TOUCH LOVE WORLDWIDE - MAMA AND HER MANY CHAPTERS

TITLE: MAMA & HER MANY CHAPTERS - THE PHILOSOPHY OF LOVEbeing

AUTHOR: TOUCH LOVE WORLDWIDE

PUBLISHERS: Abel Ọkwaraụnanma Egbuemenwa Adịmọra Memorial Library

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2019

Review by: Sam-Richards c. Ofodile Home University of Touch LOVE Worldwide

FOOTPRINTS

My ultimate thought was that I have been given a book to read, but really this isn't a book but a personal introduction to a legend who makes you taste life twice; in the moment and in retrospect.

The entrance into this is like entrance into a sanctum but all bound in human form. It is the domain of mysticism, philosophy and I agree too that real mystics don't hide mysteries, they reveal them. They set a thing up in broad daylight, and when you've seen it, it's still a mystery. It is a mystery how the legend ever made it through the tracks of time.

It is clear that I am on a quest of discovering and knowing Ijeakụ for myself, and to achieve this, I have considered the 'little' details as I walk through these paths, and one is that she was, still is a museum of life with a language - Love, a dialect - Igbo and origin - Ụga, Nigeria. She was a warrior that knew about the fangs of facts yet she conquered with truth thus became a proof there's a God if the world ever needs a reason. She survived!

"Mama became the first surviving daughter and the 9th birth of her parents."

The significance of the number 9. I was born on the 9th of a particular day of a year so I'm fully aware of what I say; it appears 49 times in the Scriptures, and it symbolizes divine completeness and translates the meaning of finality. Christ died at the 9th hour of the day, to make the way of salvation open to everyone. 9 is also the fruit basket of God's Holy Spirit, which are: Faithfulness, Gentleness, Goodness, Joy, Kindness, Long suffering, Love, Peace and Self-control. So you see, Ijeakụ as I've known within few margins was made for this and her journey through life began with her name; "A wealthy journey".

In actual reality, making a journey costs more, it takes not just your finances but your inner will to launch out, strength, patience; but to whom much is given, much is expected. I've taken note of the footnotes lying on the sand as I surge through;

"Hold onto God as the climber clings tight to the tree", Beautiful family relationship is something to which no salt is added but is very delicious ... They are precious words to live by. Now, that sprout a question in me, what's the greatest gift?

In my attempt to climb up the peak of knowing Ijeakụ, I found the greatest gift given is a name, for it is a mirror for those who can hear. A voice for those who can see. I agree, a name is a responsibility in itself and like life, when someone has given you this; it is only fair to live it, love it, own it! Ijeakụ did justice to the life given to her, campaigning goodness with force and verve through her journey (Rom: 12:21) and finding the coordinates to life's secrets - honesty and fair dealing. I can almost hear her through every strung word here especially within these lines:

"Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size

It’s in the reach of my arms,

And the joy in my feet.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally." – Maya Angelou

A man once said, during the first period of a man's life, the greatest danger is not to take the risk and my understanding of Ijeakụ so far has been profound, she fears nothing but not taking that risk. She is a school of thought all by herself, her understanding sits outside the gates of intellect and her beauty mocks scholars who try to transcribe it. She sees different and hears different, a true trait of a leader, a warrior who surges forward veiled with courage. Only one who has lived can tell tales of life, and you know this to be straight and true in her words: "Gụta ndụ" cryptic as it sounds since all life offers is the hurt of pain but she encourages we who are left behind to dive into life, no matter how many times we fall and fail she upholds; Nothing is ever as it seems, "Nothing's ever dead when you look at it right" they say, so we must strive to live a life better than great.

Faith without work is dead, she believed strongly in God which to me is ultimate and she hid His words in her heart where no hand could reach, she "Kept to the end, her tradition of fasting 6-12 every Friday and reciting her Bible verses and Chapters. Mama owned an Igbo Bible and despite not going to an academic institution was able to read the Igbo Bible because her passion for the word moved her to teach herself how to read the Bible. Mama was an epitome of virtue, a noble character and the example of the virtuous woman described in the Bible Book of Proverb 31: 10-31."

Not everyone who lived actually lived, not everyone who set out made it to the front door and not many who had a purpose found it. She found her purpose and gave her whole heart and soul to it, her passion was to live and she lived even when the struggles and pains were present every inch of the way; she planted good seeds on her tracks so they could lead her back home. Youth is like wild unquenchable fire that burns and burns, it is a time when the day never seem to end or you could say it's like a song you can't sleep on, it goes on and on like a river flowing to the ocean's deep. Forget the body, it will get old, but youth is mystic, it is planted in the soul and it rejuvenates your mortal being.

It is a moment when your mind's on the lose and never wearing out like a fading old tattoo. To me it is a bond you shouldn't break but then some let go of that bond and confuse maturity with youthful exuberance. Forgetting the word YOUTH, they lose their sense of humor and lose youthfulness but when you look at it right, you're never old, only, when you say so. Youth goes on and on like a train bound to forever. She loved life and cherished family and her teachings will never depart from us all because even I who is far away have learned greatly from this gloriousness and it will go on.

It gives me great joy to be a part of this, it is an honor knowing you Ijeakụ from my neck of the woods, through the eyes of love planted into Harriet, the one who bears the burden of trekking through eight hundred plus pages, spreading the seeds you first planted - Love on sheets.

I will never understand why you met with pain in your final moments, but I understand that a warrior's path is webbed and only the warrior can find his answer to the webbings of life.

I use to say I am a book with many pages, but how can I compete with you who is a library written and stored in the memoirs of angels. Your life put electricity into the marrows of a young girl who vowed to spread your seed living in her and today she's done it!

For your love, your heart and life, I join in saying thank you Lord for lending you to us. Though it may not be understood by those who don't see the way you did, but you have succeeded in gaining that life and youth which you so cherished. Like Frost, I believe life can be summed up in three words; it goes on.

My words cannot reach the peak of how beautiful this piece is, but I say thank you for making me a part of it. God bless you.

LOVE TO YOU ALWAYS LOVE TO ALL ALWAYS

Sam-Richards C. Ofodile

Legend