An ode to My Mum at 70

An Ode to My Mum at 70

Nothing about you, Mum, has ever been ordinary. From the very day you arrived in this world, your uniqueness was evident. Indeed, God must have foreseen that March 8th would become a global day to celebrate and honor women, and He chose this very date for your birth. “IFEOMA Joy Nwokike,” He proclaimed, “shall grace this special day with her presence.” Truly, this is the day the Lord has made, and we shall be glad and rejoice in it.

The thought occasionally crosses my mind: what if? What if those six long years of infertility, the years you prayed for a child, had never been part of your journey? Then, perhaps, I would not have had the honor of being your daughter. What a thought! To be your child is both an honor and a privilege. “Stainless!” That’s what you are because you’ve lived a life worthy of emulation. There’s nothing negative to say about Ifeoma, except maybe that she minds her own business a bit too much 😂 “Beautiful!” I mean, do I even need to elaborate on that?

Now, about her intellect, her credentials alone are impressive, but let me delight you with the specifics:

Here we go 😅: Professor of Medicine, the first female professor of radiology in the Southeast and South-South of Nigeria, no small feat. Shall I continue? Indeed, I shall. A Professor of Radiation Medicine, the pioneer of International Cancer Week in Nigeria, the first African to serve as an observer on the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) board, Chairperson of the Association for Good Clinical Practice in Nigeria. A proud Ashoka Fellow, African coordinator of CITI, the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative of the University of Miami. Past President of the Association of Radiologists of West Africa. A renowned scholar and researcher with over 60 scientific publications and more than 50 presentations at conferences. MBBS, FMCR, FWACS, the list is endless. Our very own “Pinky Prof,” I salute you. Na woman you be!

You’ve been there for me through everything, Mummy. A prayer warrior (those in the know can testify), your relationship with God is steadfast. You are ‘it’! I celebrate you today, my star girl! Continue to shine bright like a diamond 🌟💎