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WELL MAMA!!!

AHUDIE, MONICA UNAMMA

ALAKA FUNERAL ORATION
Prepared by Linus Alaka

With a heavy heart, we have come to honour and pay

our last respects to our beloved mother, grandmother,
sister, aunt and friend – Ahudie, Monica Unamma
Alaka, a woman of faith, a woman who always put us
first, and showed us love in many ways.

Ahudie, Monica Unamma Alaka was born ninety-two

years ago to late Nze Duruihiezie of
Umuokwaraolomaji, Elugwu in Isieke and his wife, late
Mrs. Lolo Duruihiezie (among his three wives) of
Uhuala, Umuaghobe both in Isiekenesi Autonomous
Communities, Ideato South Local Government Area
Imo State, Nigeria . Mama was the second of her
parents’ thirteen children, six boys and seven girls. She
joined her parents in their trade in her early stage which
made her a successful business woman she was and as
well, a good farmer.

At a very tender age, she got engaged to our father, late

Alaka Iwuozo of Umuduruba Umuaghobe, Isiekenesi in
the year 1937. This union was blessed with four girls
and three boys. Mama was a wonderful wife to her
husband until death separated them in the year 1970
after he had suffered the agonies of Biafra’s War.

Though Mama did not have the benefit of having a

higher education, she had a “Ph.D.” in humility and
love. These qualities prepared her very well for her
responsibility as a mother. Mama was our primary
influence and counselor. She loved us unconditionally,
devoted her life to our stewardship, and worked hard to
instill in us her values and qualities. She taught us to

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 love one another, to live morally, to be submissive,
respectful, obedient, and to help others in need. She
preached peace, unity, and forgiveness to us. This same
message she extended to her brothers, sisters, numerous
nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law, and all
that were around her. Mama lived an exemplary life,
that is worthy of emulation. Mama’s innermost faith,
prayers and words of wisdom saw us through when our
father passed away. She was our source of strength.

Mama’s most notable qualities were her fierce, sincere

loyalty to family, poise, wisdom, dependability,
unconditional love and generosity. On several
occasions when we gave Mama a gift, she was very
appreciative, with gratitude she asked if we
remembered to give to aunts, uncles, cousins or
someone else in need that came to her mind in that
instant. In the event that we could not meet her request,
Mama would share whatever we gave her with whoever
that needed it the most. She made everybody around
her comfortable. She never allowed her blessings to
negatively interfere with her relationship to others and
to God. Mama’s family life was interwoven with her
community activities, she participated in the
Umuduruba wemen cultural dance where she displayed
her artistic gift as a drummer and at the same time, a
singer. Mama’s energy for life was boundless. She
appreciated the little things in life, especially, the things
that many of us take for granted.

Mama was a woman of faith, a practicing and devoted

Catholic. She prayed tirelessly. Her faith and devotion
to God was unshakable. She belonged to Christian
Mothers’ Association, Christian Charismatic Renewal
Ministery and amongst others. Mama was also a
member of Umuada Umuokwaraolomaji and Elugwu,
Isieke, Isiekenesi.

My dear mother, Uhudie Monica, ran a good race, and

died in Christ on the Ash Wednesday to show her
humility to the suffering of Jesus Christ, OUR
SAVIOUR since she can no longer go St Anthony’s or
St.Patrick’s Catholic Church for her usual Morning
Mass and Sunday Services amidst other Church
activities. God must have said to her, “well done, my
good and faithful daughter, welcome home”. I believe

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 she is dancing in glory before our Lord. If you see tears
in our eyes, it is due to our human frailty. We face a
future without comforting refuge of our parents
especially Mama. Our best cheerleader has gone to her
Maker. She is no longer physically here to encourage
and cheer us her children, but she has ascended to
celestial heights from where she will intercede and
encourage and cheers us with her sweet angelic spirit.
Love does not end with death, as Mama re-unites with
our father, her first love; we know that their spirits will
be our guardian angels.

Ahudie, all that we have come to know of love, unity,

humility and hard work, we learned from you and Papa.
Your seven children are saying in unison that we have
been blessed with a loving and Godly mother. It is an
honour to call you Mama. Thank you for all that you
did for us. We love you. We will miss you, your
memories will be with us and your love will forever
bind us together.

May God grant you Eternal Rest.

Mama is survived by seven children;
MRS. ELIZABETH ONUOHA
MRS. ROSELINE EZENWA
MRS. MARY OGUAJU
MR. LINUS ALAKA
MRS. EMULLIA OKWARAEBO
MR. CYPRAIL ALAKA
MASTER NICHODEMUS ALAKA
three siblings, two step brothers and two step sisters,
numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins, in-
laws and others.
Signed:
Linus E Alaka
For the family

Transition to Glory
Tributes to
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 TRIBUTE TO MADAM AHUDIE, MONICA
UNAMMA ALAKA

It is with a deep sense of loss but with gratitude to

Almighty God that I received the news of the demise
of my mother inlaw, Ahudie Monica Unamma Alaka.
I imagine the grief that must have engulfed the family
Mazi Mark C Oguaju at the vacuum it has created.
For the inlaws.
The Igbos, as do many others in different areas of the
World, believe that children should bury their parents
and not the other way round, No matter in what
direction the adage ends up, there is always sadness in
knowing that you will not see a loved one again, until,
of course, that “Morning”

Ahudie, built a strong foundation of family, friends

and joys that will always last. She was kindhearted,
resourceful, devoted woman and a community leader.
Always prepared to impact Christian values to anyone
who cared to listen.

