BIOGRAPHY OF MADAM MERCY UKAMAKA OKAFOR (NEE ANOSA)

Madam Mercy Ukamaka Okafor was born in 1945 as the first daughter of the first Christian couple in Ezinkwo Village, Iruebenebe Village, Ndiabor, 0joto, Ogbuefi Victor Obumneme Anosa [Anameneolisa] and his wife Madam Alice Nnuife Anosa. Mercy was the fifth and only girl of the six children from this marriage. Her siblings were Joseph Chukwunyelu Anosa, Shedrack Anosa, Godwin Anosa,Victor Onwubalili Anosa, and Emmanuel Odinakachukwu Anosa, but Godwin and Shedrack died in infancy.

As our parents were early converts to Christianity, Mercy and her siblings were brought up with the characteristic fervor of new converts to live within an enclave of dominant heathenism and associate with its adherents but maintain a barrier between heathen worship and the practices expected of Christians.Maintaining this divide was made easier because over 80% of the children of the heathen parents in our time had also converted to Christianity and went to Church and school with us.

Miss Mercy went to Enuogwugwu Central School and completed standard six in 1960. Growing up as a young girl, she was a feminist in today's terms, with a firm belief in equal respect for men and women. The daughter of the lead wrestler in our kindred, our father Victor Obumneme Anosa, she was strong and would not be intimidated by her age mates, male or female. She sang in the Church choir as we all did, and was an active member of the youth organizations in St. Barnabas Church, Ojoto.

She got married to Mr. Joseph 0kafor of Ngogwugwu Village at the end of her last year in primary school and accompanied her husband to Nguru in Northern Nigeria where they lived until the political crisis in 1966 when she returned home with her husband and children.

She was widowed íin her twenties and had to bring up her five children at Onitsha, initially as a dealer in foodstuffs, and later as a caterer at the famous Onitsha Main Market where she was popularty known as Nwanyi Ojoto. She was also contracted to cook food at numerous private functions like burials and marriages. Her toughness, high sense of responsibility, honesty, friendliness and kind heartedness enabled her to house and feed her five children, and send them to primary and secondary schools, and three of her daughters to the university, all on her own without assistance, Her successful catering services enabled her to first build a two bedroom bungalow for her family, and later a duplex both of which are standing today. She saw a bit of theworld in 1982, accompanying her senior brother to London, and to Davis and Sacramento, California, with tickets paid for by herself.

Nwanyi Ojoto was kind hearted and loving to everybody, and generous with the food she cooked. She played the role of Ada Fikito Anosa pertectly, helping to train some of her siblings and helping to maintain peace in the family.

She had a long battle with illness for over ten years, and in all that she was full of falth, hope and tolerance. ln search of good health, her children lived up their responsibilities and even sent her to hospitals in India which helped to prolong her life by many years. In December 2021, she spent a memoratble and beautiful two weeks of Christmas and New Year in her father's compound, in what we didn't realize was a farewell visit shared with her beloved brother and the rest of the Anosa family. In January 2023, she answered the final callvery suddenly after a crisis of just two days.

We shall miss her love, her kindness, her mature advice and her love of peace.

SHE IS SURVIVED BY:

CHILDREN:

Mrs. Charity Ufondu

Mrs. Gloria Oby Okoli

Chief Darlington Okafor (Ebube Ojoto)

Mrs. Chinelo Obiokafor

High Chief Frank Okafor (lgwulube ldemili North and South)

SONS IN-LAW:

Victor Obiokafor

DAUGHTERS IN-LAW:

Blessings Okafor

Chingo Okafor

GRAND CHILDREN:

Chisom Ufondu

Adanna Obi-Okafor

lIfunanya Nwadili (Nee Ufondu)

Precious Okoli (lkechukwu)

Tochukwu Ufondu

Wnners (Kamsy) Obi-0kafor

Ifunanya Okafor

Victor Obi-0kafor

Sonia Obi-Okafor

Nzube Okafor (Eden)

Princess Okafor

Kosiso Ufondu

Justice Okafor

Emeka Okafor

Mmesoma Okafor

Victor Okafor (Cruz)

Emmy Okafor (Amiee)

Emerie Okafor

David Okoli

Davina Okoli

BROTHERS & SISTERS:

Prof. Victor O. Anosa (Ugomuta Ojoto),

Other Brothers & Sisters.

NEPHEWS:

|Dr. George Anosa

Mr. Ikenna Anosa

Mr. lzunna Anosa

Mr. Chidalu Anosa

NIECES:

Mrs. Ngozi Alika (Nee Anosa)

Mrs. Uju Ndumelue (Nee Anosa)

Mrs. Ifeoma Anosa

Mrs. Ogochukwu Nwadili (Nee Anosa)

Mrs. Chidinma Ajaegbo (Nee Anosa)

And Many Others Relatives