Old Umuahia community in Abia state,has celebrated the 2nd oldest woman in the community,Mrs Titi Ugbalu Eluwa Ukpabi, who clocked 100yrs on 27th December, 2023, describing her as a living archive with a sound memory.
The occasion which started with a church service on the 31th of December, 2023, at Divine Call Ministries, Umuovo, Old Umuahia, had its reception at the celebrant’s late husband’s compound.
The birthday celebration which was well attended, witnessed the presence of family members, the community, church members, friends and as well as well wishers.
Speaking shortly after cutting her birthday cake, the celebrant, Mrs Titi Eluwa Ukpabi, said she felt fulfilled that she was able to see her 100yrs, while thanking God for keeping her alive, she appreciated her children, immediate family for organising the birthday for her, adding that the celebration would remain memorable till death.
When asked to compare the current situation of Nigeria to that of her growing up days, she simply said “I am looking for who will take me to Aso rock to see the president and I will tell him that I saw the colonial days,, the Zik of African and Awolowo days, the military days and now democracy, in all, this present situation we find ourselves is my worst days on earth”.
” I can’t believe that we bought the naira with our naira, I can’t believe that bandits can invade a community just like the last one that happened in Plateau on Christmas evil and we are hearing that up to 200 persons died and no arrest, the suffering, poverty and our government not listening to us even when we complained. Nigeria is not better today and I feel sad about it”. She lamented.
She said from the 1960s she was in the same political party with Nnamdi Azikiwe and also with Obafemi Awolowo and all she has been hearing is one Nigeria but nothing to show that we are one Nigeria.
When asked, what she will like to be remembered for, she said “her sound memory, cleanliness and the love shared from her child hood from Eluwa family to Ukpabi family where she got married.
Speaking, one of the members of the family, chief Chidiebere Ariwodo Ukpabi,thanked God for keeping their Aunty alive till the age of 100 years.
He said, it’s always a pleasure being with mama despite her old age.”She is still sound in memory and when ever they are lost of history either that of the family or the large community they go to her and she will give the accurate account of what happened.
“I will remember the mother of the family for her cleanliness and sound mind and if there are issues at the Ukpabi family, we go to her and seek her opinion and she gives satisfactory answers, we value her so much”.
Contributing the first daughter of the centenarian, Mrs Rachael Utorji,said they are three children from their mother still alive.
She said they took their mother unaware in the celebration, adding that as long as the mother lives, she would not forget a day like this. She described her mother as a woman with a computer brain and a living archive. She said till date her mother can still remember vividly her childhood days from age 5
“My mother is blessed with fantastic memory, she will recall and tell you the year, day and time, if she sees you once, in the next five years if she sees you again she will remember you.
“She is the second oldest woman in old Umuahia,, she is intelligent. Till date no lost of memory, she knows the history of old Umuahia and to a large extent that of the entire Umuahia. She is a living archive but unfortunately our people don’t value or appreciate what they have.
One of the wives of the family, Mrs Caro Eluwa, said after her marriage into the family in 2023, she came down with her husband from Lagos, the moment the woman saw her, immediately accepted her with love and gave her the name, Happiness.
“Our big mama is kind, and loving with a sound memory, since we have come to love ourselves I want to thank God for the live she is living and I will continue to pray for God to bless her with more years”.
In their speeches, some relations and other community members, Mr Chibuike Benjamin Eluwa and Mrs Mercy Uzoma, extolled the exceptional quality of the woman they call “Da Titi’.
They described her as a unifier, honest with sound memory and always at peace with all.
In her contribution, a grand daughter of the family, Amarachi Utorji said her gand mother is almost an illiterate but highly exceptional, articulate and naturally intelligent even at old age.
“She fights for justice, she is a giver, she can do anything to make us her grand children happy, she gives no matter how small, she had sold her wrappers before just to take care of people around her. I believe her good nature made God to keep her alive.
