Tribute To My Mother By Jibrin Samuel Okutepa SAN

And the sun set. My mum passed on the 22nd December 2017,
exactly 35 years, 14 days that my father died. My father died on
8th December 1982.

What a day. Thank God for the life you lived and for been a
great mother to us. I will miss you Iya. I see your death as a
celebration of life.

Iya you were the Matriarch of Uwani Atuluku Achogba family. You
were the first daughter and first child of Uwani Atuluku Achogba of
the Aju-Ocholi Dynasty of Attah Igala. You were born advocate and
you had answers to every issues raised with you. Iya, you were
named Alewo. You travelled wide in town so the name Alewo. You were
a virtuous woman. You were so good to us.

You lived a very simple life while on earth here and you had no
known enemies to us the children. Since the 8th of December 1982,
when my Dad passed on you had remained in the compound of our
father at Apata and kept the compound alive. You always said you
were watching over the compound of your husband. You called me
‘Oko’ meaning husband. Husband I was to you. But mother you were to
me.

When I saw the lifeless body of this my ‘wife’ posted to me I
was amazed that the matriarch has gone. Three days to your death I
had spoken to you. You were as jovial as ever. You cracked your
usual jokes with me. I called you Alewo Oma Uwani Idenekwu and you
called me Jibrin Oma Okutepa. You did not give me any sign that you
were going home. Now I am a complete orphan. But thank God I’m not
looking for orphanage home to stay. God has done us well.

Iya you were an epitome of humility. You were kind to a fault.
You left at a full and good old age of 103 years. There can be no
better fulfilment than this. You saw us from nothing to something.
Of all your children you suffered for me most. You were in labour
for three (3) days of excruciating pain before you gave birth to me
through a traditional midwife attendant. All hope had gone that you
were going to die during the time you gave birth to me because of
what you went though. You did not die then. You are not even dead.
You just went home to rest. Iya you did not wait to see my 58th
birthday which was just few days to 1st January. I was planning to
celebrate Christmas with you. But now you are no more. Iya go well.
Greet Baba for me. Tell Baba my story.

You know how you attended my swearing as SAN in Abuja on the
26th August 2011. Tell Baba that Oko is now a lawyer and that his
blessing on me when I left for Makurdi on 1st October 1980 has
produced good result. God saw me through to the peak of my career.
There are many stories to tell you, Iya, but you can’t discuss with
me again. Iya, when I went to see your corpse in the mortuary at
the General Hospital Idah, I cracked the usual jokes with you, but
you did not answer me.

I greeted you, you did not answer me. I shed tears but you did
not wipe my tears as usual. I then remembered that your journey on
earth has come to an end. I was with your last born Omika. Normally
where I saw you was not the usual comfortable place I would love
you to be while in life. This life is a journey. It is a market.
You came. You traded and you had us. Am happy to have come through
you. This time last year you were in this world. Today you are in a
better place.

Thank God for your life and for a life well spent. You were such
a faithful mother. Your humility was infectious. I covet your
longevity. You put the cap of longevity on me and the rest of us.
Your legacies live on. Good night Iya

-Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, SAN (Son)

And the sun set. My mum passed on the 22nd December 2017,
exactly 35 years, 14 days that my father died. My father died on
8th December 1982.

What a day. Thank God for the life you lived and for been a
great mother to us. I will miss you Iya. I see your death as a
celebration of life.

Iya you were the Matriarch of Uwani Atuluku Achogba family. You
were the first daughter and first child of Uwani Atuluku Achogba of
the Aju-Ocholi Dynasty of Attah Igala. You were born advocate and
you had answers to every issues raised with you. Iya, you were
named Alewo. You travelled wide in town so the name Alewo. You were
a virtuous woman. You were so good to us.

You lived a very simple life while on earth here and you had no
known enemies to us the children. Since the 8th of December 1982,
when my Dad passed on you had remained in the compound of our
father at Apata and kept the compound alive. You always said you
were watching over the compound of your husband. You called me
‘Oko’ meaning husband. Husband I was to you. But mother you were to
me.

When I saw the lifeless body of this my ‘wife’ posted to me I
was amazed that the matriarch has gone. Three days to your death I
had spoken to you. You were as jovial as ever. You cracked your
usual jokes with me. I called you Alewo Oma Uwani Idenekwu and you
called me Jibrin Oma Okutepa. You did not give me any sign that you
were going home. Now I am a complete orphan. But thank God I’m not
looking for orphanage home to stay. God has done us well.

Iya you were an epitome of humility. You were kind to a fault.
You left at a full and good old age of 103 years. There can be no
better fulfilment than this. You saw us from nothing to something.
Of all your children you suffered for me most. You were in labour
for three (3) days of excruciating pain before you gave birth to me
through a traditional midwife attendant. All hope had gone that you
were going to die during the time you gave birth to me because of
what you went though. You did not die then. You are not even dead.
You just went home to rest. Iya you did not wait to see my 58th
birthday which was just few days to 1st January. I was planning to
celebrate Christmas with you. But now you are no more. Iya go well.
Greet Baba for me. Tell Baba my story.

You know how you attended my swearing as SAN in Abuja on the
26th August 2011. Tell Baba that Oko is now a lawyer and that his
blessing on me when I left for Makurdi on 1st October 1980 has
produced good result. God saw me through to the peak of my career.
There are many stories to tell you, Iya, but you can’t discuss with
me again. Iya, when I went to see your corpse in the mortuary at
the General Hospital Idah, I cracked the usual jokes with you, but
you did not answer me.

I greeted you, you did not answer me. I shed tears but you did
not wipe my tears as usual. I then remembered that your journey on
earth has come to an end. I was with your last born Omika. Normally
where I saw you was not the usual comfortable place I would love
you to be while in life. This life is a journey. It is a market.
You came. You traded and you had us. Am happy to have come through
you. This time last year you were in this world. Today you are in a
better place.

Thank God for your life and for a life well spent. You were such
a faithful mother. Your humility was infectious. I covet your
longevity. You put the cap of longevity on me and the rest of us.
Your legacies live on. Good night Iya

-Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, SAN (Son)