Madam Celestina Nwaigbeze Duruaku celebrated and buried.
3 min read
Madam Celestina Nwaigbeze Duruaku was a good example of a woman who was groomed under a strict African traditional setting and this attribute made her grow with the fear of God, high moral standards and respect to all. Born in 1947 in Ugbele Okwu in Ugbele Akah community of Njaba LGA, in the famous family of Iwuchukwu Akuzuruahu, the late Mama Cameroun who while living in the Cameroons with her late husband, became a mother to many Igbo residents which earned her the famous name, Mama Cameroon.
All these attributes made Thursday January 18 2024 a special day of testimonies in Obiato Isiozi Akah community when family and friends came to bid their final goodbye to the woman of substance. First, a group of Isiozi and Ugbele youths joined the motorcade which took off from the Duruaku family and headed to the mortuary of Umuaka Community Hospital where the remains of the 76 year old madam were deposited. At the mortuary, the youths, family and friends gathered and in less than 30 minutes, the motorcade took off with the remains of Mama Cameroon. As the people left the premises of the hospital, they headed to the Iwuchukwu Akuzuruahu family in Ugbele for a brief stopover as a mark of respect.
As they got to the family house, some chiefs and elders of the community led by Mazi Iwuaku Ikwuchukwu were already seated waiting for the great arrival of their sister and daughter. After some few minutes, the ambulance arrived at the family compound. The elders of the community who have been patiently welcomed the woman in her father’s house. In few minutes time, they said their final goodbye to her and off the motorcade took again straight to the Duruaku family in Obiato Isiozi. While arriving at her matrimonial family, a 21 gun salute was fired to welcome her home before her lying in state.
Because some hours were wasted between the mortuary and Ugbele where her body made a brief stopover, the lying in state was not allowed to last beyond 20 minutes because it was almost 10 am when the requiem Mass was scheduled.
The Mass at St Joseph’s Catholic Parish Isiozi Akak started by 10 am on the dot. The family did not come late for the service and the Reverend Father of the parish did not waste any time before going into the real business of the day. The first and second readings were read by two female parishioners and during the gospel, the officiating priest reminded the congregation that there was life and there was also the spirit of life. He went further and appealed to Christians to work more on their spiritual life so as to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ.
By the time the Mass service came to an end, the people went straight to the Duruaku family house in Obiato Isiozi where after some graveside prayers and religious rituals were observed, the body of the 76 year old late Madam Celestine NNwaigbeze Duruaku of blessed mermory was committed to mother earth for her enteral journey.
Umuaka Times reporters who covered the event reported that youths, Catholic Women Organization and many other Christian and community groups were present during the burial to pay their last respect to the woman they so much loved and respected.
