• Ex-minister Ogah, siblings celebrate Golden Mother in seeming canonisation
From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Ezinne Paulina Ogbonne Ogah, the matriarch of the Late Wilson Ahamefula Ogah family of Onuaku, Uturu in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State possessed qualities of saints during her life time.
Even in her last days, she still displayed those traits that could only be ascribed to saints. For instance, an account of her last moments, written by her son, Okechukwu Ogah, said: “ A day before her passing, she had visited some of her neighbours in the village, given out most of her farm produce, invited some of the younger women in the village, offered some advice, and gone to her husband’s house to offer prayers.”
According to the family, she died peacefully in the early hours of Friday, May 31, 2024, after her morning prayers and while listening to her favourite hymns-Ebenezer. Born January 25, 1944, she was 80.
Ezinne Paulina was the mother of serial investor and former Minister of State for Trade, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah; member of House of Representatives for Isuikwuator/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Amobi Ogah, and many others.
The family was grateful to God that their matriarch witnessed the sunshine but most grateful for the glorious sunset. To them, they witnessed her little beginning and “we are happy that you saw your abundant latter end. Just like the biblical Job, the Lord blessed your latter end more than your beginning.”
Madam Ogah’s wish was that she should be buried the same day she died, but the leadership of First African Gospel Mission Church of Nigeria (FAGM), where she and her late spouse served God honourably, pleaded with the family to enable them participate in her burial. Hence, her remains were interred the next day, being June 1, 2024.
Then, the Ogahs and the church set aside December 29, 2024, for the celebration of the life and times of their departed Golden Mother. Indeed, nothing was left undone in the lavish ceremonies that lasted for one week culminating in a thanksgiving service.
Prelate of First African Gospel Mission Church of Nigeria, Archbishop John Maduka, alongside the former Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Kanu Uche, the present Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Oliver Ali Abah, and 100 other ministers of God as well as teeming members of the First African Gospel Mission Church of Nigeria, graced the event.
The activities at First African Gospel Mission Church of Nigeria, Our Lord’s Cathedral, Onuaku, built for the church by the Ogahs, where the service held, were every inch solemn. They recreated the emotions captured in the timeless classic: “When the Saints Go Marching In,” probably elevated to funeral jazz by the Louis Armstrong’ celebrated version.
In fact, what happened at Onuaku was akin to canonisation of Ezinne Ogah. Gospel music sensation, Chioma Jesus, had a spectacular performance during the service while the ever-electrifying Chinyere Udoma thrilled guests at the reception.
The high and mighty in Nigeria were on hand to witness the momentous occasion. Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Nkeiru Onyejiocha, represented President Bola Tinubu. Governors Alex Otti (Abia), Peter Mbah (Enugu) and Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim; Works Minister, David Umahi; former Transportation Minister, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi; former Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and wife, Nkechi; Sen. Austine Akobundu, Sen. Kelvin Chukwu, Sen. Bassey Albert, Sen. Obinna Ogba, Sen. Michael Amah Nnachi, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa and Sen. Emma Nwakpa, were present.
Others were Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (Rtd), Acho Obioma, Chief Chris Odinaka, AIG Ibrahim Magu (Rtd), Mele Kyari, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, Chief Ifeanyichukwu Odii (Anyichuks), Kanayo O. Kanayo, Chief James Umeh, Toby Okechukwu, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ujam, Mazi Nnamdi Udoh, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, Nnamdi Ezeigbo (Slot Group), Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Stanley Ohajuruka, Dr. Emeka Wogu and Emeka Atuma
From the House of Representatives came Idu Igariwey, Anayo Onwuegbu, Chidi Obetta, Ginger Onwusibe and Alex Ikwechegh, among others.
During his sermon, Archbishop Maduka welcomed everyone to the special Sunday, the last in 2024. He said that Ezinne Ogah, though human, lived a Godly life, adding that she lived for the church and others.
The prelate explained that it was in recognition of her dutiful work for God and humanity that the church consecrated her as ‘The Golden Mother,’ the only ever in the church. In addition, she was the only female member of the church’s Board of Trustees.
“As I said in my tribute, Mama saw a greater glory and she went for it. Mama saw no temple yet she went for heaven, indicating why we should seek the kingdom of God. She knew that it was a better place.
“I knew the mother of this our matriarch, she lived for 130 years and she (Mama) was the one that nurtured her. So, for Mama to transit this way, there must be something she knew more than us.
“The Ogah family should take heart. In fact, you did all you were supposed to do as children. You provided her everything, including security, car, name it.
“I know that one day, we are all going to give account of ourselves. So, let’s give our lives to God,” Prelate Maduka admonished the congregation.
