Grief is the price we pay for love. HRM Queen Elizabeth
Writing a tribute for Mummy B has taken me through memory lane. I was first introduced to her at congress, 2009 by Pst. Lamide Balogun. I walked in wearing a pair of jeans and my backpack on, having just returned all the way from Awka, Anambra state (NYSC). Ours will turn out to be a journey of Ten years. The first few minutes meeting her I had already experienced her tongue, she questioned my hair and I assured her it will be covered. She gave me a t-shirt and asked me go change.
Today, I bid one of my teachers good bye. She was deligent, driven, dedicated, intelligent, not given to distractions, committed to her God, a woman of prayers (oh she could prayed and you could see the results all her round her), a loving mother not only to Nkem but to a lot of Pastors in and outside the Apapa family.
She was fondly called 'mummy logistics' of the Apapa family. A title she earned by her dedication to making sure every officiating minister got a HOT or COLD drink at congress NO MATTER what happened (a lot of things went wrong especially at 3km by 3km AUDITORIUM to stop this from happening). This process started weeks before the congress with several trips to The Redemption Camp from Satellite Town and to Lagos Island Markets and also Christ Church for meetings, same routine every year, the human factor was always there. After a few years, I noticed she was the only one going to Lagos Island Markets by herself, so I volunteered to follow and assist her. So every December we were in the market buying things for the congress. There was an occasion we were done by a few minutes to 4pm, loaded the mini bus and I had to head to camp to drop all the things we bought, got camp at a few minutes to 7pm, offloaded all the drinks with the help of people around and started the journey back home. She was calling from time to time, to find out where I was. Around 8pm the driver dropped me off at Cele busstop on Apapa - Oshodi express way, got home before 9pm. There were occasions that we finished so late that we had to take everything we bought to satellite town and then head out to Camp first thing next the morning.
She prayed for people. She was a woman of prayers, the problems beyond her she handed over to God. I've heard her pray for a lot of people over the years from Pst. Siju Iluyomade, Pst. Dolly, her friends, her relatives, Pastor Prof. and a lot of people. Her prayers weren't quiet, they were a cry to God for help.
She was a committed mother and celebrated every win of Nkem, from working at BBC, to doing his Fellowship at Harvard and his first day on BBC Africa. On Nkem's first day on BBC Africa news , we were at the congress. She had asked earlier how she will watch it, you know we have to be at the auditorium? I told her not to worry, when the time came, I took her to the African Missions office, into the conference room and changed the channel to the BBC and we watched as Nkem came on air across the Continent. She was very excited and very thankful to God.
I want to use this opportunity to thank Pst. Siju for loving her, serving in RCCG can be quite demanding but when you are loved it makes it easier; Pst. Dolly for her kindness and generosity, she loved those perfumes and visits and sleeping over at Aguda house. Mummy Agi and Bukki, thank you for intervening on that Monday morning of the congress in 2018 by kneeling down on my behalf. Pst. Mrs. Morgan and Sis Chichi (Pst Mrs Chichi Obiagu) , her support system over the years, thank you ma.
I've had a few smiles remembering her while writing this. It was good journey with her, 10 years of serving under her. We didn't have a fight because of anything both of us did. We only had problems when people started telling her stories. Yet, I'm thankful for every moment of it.
In all of these, the God Almighty was there to protect, provide and preserve us. So I say a very big thank you to God.
Mummy B, I promise you, I'll stop doing nonsense... Lol.
Ebi Jarikre. ( Ebi J).