The Biography of a Great Heroine, By Barrister Festus Duruaku.
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Ezinne Mrs Celestina Nwaigbeze Duruaku nee Iwuchukwu was born in 1947 by Chief Iwuchukwu and Lolo Nwaeruru Iwuchukwu Akuzuruahu of Ugbele Okwu Akah in Njaba LGA Imo State. She went to school with her contemporaries and excelled in her academic pursuit. Due to her beauty, intelligence, dedication, honesty, hard work, wisdom and fear of God, she was the cynosure of all eyes. The aforementioned good qualities attracted her to her beloved husband of blessed memory Mr Damian Okekenwa Duruaku of Umuonyeokoro, Obiato Isiozi Akah, in Njaba LGA Imo State, who lived in the Republic of Cameroon. Their marriage was solemnized and she traveled to Cameroon to live with her husband. Her husband, our late father was a business man while his wife our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother engaged in the sales of food stuffs. She was a big supporter of her husband in all ramifications. She respected him and ensured there was peace and harmony via prayers, obedience of God’s instructions pertaining marriage which is summarized in Ephesians 5 : 22 & 25- Wives be submissive to your husband and husband love your wife .
The marriage is blessed with 7 lovely children, 10 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren and still counting. While in The Republic of Cameroon, she took 3 of her siblings to live with her and together with the support of her beloved husband Mr Damian Duruaku of blessed memory, took good care of their school enrollment.
She is a great heroine who played a significant role in ensuring that her immediate younger sister who served as a maid in Cameroon came back to Nigeria alive. Our beloved Sweet Mother was an advocate of peaceful coexistence, a legacy she championed and practiced with great passion. She advised, encouraged and helped couples to live in peace and as a result of her zeal and enthusiasm in this noble task, she was honored with the meritorious award of (MAMA CAMEROON) because of her passion, sacrifice and voluntary involvement in amicable resolution of conflicts.
(Mama Cameroon) as she then was, played a prominent role in ensuring that wives submit to their God ordained responsibility as evidenced in Ephesians 5 vs 22. She helped in rejuvenating so many marriages and received accolades from couples and the community for her sacrifice, good works and wealth of wisdom. Dear family, friends and well – wishers, we confirm with pain and great shock, the passing unto glory of our dear and beloved Mother, Mother in-law, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, wife, daughter Sister and Aunty Ezinne Mrs Celestine Nwaigbeze Duruaku who departed this world on August 10th, 2023 after a brief illness. We still find it difficult to believe it is true. Our precious jewel of inestimable value is gone. Our beloved Mother with visionary skills, hardworking, disciplinarian (our own Margaret Thatcher) meticulous, brainbox, wisdom tank and a devoted Christian is no more. Death is indeed an indiscriminate harvester and an ill wind that blows nobody any good. It surreptitiously snatched our diamond away from us. This is a huge inexplicable and colossal loss. Since death is inevitable, we are consoled by her positive lifestyle, legacy, sacrifice in peaceful coexistence and the cushioning words in the Scriptures as evidenced in 1 Thess 4 vs 13 which says “weep not as those without hope”.
We miss you so much but cannot question the Lord because of His omniscient status. May God grant her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed eternal repose in His Kingdom amen.
