On December 26, 2022, drums would be rolled out by the four giants in Chinye household to celebrate the birthday of a distinguished Octogenarian, loving mother, a matriarch and woman of character and faith, Ezinne Esther Ndidi Chinye (Nee: Uzoka).

Ezinne Chinye invested heavily in discipline and nurturing of all her children and spoke positive words to the children of others.

Reliving on my childhood in my church, the Anglican Communion, I could remember with nostalgia how Mama called my name “Odimita” specially, the right way our forefathers use to pronounce it. She always prophesied and spoke positively into my future. I might not have arrived financially to gift him a befitting 85th year big birthday present, however, my pen has not ran dry to drop an eulogy for a legendary mother of all.

She painstakingly raised four great icons whom I call ‘The Chinye Giants’, who are now part of the big names oiling Nigeria’s Wheel of progress; Sir Chuma Chinye (The Obuzor of Ezechime) and a fine breed politician, Mr. Nkem Chinye, a businessman, Dr. Bone Efoziem Chinye, a successful private security doyen, Hon Nnnabundo Chinye, an accomplished politician and man of the people and two amiable ladies.

Her commitment to the work of God is unparalelled. Her family is among the families who invested financially and materially in the church of God, the Anglican communion in Onicha-Ugbo. No wonder God showered her with blessings of longevity, for her commitment to the service of God is noteworthy. She taught her children how to lift the less privileged people without complaining.

Mama, an accomplished and retired school teacher is blessed by God with outstanding eloquence and well-polished Queens’ English. Her concerned for the well-being of other people’s children is out of this world. She transferred her virtue of not letting any person down to her children.

On one occasion I had a chat with one of her son’s, Hon Nnabundo, he told me he lacked words to describe her mother and simply said to me: “My mum has strong faith in God and believes that there is nothing impossible with God. She believes that hard work is the only key to academic excellence.”

Our prayer is that mama’s remaining years on earth would be filled with happy memories and good health. Join me to wish this great amazon a great slice of Happy Birthday.

God bless mama indeed.

Odita Sunday is an International Award Winning Journalist, Author, Businessman and Humanitarian.