Your motherliness transcended your family to

especially my wife and children and others which
you have always shown love and given useful advice.

On behalf of your in-laws, I say please the entire

family of Ezeibekwe take heart and accept our
heartfelt condolence and take solace in the fact that
your mother/wife lived a fulfilled life worthy of
emulation.

I can offer nothing else than to wish MAMA a

deserved, peaceful rest and to the entire Ezeibekwe’s
Family, take heart and be courageous.

Mazi Mark C Oguaju

For the in-laws

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 IN THE ALCHEMY OF LIFE, MAMA STILL
LIVES WITH US.
[EULOGY TO AHUDIE, MONICA UNAMMA
ALAKA]

The alchemy of life and indeed life’s transition,

breeds only questions in the minds of us mortal.
FRANCIS U OGUAJU Answers have been proffered by many wise ones so
E/E STUDENT to speak, but unfortunately, such answers have lead to
FEDPONEK. OWERRI. more questions. The conundrum of life and death has
GRANDSON proven intractable to the very best of us humans.
Nonetheless, life will remain and so also will death,
and we must find a point in the great continuum, as to
wherein our solacement lies.

In a recent dream of mine, a dream that was perhaps

prompted by my thoughts about the recent deaths of a
number of good friends. A thought that was rekindled
by the sad news of the death of the matriarch of the
Alaka’s family, Ahudie, Monica Unamma Alaka. I
was struck by the question of what happens to the
memories in the minds of the dead. Good memories,
as well as bad ones. Memories acquired from the
dead’s lifelong experiences. Most importantly, fond,
loving, and sweet memories the kind only a mother
could have of her kids. I wondered in my dreams
whether death is capable of erasing forever memories,
especially of this kind, in the mind of the dead. And
then in the same dream, I found myself instructing
myself that MEMORIES, outlive us. That through
memories we continue to live even after death, haven
cross pollinated our memories with that of others who
still live.

When I woke up, as I pondered the significance of

this dream, I was struck by the primal similarity in the
description of Energy and God, by both fields of
Quantum Physics and Theology. According to
Quantum Physics, everything in the universe is made
up of the exact same thing, energy. Energy can never
be created or destroyed, always was, always has been,

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 and always will be, moving into form, through form
and out of form. Rational theology on it’s part, tells
us that the universe including us humans, was created
by God. And that God is that, that always has, always
been, and always will. That God can never be created
or destroyed, always moving into form, through form
and out of form. Same description.

Theology also tells us that we were created in God’s

own image. Meaning that if God is energy, then we
are made up of energy, beyond the atomic
composition of the human flesh. Meaning also that we
are all connected as spiritual beings made up of
energy, both in life and in what we call death. So that
since God, or if you will, energy, can never be
destroyed, we that were made in his image can never
be destroyed, not even by death. As a result our
memories stays even when we pass on. These
memories allows us to live spiritually through the
people we left physically behind. As result our good
memories lives on, so also our bad ones.

We can therefore not speak of our dear MAMA as

dying. Though she is dead in the realms of physical
understanding, the memories we shared with her still
actively live with us. When one thinks of Ahudie, one
cannot help but think of love, strength, fellowship,
and selflessness in all her dealings with all that she
encountered. These are her qualities that formed the
basis of the memories she created in all of us who
knew her closely. These are the basis through which
she now lives on with us. These are the qualities she
instilled in her offsprings, who she has left with us,
and for whose lives we remain grateful to God and
her.

Mama lived with the great presence of God, and with

such simplicity and greatness that can only be found
in water, and therein lies her magic, her miracle. On a
personal level, mama loved me very much, like one of
her biological children. Mama was always concerned

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 and visibly worried about how I was doing, especially
when I allowed the pressures of living to keep me
from visiting her as often as she would want me to.
Mama I will really miss you. At her departure,
nonetheless, she left us all closer to God, and our
community a better place to co-exist.

We must now stagger on the best we can, only doing

those things that will please our creator who mama
served with exemplary dedication. I must say on
behalf of your grandchildren, good-bye to you our
dear grandma, Ahudie. I imagine the angels are
accompanying you now and I ask them to take good
care of you because you deserve their protection
FRANCIS U OGUAJU
E/E STUDENT
FEDPONEK. OWERRI
For grandchildren

OUR HEART ARE WITH YOU ALL

Grandma,

Thank you for the gift of love,

now you're sharing it up above.
You had many things to say.
All in a caring way.
You always saw good in everyone,
No matter what they've done.
You were always the one we could all lean on.
Even though it must have felt like a ton.
You were always the strength of the family.
Now we must let you rest calmly.
As we say goodbye,
as tears roll down our eyes.
I know your place in heaven has a good view.
Because you're telling God,
I need to keep an eye on a few.
I know you will always be in our hearts and mind.

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So Grandma,
I must go, but I'll never forget you're one of a kind.

May your gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.

KENNETH CHIDIEBERE ALAKA grandson

I
n my heart I carry a prayer of a love, a love so deep

Remember when we normally come for Christmas.

I miss the way you held my hand,

How we played and prayed around you.

I miss the way we stayed up all night catching tales of good fortunes.
Now, that was a sight!

You were a woman bold, and brave

You were a woman of integrity, and dreams.

I remember all sorts of things that we shared together.

But, most of all I remember the happiness you would bring.

CHIGOZIE COLLINS ALAKA grandson

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