By Bright Onuoha
Eulogies and tributes flowed like a river as a great Matriarch and Amazon of high distinction, prestige and repute, Late Madam Cecilia Chikerumwo Tobin Wegwu (Nee Aganwor) was committed to mother earth on Saturday 11th October 2025 at Wegwu’s compound in Rumuwhehia-nu-Ikpo in Rumuokocha Choba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, at 81 years.
Late Madam Cecilia Wegwu was a woman of strong admiration and character said to have passed unto glory on Sunday 14th September 2025 after sharing a sumptuous dinner with her husband, Elder Tobin Wegwu, who both retired to bed before the inevitable occurred at about 11pm.
An episode worthy of mention was when her father, Late Mr. Moses Agbaraike Agwanwor enrolled her in State School, Choba for primary education, but in a dramatic turn of events, pulled her out owing to the incessant whipping and stern discipline of erring pupils, invariably because of the deep emotional attachment tied to her.
An accomplished farmer and petty trader who specialized in mainly food stuffs like garri, yams, etc, the deceased travelled extensively to neighboring Ikwerre and Etche speaking communities, and in the course of her farming expedition in an area best described as Ohiamini (rain forest) in Omuihuechu village, Aluu, in July 1996 encountered and overpowered a ferocious python snake, killed it, leaving blood stains on her. This gallantry stride earned her much respect and admiration amongst her peers, contemporaries, women folk and the inhabitants of Aluu farming community, a feat no one else has attained till date, thus becoming the first woman to hold that position.
A virtuous wife and mother, Madam Wegwu ventured into early marriage at a tender age of 15 years, first to Mr. Herbert Ogbonda Ndeji of Rumungari Wakamma of Owhipa-Choba and produced 3 brave children, with just one survivor, Happiness Edejir-Oka, the marriage however collapsed which led to her second marriage with Elder Tobin Wegwu in 1970 and have been married to him till the day of her demise. The union produced 10 children with 5 survivors. Born into a solid and devoted Anglican home, late Cecilia was baptized at Holy Trinity Anglican Church Choba on the 23rd of June, 1949, and took her first Holy Communion on 18th October 1983, she was also a member of girls guide and choir respectively.
Her enormous and immense contributions to the growth and development of the church earned her the title of “Ezinne” which literally means (A-Mother-In-The-Church) in 1992.
In a glowing tribute, her husband referred to her as “Oga”, a name he fondly calls her expressing shock at her demise. In his words, “it is unbelievable dream”. He recounted how they were together sharing time and relieving moments, retired to bed subsequently before the ugly omen took place, he then prayed for the peaceful repose and acceptance of her soul.
Similarly, first daughter, Mrs. Happiness Egejiri-oka, Henry-Ihunda of the University of Port Harcourt extolled the sterling virtues of her dear mother, describing her “shift to glory” as a “heavy blow” and “sudden wound”, but took solace from the book of ecclesiastics 3:1 which pertly reads: “there is a time for everything under heaven”, revealing that the matriarch was both “father, mother and guide”.
In a chat, Mrs. Henry-Ihunda said her mother was a dancer extraordinary, peace-lover, bridge-builder and a beacon of hope to the down trodden.
In an emotion laden-tribute, first son in-law and husband of the first daughter Dr. Henry-Ihunda expressed sadness and pains at her demise, stressing the care and love shown to his family, and said the vacuum created by her passage cannot be closed in the family. The event attracted the crème de crème in Choba community, Obio/Akpor LGA and Rivers State.