In an abridged biography of Ezinne Ogah, the family said that she demonstrated beyond doubt all the attributes of a virtuous woman as contained in Proverbs chapter 31. Aside loving her late husband, children and neighbours, they said that other people’s problems were hers.
“She had a rare spirit of forgiveness and hard work and industry. The Almighty God endowed her with gift of giving and sharing. Our mother fed her friends and foes. There is no doubt that she must have fed angels. I recall those days during visit of Ministers of God to the Church in Onuaku, when Mama would kill her choicest cock to entertain them. She also had the special gift of cooking which often takes a very few minutes. Mama had the special gift of singing from the Almighty God and she was a great intercessor,” the biography said.
It further narrated that life was not easy for them, especially during and after the 30-month Nigeria civil war, noting that two things – their grandfather’s death and the war, disrupted the family.
Okechukwu continued: “My grandfather had a very large compound but it was destroyed during the war. In fact, the whole of Onuaku was destroyed because it was said to have played some strategic role during the war.
“There was an airstrip here which was used for receiving relief materials. The Radio Biafra was here. In fact, we found some remnants of it in the bush as children. It wasn’t easy, yet, she laboured to see us through.”
The Ogahs also highlighted what their mother taught them. They said she taught them great and good virtues: love, fairness, humility, generosity, forgiveness, the fear of God, service to God and mankind, patience, hard work and the dignity of labour.
“Many of us had big farms (yam, rice, etc), we set traps to fetch extra income, sold “agidi” and “akamu,” and wood. We also worked in the palm plantations. In the good days of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, we sold water and groundnut and performed other menial jobs to make ends meet.
“Many of us will not believe it that even the former minister had a farm in the village. That’s what mama taught us,” he said.
To Okechukwu Ogah who told the short story of their mother, “we believe that she fought a good fight and kept the faith.”
When it was the turn of the House of Representatives member, Amobi Ogah, to speak, he appealed for financial and material support to help their church grow, noting that it was one of the wishes of their late mother.
“We want people to come and support the church in any manner. The church needs support in any nature whether bus, cement, the church is doing evangelism. As at today, this seems to be the cathedral but it needs to grow in other places. That was one thing our mother told us, to ensure that this church grew. We have been doing much as a family but we need support from outside.
“My senior brother, the former minister is here to kickstart it. He has been the pillar of this church, he has been the pillar of the family, he has been the pillar of this community. He’s not God but we worship him as God,” Amobi said.
Founder/president of Masters Energy Group, Uchechukwu Ogah, then took over. He expressed appreciation to the guests for standing by the family. He noted that support had not ceased coming from different quarters.
He said: “When we sent out message that we wanted to celebrate our mum, some of our friends opened an account and raised some money. That’s the kind of thing we used to do. They know that we are comfortable so, we are using that money on the church.
“Before our mother died, there was a church, First African Gospel Mission Church we were building at Umunze, in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, the church has reached a reasonable stage.
“So, we are from that money sending N50m to ensure its completion. We have an outgoing prelate, we are giving him N10m, and we have a prelate-elect, we are giving him N10m from that money.
“Our friends have tried and I am saying that that money for the church must be used in the completion of the Umunze church. If you have any difficulty, don’t hesitate to reach us.”
It is noteworthy that the immediate past prelate of Methodist Church, Dr. Uche joined the Prelate of First African Gospel Mission Church, Archbishop Maduka, in praying for the Ogahs.
Before then, the emeritus Prelate Uche noted that the Methodist Church has had a good working relationship with the First African Mission Church, especially in the Okigwe Diocese. He said that the church also installed Mama as Ezinne in Methodist Church.
“This family is supporting evangelism without boundary. The bus I used while in office as Methodist Prelate was donated by this family,” he disclosed.
In his brief remark at the thanksgiving service, Gov. Otti extolled the exemplary life lived by the matriarch of the Ogah family.
He said: “Listening to the tributes and some of the things that had been said before today, I want to say that she had done her part and gone to be with the Lord. To me, she has come, seen, and conquered. So, I will not ask you not to mourn, but don’t mourn as people without hope.”
Significantly, the burial ceremonies of Ezinne Paulina Ogbonne Ogah, came with multiple blessings to the community, state and Nigeria. Three key projects, namely, Wilsons Hotels and Resort, Masters 105.9 FM and Wilson & Paulina Hospital, were commissioned in memory of their parents, late Mazi Wilson and Mrs Paulina Ogah.
Commissioning the facilities, Otti commended the ex-minister’s interest in expanding the frontiers of development in the state.
His Ebonyi counterpart, Francis Nwifuru, in his speech, invited the foremost industrialist to extend his key investments to Ebonyi State.
“We want you to come and build one of your factories in Ebonyi because we have given you road, so we want you to give us a production factory,” he said.