My mother, Agbara Ichie Anna Okwurunirota Azuh’s plan from the get go, and according to what she later told us – her children – was to become a reverend sister, or better put, a Catholic nun. My father, Ichie Azuh Chimezie, however, ended that plan after their paths merged at some point.
A proud mother of nine (although she later lost three, Ijeoma, Aloysius and Augusta), she’s currently in her 60’s and sure deserves most of the accolades for whatever I have become today.
According to her, I arrived around 5:00 a.m. at Mrs. Cecilia Maduako’s maternity home in Abam, Azia. This was on Friday, March 24, 1972. Being that I took long in coming, especially after the loss of my immediate elder sister, Ijeoma and coupled with the fact that I was a male child, her joy knew no bounds.
Ironically, in my adolescent and teenage years, I almost killed her with hypertension on account of my escapades. Yes! I was forever moving in and out of trouble, and can never, never forget the day I brought home a puppy that wasn’t mine, lied to her that a friend whose dog had recently given birth gave it to me, got her to give me money to buy milk for the puppy, which I already named Billy or so, and was generally having a blast, a rave and a groove with the innocent pet until the owners came knocking on our door and raising hell.
Shocked, first and foremost, that I took what wasn’t mine and, secondly, alarmed that I could at that age come up with such a fabulous and creative lie, all she could do in the midst of the sordid drama was to weep.
After the owners of the puppy had taken it away, with profuse apologies from her, my mother, a princess of the Okwologu Royal Family in Ezikulu, Mbosi, Ihiala LGA of Anambra State, placed my little but troublesome head on her bosom, weeping the more and querying why I delighted so much in causing her pain and shame with my obnoxious actions.
Instantly, and still in her firm grips, I promised that the dog incident would be my last. And I thank God that till date, I have never violated or derailed from that solemn promise.
By the way, prior to that encounter, my mother and father used to flog the daylight out of me each time I did what I wasn’t supposed to. At some point, I became accustomed to the flogging and it no longer bothered me. But on that day, rather than descend on me with her cane, or threaten to disown me like my father sometimes did, my mother simply chose to talk to me, appeal to my conscience and thus my turn around.
Industrious, intelligent and inimitable, my mother made money selling akara (bean cake) in Nsukka, now in Enugu State. Premier Group of Schools, in Ukehe, and owned by the father of ex-Governor Okwesilieze Nwodo and former Minister of Information and Ohanaeze leader, Dr. Nnia Nwodo, used to be among her high profile clientele.
I am glad that I have remained her pride and joy. Even though back then, many parents never wanted to associate with me or even find their children in my company. But today, the number of people, in my community, who have named their children after me (Arinze) is incredible.
Peer pressure, bad influence and friends constantly got me to derail until that last encounter that led me here today, an intervention for which I cannot appreciate God and my sweet mother enough. She was indeed my pillar and everything.
Thank you, mummy.
Love you forever.
And Happy Mother’s Day!
NB: Azuh, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine and author, excerpted this from his book, ENCOUNTERS – LESSONS FROM MY JOURNALISM CAREER