Emotional tributes by Late Amaka Igwe’s husband & children + more photos from her burial

Emotional tributes by Late Amaka Igwe’s husband & children + more photos from her burial

Late Nollywood filmmaker Amaka Igwe was laid to rest last Friday, June 13 in Ndiuche Arondizuogu, Imo State. Pictured above are her husband and kids - Charles, daughter Ruby, and sons Daniel and David, trying so hard to be strong. 

See more photos from the burial and their emotional tributes to her below:

Tribute by husband Charles Igwe
Amaka,

Thank you for the memories, for the joy, for the grace evident in you, the passion for God, for the truth, for life, for doing right, for loving, for creating, for giving, for caring, for family, for making memories and you did make memories, for me, for our children, for family, for the nation, for the world.

I am thankful for the times we had together and for the gift you were to me and to this world. I am grateful to God for sharing in this world with you. I do know you have peace now, free from the labours of our world, present in the majesty and light of our Lord, for whom you lived and in whom you moved and had your being.

I will see you again, we will see you again. This is to say I miss you and our children miss you.

However I say thank you, my life with you was an amazing life. Till we meet again… Charles

Tribute by Ruby Igwe
We are all here this evening grieving Amaka Igwe, who we loved, and were inspired, influenced, or maybe intimidated by. I also know that there are many here who she, by God’s grace; mothered, trained, and raised.

I’m sure you will agree that our mother had a unique spirit.

Her priorities may have seemed infuriatingly odd because they were so, so different. The steps to success society has defined for us were of little to no consequence to her. However, she left this Earth as one of the most successful people I have ever known.

She was a professional, and she touched lives, yet she remained humble, and discreet. She never considered herself to be a know it all. However, she never sold herself short. What she knew, she knew, and what she didn’t know, she gave credit to those who knew.

Her contributions to the creative industries were in lieu of a much bigger picture. She received a passion and talent from God, and she utilised it, became an expert, and did not hesitate to share her expertise. How she spread her wealth of knowledge is baffling.

People have been calling me saying, “Your mother taught me everything I know.” In 51 years? How Mummy, did you teach so many people everything they know? Yet she would always say to her students, “I will teach you everything I know, so you can add it to what you know and be better than me.” I’m thinking, how?

When you didn’t compromise on your children, or your marriage, or your family; how did you manage to teach so many people everything they know, work wise, and otherwise? And it can’t be that they don’t know a lot, as they are all so successful! How then, did you manage it all?

I don’t know the specifics fully. But I do know, that in this life, we will be fine. It is still well, even now, even in this loss, this great, great loss. We will all be phoenixes in that in this death, in this separation from Amaka Igwe on this Earth, we will rise. We will learn.

We will be inspired and influenced. Because she has done, we will do. Tonight, we remember to never forget that it is possible to make a mark, while making memories. It is possible to give our all in all we do.

And it is possible to identify with God and for it to be a great strength, and not a hindrance.

I will end with a letter I wrote to my mum.

Hey Mummy.

I miss you. So much. More than I can ever fully express in words. I must tell you though that I am mourning your absence. Not your present location. Oh that, I am so proud of, joyful in, and grateful for. I am going to see you again by the special grace of God. My only sadness is that it won’t be very soon.

You were, and are, my mother. It’s more than that though. You were my best friend, my partner in crime. You don’t find that kind of love just anywhere. You were my teacher, and my confidant. You were also my support when I needed to be yelled at, or reminded of who I am, or simply babied. We were the girls’ squad that marshalled Dad, and David and Dani.

Now I’m a one-man team.

What do I miss exactly? You being around. My house is empty, my phone is neglected. Someone yelling, Ruboo! Or Esita, or Abosede, or David, or Puttiman, or Juli, or Aachaki! Or yelling just because you haven’t seen us in a while. I miss our talks, the ones on the white chairs, on the red chairs, on the stairs… I miss bringing you your cheque book. I miss bringing you a snack. I miss your hugs. I miss you Mum. I’m going to live with it, though. I don’t know how I’ve done it this one-month and some days, so it fits that I have no idea how I’m going to go the rest of my life without you.

