By Emmanuel Onwubiko
“A mother’s love for her children should never be underrated or questioned.” – Byron Pulsifer:
“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” – Agatha Christie:
One of the first media statements that I read today was that poetic and profoundly philosophical piece done by the Chief Whip of the Senate Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on his Lovely Mother.
I have heard and read quite a lot about the Mother of Orji Uzor Kalu and uniquely, the idea conveyed to me about her is that she played the role that is reminiscent to that which Saint Monica played to shape the weltashauung of her Son Augustine who would later become one of the greatest intellectuals in the World and a Saint now known as Saint Augustine of Hippo.
Anyone who wishes to understudy the phenomenal stature of good mothers should go read the story about Saint Monica. We often don’t remember that politicians indeed have Mothers. So the Senator took time off his crowded schedules to do a beautiful media statement on his biological Mother.
The former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Kalu described his mother and President of Reality Organization Worldwide, Elder (Chief) Mrs Eunice Uzor- Kalu as a woman of substance with passion for humanity.
Extolling the virtues of his mother, the former Governor acknowledged the selfless and remarkable roles she has played in advancing the cause of people through her philanthropic gestures.
Kalu stressed that his mother has over the years built large followership owing to her commitment to service of humanity, adding that she is a rallying point for the womenfolk beyond her community.
The former Governor made these assertions in a birthday message to his mother.
Kalu praised God for granting his mother the grace to celebrate yet another birthday in sound health.
He said, “I am delighted to celebrate my dear mother, Elder (Chief) Mrs Euince Uzor- Kalu on her birthday.
“Odi Uko Na Mba has been a pillar of support to many people beyond the shores of Nigeria.
“She is charismatic, courageous, selfless, kind hearted, energetic, caring and above all committed to the service of humanity.
“God has blessed my mother with successful children, who are all doing well in their endaevours.
“I am eternally grateful to God for giving me a good, dependable and supportive mother”.
Kalu while praying to God for a longer life for his mother wished the celebrant a joyous birthday celebration.
These words of adulation showered on his mother by one of the most high ranking snd famous Senators in Nigeria Senator Orji Uzor Kalu struck me for a number of reasons.
The first is that I too love my Mother Mrs. Caroline Adaudensi Onwubiko passionately and adore her a whole lot. Infact in terms of rating, My mother comes next after God.
The second lesson is to show that no matter how powerful and influential politicians are, they too have Mothers. Politicians aren’t different from any of us because they too were once babies abd toddlers and so aren’t characters that dropped from another planet. In this case, Politicians know our feelings, our sensitivities and our necessities. They are just as human as we are.
The Mother of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is one lady that has gained fame for playing positive roles in shaping the political ideology of her very successful Son and his other siblings who are equally very successful.
As it’s notorious in our clime, anyone who has attained phenomenal fame is often a good attraction for haters who have nothing good to say about them due to poverty of information, pure mischief and/ or lack of respect for ethics.
We will return to mention one dangerous insinuation made in a book by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on his book – MADE IN ABA.
Senators Abaribe and Orji Uzor Kalu are both my friends but I think Senator Abaribe was uncharitable to have dragged the mother of Orji Uzor Kalu into his political rivalry with Senator Kalu. That much I told him.
We will return to take an excerpt from that widely sold book by Senator Abaribe but now we will speak to the issues of some virtues of Mama Orji Uzor Kalu who to me represents the symbol of a good mother.
The meaning of being a mother (www.hellomotherhood.com) is virtually endless. A mother is a protector, disciplinarian and friend. A mother is a selfless, loving human who must sacrifice many of their wants and needs for the wants and needs of their children. A mother works hard to make sure their child is equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to make it as a competent human being. Being a mother is perhaps the hardest, most rewarding job a woman will ever experience.
From the day they are born, a child will test your patience. No matter what they do or say, being a mother means you will love your child unconditionally. Children who receive love and attention from their mother are less likely later on to fall in love with someone who offers love conditionally, whether with behavior control or abuse. Show your child how much you love them with hugs and kisses. Listen to your child as they recount their day, play games or slip a note in their lunch box letting them know how much you love them.
When a woman becomes pregnant, it is her responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment while her baby grows. This responsibility continues once she becomes a mother, whether it’s ensuring her child has a roof over its head to keeping monsters away at night and everything in between. Providing your child with a safe and secure environment protects them from abuse and harm as well as help boost their child’s mental and emotional development. Provide a safe, healthy environment for children by reducing risks and stress as well as keeping an eye out on children (Ref 2).
Being a mother means being there to teach your child important rules and roles of life, from being an empathetic human being to learning how to be responsible of one’s actions. As your child grows up, they are going to face an onslaught of differing thoughts, opinions and values from their friends, the movies, internet, television and magazines. A mother will help guide their child to figure out their goals and values in life as well as teach them the importance of an education, manners and more. A mother will also discipline their child, a skill that will benefit children throughout their life as well as at school, work and life at home. These indeed are heroic virtues that most good mothers have in abundance.
But inspite of these abundance of goodness, Senator Abaribe wrote a scathing criticism of the Mother of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu that I find very disconcerting and highly uncharitable. He wrote thus: “At one point, the same local Government Chairman who took me to the prophet came to inform me that Kalu’s mother wanted to see me. She lived at the famous 8, Nweke Street then when I went to find out what it was all about, it turned out that it was a summons of sorts! According to her, she had gathered that we were loafing around in the Government Lodge, conspiring on how to remove her son from power. I was stumped!
“We had not yet been sworn in; not taken over power. I was puzzled and I told her so. She stated that she was advising me to go back to Lagos and only return when it was time to be sworn in. she was not advising me; she was ordering me to leave the Government House forthwith. Audacious misses the mark!
The office of the Governor was to be two-pronged in Abia as I was discovering!
I was learning all these things on the run. There was no rule book to direct the plebeian as to what government was going to be like. Each entrant into the political space was learning on the job.
Too many would be the unscripted interferences from all sorts of quarters, competing against each other to feed a hungry grapevine! The Chairman who came to summon me could have been the bearer of the complaint based on which Kalu’s mother summoned me. Any wonder it would have been important that he made sure he subjected me to an oath to give him extra power over me?”(ENYI ABARIBE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY MADE IN ABA, A LIFE OF COINCIDENCE).
I still think that the mother of Orji Uzor Kalu has made tremendous achievements as one of the most virtuous mothers of our times. The malicious statements made about her in the aforementioned book is therefore unfortunate and despicable.
*EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO is head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA and was NATIONAL COMMISSIONER of the NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA.
