Governor Obiano’s Mother Dies at 87

Mrs Christiana Obiano, the mother of the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has passed on at the grand old age of 87.

The grand matriarch of the famous Obiano family of Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area passed away on Friday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi after battling a protracted illness associated with old age.

Born into the famous Azodo Manafa family of Eziagulu village in Aguleri, Mrs Christiana Obiano embraced Christianity at a very young age and grew up to become one of the major pillars in her local parish of the Catholic Church. Her rare beauty, striking personality and humane attitude to life soon attracted her to a dashing young man who was gradually building a career as a notable educationist at the time. That young man was Philip Onuorah Obiano who soon wedded her in the Catholic Church.

The marriage is blessed with four children, namely Willie Maduaburochukwu, Cyril, Queen and Evaristus. Her beloved husband passed away in November 1978 at the age of 57 when she was and left her with the huge responsibility of raising the four young children.

She assumed full control of the young family which she solidly supported with the proceeds from her business of selling fish at the Ose-Okwuodu Market in Onitsha. She was a smart business woman who understood the intricacies of selling the species of fish popularly known as Mangala in Igboland.

Mrs Obiano was famous for her generosity and accommodating disposition which earned her several nicknames including names like “Mother-of-the-Poor” and “Adinije ije amankwe ogiga” among several others demonstrating her popularity and the impact she had on her community.

Recalling Mrs Obiano’s enormous influence on her immediate family and community, veteran journalist Chief Austin Chudi Anyaeji who is a close family friend of the Obianos described her demise as the end of a generation.

“The Obiano home was a reformatory. Mama was the mother of that reformatory. Mama’s pot fed all of us. Obstinate children were brought to that family and she took care of all of them and turned all of them into responsible members of society. Oh what a huge loss!” he wailed.