“Ngala Kwesili” as our dear mother was fondly called , was born on the 25th day of November 1958, to the late Mr. & Mrs. Alpheus Oranu Okoye of Akpu Abagana village in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State.
She attended Central Primary School, St Peters Anglican Church Abagana from where she proceeded to a catering school in Nimo village where she learnt cake making & cooking. As the last born of her family, she learnt hard work helping her mother Ezinne Justina Okoye in business to sustain their family after the death of her father.
At a very tender age, she got married in 1974, to her husband Mr. Fidelis Nwaobinwa Okeke, a policeman then stationed in Enugu Town and they are blessed with six children.
A woman of excellent upbringing, she quickly realized that the salary of her husband who didn’t believe in giving or receiving bribe would not sustain her family, She enrolled in a fashion and design school in Ziks Avenue, Uwani Enugu & became an entrepreneur by sourcing Garri from Abakaliki and bringing same to sell in Enugu. A gift of sewing machine from her husband and purchase of a wooden charcoal oven from proceeds from her Garri selling business birthed her catering & Tailoring business.
On transfer to Lagos in 1982 due to her husband’s career as a police officer, she took her catering business up a notch by starting a canteen business. Her food was so good that she had too many customers (mostly young bankers on Victoria Island among whom is the famous Tony Elumelu) & the queue most times would extend outside her shop. That business helped see most of her children through school.
Mrs. Okeke demonstrated her doggedness after her business premises on Victoria Island was demolished by the government, she created another opportunity by relocating to Ajah Ultra-Modern Market where she rented two shops at once! despite not having additional money to stock the shop. She quickly grew the business from displaying less than a carton of liquid tin milk to becoming a distributor to many companies like Chi Limited , UAC Foods, British American tobacco (BAT) Beloxxi Industries to mention but a few.
If you are one who enjoys a very good intelligent conversation, then you would have gotten along with our mother had you encountered her! She loved conversing more than food.
A soft spoken, kind, selfless philanthropist, Lady Felicia Ositadimma Okeke (Nee Okoye) was a well-known peacemaker & charismatic leader of women. She was a devoted Catholic who belonged to many societies in the church like Catholic Women’s Organization, CWO, and Confraternity of Christian Mothers. She was honored with the prestigious Ezinne Award (Good Mother) by St. Marks Catholic Church Abagana, & Lady of Church of Assumption, Falomo. She held many leadership positions like Vice President of Abagana Welfare Union (AWU) women’s wing, President, Abagana Catholic Community, Lagos Branch for Nine years.
She would be remembered as a very strong, hardworking Christian woman who supported her husband to raise six graduates and improved the living conditions of both her immediate & extended family.
According to her husband, “she is a woman with the heart of a Man”.
Left to mourn her are:
Ogbuefi Fidelis Okeke Husband
Ukabiala, Francisca.C Daughter
Ifeyinwa Bridget Okeke Daughter
Oluchukwu Anthonia Okonkwo Daughter
Onyinye Maureen okeke-Okoro Daughter
Ogechukwu Fidelis Okeke Son
Ndubuisi Michael Okeke Son
Ukabiala, Kingsley Orji Son-in-law
Kingsley Okonkwo Son-in-law
Mattew Paul Okoro Son-in-law
8 grandchildren, Brother, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews and in laws.