Christy Anyanwu
Grace Egbagbe is a style icon, who rose to become the Director of Marketing at the Nigeria Television Authority, before she retired. Ever graceful and delectable, she stands out as an epitome of beauty and brain. Egbagbe is a lawyer and graduate of the University of Buckingham. Recently, her mum clocked 90 years. Egbagbe, who has been off the Nigerian social scene for quite some time because she is out of the country, spoke with Sunday Sun in a telephone chat about one week after her mum’s birthday.
Please give us a snapshot of your mum?
My mum is a quintessential sweet mother. She is Chief (Mrs) Kate Egbagbe of Okpekpe. She turned 90 years on April 5, 2019.
Where is your mum?
She is in the village, Okpekpe in Edo State.
At 90 is she still strong?
Yes. My mum is healthy.
What are the wishes you have for her?
I wish is the Lord God who has kept her this long will for more years so that she can enjoy more of our love. I pray that God keeps her healthy to continue showing the affection she has for her children, grandchildren and great grand children.
Who is her favourite among her children?
She loves all of us equally because we are all her children and we are surrounded with a lot of love from both parents.
How close are you to your mum?
Very close, she is my mother, the only mother I have.
You are successful in your career, what would you say to your mum about that?
I’m very proud that she raised a child like me (and my siblings too because they are equally doing well).
What makes her stand out as a mother?
She is very firm on unity and wants all her kids to be close and love each other and look out for each other.
You are a stylish woman. Did you take that aspect from your mum?
People say that I look like my mum and even at 90 she is very stylish. But so was my dad, who was my idol, a true officer and a gentleman.
What advice of did your mum give and which you have still held on to?
She said that we should as much as possible love each other and try to tell the truth as much as we can.
What position are you among her children?
I am the oldest and as the oldest the onus was on me to set a good exampled, because being bad was not an option.
What do you still remember about your mum while growing up?
My mum is a loving, stay-at-home wife and mother. My dad was a disciplinarian but whenever we misbehaved, my mum would say, “Wait until your dad comes back home, I’m going to tell him.” That word usually kept us in check. I still remember when we were in Warri, she used to make for my sister and I nice frilly dresses at Christmas and Easter periods. Her soup was something to look forward to because she could cook.