Tribute To Bridget Nwaozomudoh (1947 – 2015)

“YES in joy you shall depart, in peace you shall be brought back, mountains and hills shall break out in songs before you, and all the trees of the countryside shall clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:12
Blessed with six surviving beautiful children, four females and two boys, who are successfully married and engaged, my dear Sister, my only sister and only female in our family of four, Lady Bridget Nwaozomudoh (nee Fejokwu) departed this sinful world on April 1, 2015. She had been married to Mr. Linus Nwaozomudoh since 1969, a retired Commissioner of Police, who lives in Asaba, Delta State, where she died.

Lady Bridget, as she was fondly called, was born into the family of the late George Ogana and Cathrine Nkwo Fejokwu of Onicha-Ugbo, in Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State. She was born in Enugu, where our parents then lived and worked in 1947. She grew up a very beautiful and confident young girl. She relocated to Onicha-Ugbo when hostilities broke out in 1966 and later enrolled in Sacred Heart College, Ubiaja. She completed her Teacher Training at Pilgrim Baptist, Issele-Uku, in 1969.

During the Civil War, her elder brothers, Benedict Fejokwu and Lawrence Fejokwu were in Biafra. Bridget married a young and responsible Police Officer, Mr. Linus Nwaozomudoh. As a young girl, Bridget was reputed to be very courageous, fearless and endowed with a virtuous and dynamic, but no nonsense spirit, exemplified in promoting justice and truth. She traversed Nigeria with her husband. They lived and worked in Calabar, Oshogbo, Benin and Jos from where he retired as a Commissioner of Police. While in service, Mr. Linus Nwaozomudoh had completed a Law degree at the University of Calabar and later attended Law School. They settled in Asaba where her husband established a Law office while she taught for several years in various secondary schools. She also completed her degree programme in Education at the Nmandi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. She later successfully completed a Masters degree from the same university.

Bridget was a very vibrant woman, an extrovert and founded many social organisations. As President of Onicha-Ugbo August Ladies, Asaba, she initiated the development of the Hall at the All Saints Catholic Church, Onicha-Ugbo in the late 90s. As a mobiliser, socialite and activist, always in quest for truth and justice, she was always organising for social justice for the Lord and enrichment of humanity for socio-economic development.

Her sudden departure sent shock waves amongst friends and families in Nigeria and the U.S. In mid 2014, she had a serious heart related problem. As God so much loved her, she miraculously recovered and was back on her feet and returned to her business, a boutique at Asaba, which she established after retirement to keep busy.

On March 21, 2015, she participated actively in a family meeting at Onicha-Ugbo. I had also planned to invite her to participate in the April devotion of the monthly 2000 Hail Mary’s at the All Saints Catholic Church, Onicha-Ugbo. But on March 30, 2015, I received a distress call from my younger brother, Emmanuel that she was in great arthritic pain. She later spoke to me, assuring me of our Father’s righteousness and affirmed she would be healed. Like a thunderbolt, she suddenly flew away on April 1, 2015. What a life!

In retrospect, she departed in peace after receiving final spiritual rites from a Roman Catholic Priest. She died an active Catholic and as proclaimed by Paul in his letter to Timothy; “she fought a good fight, she finished the race” of life successfully and by the special grace of God isnow resting in the bosom of her God in heaven — her deserved home.