But there is a God. So I am not afraid. It is still well. Thank you for not treating me differently from your students, thank you for throwing me in at the deep end early, and teaching me to be responsible, and resilient, and reliable. I think you are an astonishing woman who has broken barriers, set standards and has established a can-do attitude for many.

You have inspired me to continue to stand for integrity and the right morals, and to keep pushing and keep standing in the face of the ever-evolving strategies of adversity. I look up to you as a role model, and I know that your efforts for my, your and our country will not be in vain. Thank you for being one of the scarce but incredibly intense lights that this country is privileged to have. Thank you for always wanting to be the best you could be. Thank you for being a woman of un-pretentiousness and open frankness.

I appreciate you for being the best possible mother for me.

This is my unadulterated nineteen-year-old Nigerian girl honor to you, and in conclusion I just want to let you know that because you could, I can; and because you have done, I will do.

I miss you. More than I can ever put in words.

But know that I am coming.

Yours truthfully,

Ruby Igwe

The three-term lawyer, and barrister to be.

Tribute by David Igwe
A Model Mum
“Who can find a virtuous wife?

For her worth is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband safely trusts her;

So he will have no lack of gain

She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life”

My mum was a wife, a woman who stood by my dad, an adviser to the head of the family. My dad definitely trusted my mum, she was trustworthy, a woman of excellence. From the beginning to the end, though there were arguments, my mum never caused my dad evil; instead she strived to make a positive impact on everyone around her.

“She girds herself with strength,

And strengthens her arms

She perceives that her merchandise is good,

And her lamp does not go out by night”

My mom was very hardworking. If she did not go out to her office, she was at home, doing something just so she could provide for us, along with my dad.

“She extends her hands to the poor,

Yes she reaches out to the needy.”

My mom had chosen to help people in need. Though some people took it for granted, she actually provided for a lot of people under her, not just family. Her charity stretches to the ends of Nigeria and beyond.

“She opens her mouth with wisdom,

And on her tongue is the law of kindness.”

My mom was a person you could talk to, about anything from girls to school to God. She had wisdom flowing out of her, and it washed the heads of us people around her, and soaked into our minds. She told us many stories with morals, and never failed to teach us new things. She wanted us to be amazingly smart, and knowledgeable, at the same time humble.

“She watches over the ways of the household

And does not eat the bread of idleness”

My mom was a person of principle. The rules she laid down in the homes she resided are what molded my siblings and I into what we are today. They were carved out in our brains, so that we could carry it wherever we go.

“Her children rise up and blessed;

Her husband also and he praises her

Many daughters have done well,

But you excel them all

Not only her blood children, but her spiritual children in whom she formed a motherly bond to, and taught them and raised them and even some who rebuked her know that my mom blessed. My dad would say too that my mum was successful and that she was blessed in everything she did.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,

But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder’ a phrase my mom said a lot. As a beholder, I saw my mom as beautiful, and amazing, regardless of all other thoughts, and my mom feared the Lord and indeed she deserved to be praised and she was.

Give her of the fruit of her hands,

And let her own works praise her in the gates”

My mom always said death isn’t physical, but a physical separation from God, so surely I know my mum goes to present our truckloads of good works to the Almighty; all her physical achievements, all the lives she has touched, the spirits she called to Christ, he will surely say.

Oh God and faithful servant, come and receive your crown, and your robes, and dwell in my house forever.

Adieu the love of my life, until we meet again (Adapted from Proverbs 31:10-31)

Tribute by Daniel IgweMy mum, words cant express my feelings. I am sad because I could not repay everything you have done for me. From my birth you have cared and loved me. I am sad that you could not have had more time on this earth. I know you have gone to a better place for sure. I’ll see you when I get there. Wait for me. Puttimandoo

Photos from the burial