Unarguably the oldest living being in Ofante, present day Ogugu in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State goes home after 98 years of impactful existence. With no burden that comes with old age, hale ,healthy and all agile, Mama went to bed and transitioned to eternal glory in the rainy wet month of July, 2024- the day her mission as an earthly saint ended.
Mama Nana-Ojibo Amedu, a paragon of resilience, a woman of steel conviction, an immutable reference of values, was born in 1926 to the family of Ojibo Ekele-aga of Emogodo family in Ofante Ogugu area of Olamaboro Local Government, Kogi State.
She didn’t know her Father, the man died before she was born , so her uncle Ameh Awuru brought her up. She was the last of 6 siblings and last of her generation. A child of destiny she was and this manifested as she met her husband Itodo Amedu who was distantly afar in age. Filled with innocence and potent purity, she lived in absolutely wifely submission to her husband whom together bore eight children. Records showed she lived a very intimate life with her husband as he literally dotted on her in love and reverence.
When her husband died, with measured equanimity, she carried the full responsibility of the family – providing the needed leadership expected of a family head. This she did with fascinating dexterity that she became a pillar reference to other women in Ofante. It was in admiration of these stoic and infectious qualities that endeared her to the villagers and in response, the women bestowed on her a lifetime leadership.
In 1967/68, shortly before the Nigerian Civil War, Mama Nana with the permission of her husband initiated and formed a socio-politica-cultural group called OYA EMOKOLIKO made up of all the wives married to the men of EMOKOLIKO clan. With the pride inherit in these women as noble, virtuous and submissive wives, they move around in self pride and cherished esteem. With a jealously guarded traces, the women are greeted with reverence and respect of IYOGIDI and Eju achuma. The group would later become a cherished group that women from other clans wished to belong and emulate. Mama Nana as the supreme leader of the IYOGIDI and Eju achuma group would be referred to as THE IYE ORIGINAL, IYOGIDI 1.
Since the creation of this noble group in1967/68 , Mama Nana remained the leader . Several times, she had tried to relinquish the position- a move always stoically resisted by the other women. It was in this stead that Mama became the oldest and surviving member of the pioneer members that started the group. Nature was kind to her as she lived in years and agility strengthening and sustaining the group with her institutional memories and divine leadership. With results come more responsibility, Mama would later become the leader of all the women of Emejiga Clan- her immediate family .
Gifted with longevity, vitality and divine wisdom, Mama Nana was until her glorious passage unarguably, one of the oldest living in Ofante. Baked in constricted resilient, she epitomized an unbreakable strength, highly firm in conviction and unmatched hardworking acumen. A disciplinary to a fault , compassionate and canopy reference to people. In her dictionary, the word ‘NO’ does not exist, she is a goal getter and can break the rock to find water! She was an incurable optimist!
In 1992, mama Nana found grace unlimited and gave her life to Christ – since then, the Lord’s domain had been her sanctuary. Sacrificing her time and resources to the work of God. She was modestly instrumental to the building of the church she worshiped -the Christ Apostolic Church and until her death, she lived in full commitment to the doctrines of the church.
Like every mortal, Mama had a taste of life’s vicissitudes, out of her six children, Mama lost two – a sad reality that shook her mentally but not her resolve in the Lord. Rather than being broken, Mama found more strength in the Lord. Blessed with over 26 grandchildren and 38 great grandchildren and four remaining children, Mama lived in fulfillment of a matriarch keeping the family strongly united .
Described as a communal unifier, Mama lived a life of sacrifice and impact , providing leadership in counsel, charting the cause of peace , solving marital and personal squabbles. She was the rallying point in the community. Her home was the resort of both women and men, old and young – until her death. She would never eat when the people around her hadn’t eaten.
Not educated in the western curriculum but Mama was gifted with the curriculum of common sense, innate ingenuity and brilliant wisdom. Her wit could match that of a professor; what she lacked in an empirical classroom situations, she gained in the classroom of wit, wisdom and natural intelligence. To compensate for her absent of a formal education, she canvassed and advocated that every child around her must learn to be educated. In fulfillment of that, she ensured all her children were educated in letters . In her living memories, a school that train people in nursing and health sciences – the Nana College of Nursing Health Sciences, where training of Nursing, Midwifery, Community Health officers, Pharmacy Technicians, Dental Nursing and Public Health Nursing was built in her honour, thus fulfilling an age long wish.
Dealing in petty business, she built a fortress of comfort for her family, harnessing every available business opportunities. Mama was reputed in her early days the enterprising business of grains and kolanut, a veritable venture she used to support her family.
Nature was kind to Mama even in old age, even in her fading end, she didn’t suffer the tools that comes with old age, Mama had her sight intact, intact memory and intelligence. she didn’t lose any tooth and never suffered memory loss. Until her death, she was a pillar of strength to herself – with minimal help and refused using walking stick for support. She enjoyed vitality and abundant grace of God until she went to sleep and slipped to heavenly sleep. She died in peace just as she lived in peace with God and Humanity .
Though, physically gone but her legacies live on in permanent references. Good people like Mama Nana Ojibo don’t die, they live forever, because they have recreated themselves in others. For her legacies shall be passed on from generations to generations.
