special place in my heart till the end of my days.
What can I say about my Aunty, Mrs Bridget, Chikereuba, (Titi), Nwankwo, Nee Akwada (Ada Ugo Abia) that most of you do not already know? Some of you know her even better, having encountered her in different spheres of life where I may not have been.
Aunty Bridget was a colossal figure which actually belies her very humble beginnings from a small village in Ubakala called Umuogo. As a young lady, she was very smart, intelligent and beautiful. Hence the Nick name given to her by her father (Fred Akwada) and eldest brother (Friday Akwada) - Titi. 
 Her aptitude and talent were quickly identified by the Anglican mission who were of immense influence and assistance in her formative years in Education. 
She was one of the first few women in the then Eastern Nigeria in the sixties to attend the Nigerian College of Arts, Enugu. She Later proceeded to the University of Ibadan to Obtain a BA Honours degree in English Language. She was latter to obtain a Master’s degree in Education from Manchester University in the United Kingdom.
She was married to Late Dr Ochia Nwankwo, Chief Consultant Paediatrician and Head of the Specialist Hospital Aba. They were blessed with three Children, Mrs Ihuoma Iwueze, Dr Emeka Nwankwo and Late Nma Nwankwo. She is survived by many grandchildren. Aunty doted on her children and they were the pride and joy of her life. She loved them from the bottom of her heart and that I can vouch for her.

Who would have thought that Aunty B would have passed on before her only surviving elder sibling Adanne Mabel Umeh who is now 99yrs old with whom she shared a very special and close bond.
“Aunty, we have not told your sister that you have left us for fear of breaking her heart!”
Unfortunately, the constraint of space would not allow me to eulogise my Aunty to the full extent that she deserves.
Again I ask, where do I start? Your greatest passion in Life was the Education of the younger generation to impart Learning, Character and Excellence. You remained a teacher to your very last days. Such was your passion for teaching that even after attaining the highest position in service as Commissioner for Health and later Education in the then Imo state, on retirement you insisted on returning to the classroom in Ngwa High school Aba to serve under the very people who were under you in Government.
What a lesson in HUMILITY, an attribute that characterised your whole life.

You decided you must leave a legacy to Education and posterity, by establishing both Saint Bridget’s Primary school and Saint Bridget’s secondary school. Simple and straightforward as it may sound, I know it was a most difficult and challenging undertaking which at some point nearly cost your life prematurely, but God was with you.
Today, you can rest in peace knowing that you achieved your goal of service to God and to humanity. All your Children from St Bridget’s schools, Holy Rosary School Umuahia, Ovom girls, ACM Girls School Elelenwa and others I may have missed out adore you. You have nurtured and produced numerous pupils who have excelled in different aspects of life and my greatest satisfaction is that in your life time, these ex-students were able to organise themselves from all over the world to honour you on social media. A true testament to their appreciation.

Aunty, You were LOVE personified. It came naturally to you, from your heart and flowed freely to those around you. You were never tired of giving your time, energy and resources for the benefit of others. There was no discrimination in your language of Love. From your most influential and close society friends to your domestic staff who took care of you till your dying day, even when we your immediate family could not be around for reasons of distance. You used to refer to them as “MY FAMILY”. You joked and laughed with them as if you were age mates and they reciprocated your love with respect and devotion to “Mummy”. You were extremely generous, perhaps generous to a fault. Only those close to you and beneficiaries of your generosity can truly testify to the extent of your charitable acts which you deliberately kept very quiet.

Aunty was an active member of the community and various charitable organisations which earned her accolades, awards, and trophies for services rendered to society, church, and government. She was recognised by Rotary Club International, where she was a past president as a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF), by the Abia State Government as “ADA UGO ABIA”, and also a Knight of St Mary in the Anglican communion. A particular Pet project, which always brought a smile to her face was the introduction of the Blood Bank project as commissioner for health in Imo state to save lives having herself been a victim of near fatal haemorrhage.  What an achievement! What a great Lady!
Aunty Bridget was a God fearing woman deeply rooted in her religious faith, always prayerful and an exemplary Knight of Saint Mary. 
                                                                                                            
I know that if Aunty could stand up and speak to us one more time today, she will be thanking every one of you here for your love and affection and the individual positive roles you played in her life. She will be thanking Ogbonna for his loyalty and service of over three decades and many others before him. Aunty loved her flowers and Ogbonna made sure she had a fresh cut and beautiful bouquet set on her centre table every day. Take heart Ogbonna. I know you have lost not only a dear friend but a mother.
Permit me Ladies and Gentlemen to quote an extract from her autobiography, written and published by herself ("Moonlight Beyond Our Hut")

“Our mother brought us up to believe in our father as the final authority in our home. Hers was total submission to “the husband as head of the wife”, (Eph 5:23). Our parents lived and died as inseparables from the day they chose each other in spite of parental opposition. Their example left an indelible mark on my own life.

Next in the series of my motivators was my small family headed by my husband, Dr Ochia Nwankwo, my children, Ihuoma, Emeka, and Mma who is now with the Lord. These, by word and action, supported me especially as the jobs I held were so demanding that it must have resulted in the denial of those benefits and privileges offered by full-time house wives and mothers. In all, I thank God for their Love, so unconditionally showered on me even when I may not have deserved such. I could never have made it without this stable home, a loving family with their unflinching support.

In a class were my nephews, nieces, brothers, and sisters and relatives now in different parts of the globe who have used their technical and professional know-how to enhance my life and wellbeing. Their love for me is evident in their words and actions, palpable in every line of correspondence and conversation. They made me feel taller with their encouragement and devotion to my cause. I pray that the Lord rewards them with progress and success in their chosen careers. My bonding with this group stems from the chain of love that binds us all and their parents in our small family and maternal home in Umuogo where I grew up as a centre of admiration by my elders, and respect by the younger ones. I remain infinitely grateful and indebted to all my kith and kin for contributing in every way possible to my success and progress in life. I must in particular mention “Nnanna” whose filial devotion to me, with professional care extended to me on several critical occasions leaves me heavily indebted to him and his household.
I bless these and all who in one way or the other fostered my growth and progress in life and career.”

Let us all be consoled that Aunty rests in the Lord and that we have an ambassador in heaven.
Make no mistakes Ladies and gentlemen, Life was not always a bed of roses for Aunty Bridget. She had her own fair share of challenges in spite of her humongous       achievements but her strength of character and faith in God saw her through. 

We give thanks and glory to God who gave you the grace and strength to accomplish so much. We thank God for the privilege of an Aunty and Mother like you.
You were an exemplary Christian mother and a God fearing woman who devoted most of her life working in the Lord’s vine yard. You have fought the good fight. You have finished your course. You have kept the faith and a crown of glory awaits you in heaven. Thank you Almighty God for the special favour of granting us the privilege and benefit of Aunty’s mentorship for over 90 years.

Rest in Peace Beloved Aunty Bridget
Rest in Peace Da Titi
Rest in the bosom of the Lord until we meet to part no more.

From your Nephew,

Nnanna, Hilary Umeh.

United Kingdom