On Saturday, Hon. Chief Joseph Agbo Ugwumba, a former member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, laid to rest his wife, Lillian Roberts Agbo, in their ancestral home in Ugwogo-Nike. Family and friends gathered to honor her memory, sharing heartfelt tributes commemorating the beloved wife and mother of the Ugwumba family.
The tributes painted Lillian as a passionate African American, eager to reconnect with her ancestral roots. She fiercely pursued this bond by marrying Chief Ugwumba during his student years in Chicago, Illinois.
Reminiscing about her arrival in Ugwogo-Nike, mourners reflected on how Lillian integrated with the local community, embracing their culture, cuisine, fashion, and language.
Attending the funeral were traditional rulers from across Nike, political leaders from Enugu State, including former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Dr. Dan Shere, along with former members of the Assembly led by Dr. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, and other dignitaries such as Pastor Beloved-Dan Anike. The crowd also included community leaders, women from Ugwogo-Nike, surrounding areas, and numerous friends and well-wishers.
In his homily, officiating Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Mathias Udeonu emphasized the Christian message of love, stating that true wealth comes from helping those in need.
“Lillian is an example that God gifted to Africa,” Rev. Fr. Udeonu said.
“We thank God for the time we shared with her while she was alive. The truth we must all confront is our mortality, so what pride can we have in life when our wealth cannot follow us? Our true identity is in our convictions, and we must prepare for the inevitable.”
The chief mourner, Hon. Chief Joseph Agbo Ugwumba, expressed that his wife left an indelible mark on his life, one that can never be erased. He reflected on how Lillian enriched his experience in the United States, making it both memorable and fulfilling.
“My intimacy with you truly exemplified biblical love,” Ugwumba said. “As a young man finding my way in a foreign land, you were a living saint and angel, making me feel at home. Your companionship and care continue to echo in my mind. I feel like the luckiest man among my peers who came to study abroad.”
Ugwumba’s daughter, Akuabata, shared an emotional tribute, recounting her mother’s 21-year battle with illness.
“My mother was very sick and uncertain about her survival, yet she lived for 21 more years,” she reflected. Akuabata described her mother’s final moments in the hospital, holding hands with her and her brother, Obi. “Even as she faced death, she waited for us to say goodbye.”
Akuabata praised her mother, an American who loved the Ugwogo community and Africa as a whole, for dedicating her life to shaping African history.
Lillian is survived by her husband, Chief Ugwumba, two children, Obieze and Akuabata, and other family members in Ugwogo-Nike and the USA.
