The Biography of Geraldine Onyewuchibiye Offorji.
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Our mother, Lolo Geraldine Onyewuchibiye Offorji (Nnee-Nworji), was born on the 15th of January 1932 in Umulolo Ugbele Akah. She was the daughter of Chief Nworji of Ugbele Akah of the Obishirike clan. The late Mazi Cyril Nworji and the first wife of Chief Ojinaka were her siblings. Also, she had a sister in our kindred called Ijeaku Osunwoke. Our mother attended the Saint Mary’s Standard School in Uba Umuaka. Our mother met and married our father during one of her visits to her sister in our kindred. Our parents were wedded in Jos in 1954. This marriage produced nine children, of which two are late. May God bless their souls! Our mother is survived by seven children, a stepdaughter, nineteen grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.
What can we say about our mother?
Strength: Our mother was a very resilient woman. Mamma supported our father very well when they got married newly. Mamma practiced street trading in Jos during those difficult days, and she gave our father the initial capital to start his business.
During the civil war in Nigeria, Mamma was the head of the Biafra land army in Obiato. The Biafran Army complimented her for all the food donations they received from Obiato women.
Mamma had a stroke in 1979 and survived it for over forty years.
Love: Mamma loved her family. She was a symbol of love and care. During her illness, Mamma posed a question to us and asked, “Whether a family can come back and sit together after death”? Well we did not know how to answer her question. But Mamma was told no.
This must have been one reason that made her fight to survive for over forty years after her stroke.
Graceful: Mamma was an elegant woman during her time. She was never arrogant, and no matter the situation, she always smiled. Her fellow women gave her nickname of MMA.
Life: Mamma’s life was a life well lived but truncated by early illness. Our parents were the head of Omeokachie Social Club and Orlu People’s Union in Jos. Mamma participated in many social activities with our father. Mamma was a Christian mother, and she participated in many church events at Saint Fatimah’s in Jos and Saint Mary’s in Umuaka. As a Nwaada of Umulolo in Ugbele-Akah, she took part in many marriages and burial ceremonials in Umuaka.
Supportive: A mother’s role is to support all her children and it is also the role of every mother to understand all her children. Mamma was very supportive of us as she was our first teacher, friend, and inspiration. Mamma made us have confidence in ourselves and never pampered any of us. While we were growing up, Mamma taught us how to cultivate yam, cocoyam, and cassava. Also, we were given lectures on how to make garri. Even she bought goats and chicken for some of us, and we fed our goats with leaves that we cut from the bushes. Good job, mom! You have always been there for us.
Brave: Our mother was a brave woman. None of her children suffered form Kwashiorkor during the civil war. Our mother anticipated the shortage of salt and sugar and instructed us to bottle many bags of these precious commodities. Our lives were saved from this heroic act.
Goodbye, mother! We are happy that you are our mom. We will miss you dearly.
For the family.
Sir Sabastine Offorji
