My mum epitomised honour, industry – ANSPOLY Rector

By Mathew Onwuasoanya
 
THE Rector of Anambra State Polytechnic (ANSPOLY) Mgbakwu, Dr. Nneka Mefor, has described her late mother, Mrs. Agnes Onyechi, as an epitome of rare honour with uncommon devotion to industry throughout her lifetime.
 
Dr. Mefor stated this at Umuezeobodo, Uru Ajilija Village in Ogidi, Idemmili-North L.G. A. of Anambra State during her funeral oration for Late Agnes Onyechi on Thursday.
 
According to her, though their mother lost her husband, Late Chief Christopher Onyechi rather so early, she was undaunted by the burden of widowhood while raising her children alone.
 
“My mom lived a life that everybody, particularly women, should emulate in raising their children. She showed that with very little resources, but with sufficient prudence, one can still give all the good things of life, not necessarily ostentation, to her children. She made honour, industry and fear of God her cornerstone.
Her strength of character remains our bastion wherever we go or whatever we do; we can’t appreciate our mum enough. We owe her duty of living to the bill according to what she invested in all of us, and I encourage other women to do so in their families in their lifetime,” Mefor said.
 
Earlier in his homily at the burial service of Late Agnes with the theme “Seek for God,” Vicar of St. Mary’s Anglican Church Ogidi, Rev. Eli Nwokoma admonished people to celebrate their parents in their lifetime, adding that doing so even accords to God’s commandments.
 
According to him, the trend of neglecting parents while they go through the throes of old age only to convoke ostentatious and extravagant funeral rites for them is not only deplorable, but constitutes sin.
 
Rev, Nwokoma therefore cautioned people to seek for God in all they do, beginning from loving and caring for the aged in society, without counting the monetary cost of doing so, noting that quest for material wealth has led many astray and into disastrous ends — including initiation into the occultic world.
 
Speaking in an interview, Public Relations Officer of ANSPOLY, Mr. Chukwuanu Okagbue, poured his eulogies for the Rector’s late mother, saying she can be mirrored in her daughter’s life ethics.
“Although I did not have the privilege of being conversant with Late Madam Agnes Ifeoma Onyechi for so long, the much I have seen from her daughter, our amiable rector, Dr. (Mrs) Nneka Mefor, tells me that her mother must be a woman of rare candour, humility and other sterling virtues of womanhood.
Like the saying ‘behind every successful man is woman,’ so also I add that behind every respectful daughter is a mother. That’s why the entire ANSPOLY community is here in our number to show solidarity, to identify with our own No. 1 in her mourning time.
 
Chairman of ANSPOLY Board, Prof Chukwuemeka Omaliko and Registrar and Secretary to Governing Council, Dr. Samuel Uzo Nnanna led a high power delegation of ANSPOLY to the event.