THE IMPRESSIVE DR (MRS) DUOPAMA-OBOMANU ABIGAIL OGHENERUEMU (NEE TOWURU), FCA

On Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at about 7.11pm, I got a simple message from her via the WhatsApp platform:

‘Hi Mark; please send me your account details.’

That was the simple message that I received from her on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 and before I could realise it, I had responded, providing her with my account details where she simply responded, ‘okay’ and this was at about 7.22pm.

And on Monday, January 27, 2020, six (6) days after, I received an alert that completely overwhelmed me with emotions. I was so overwhelmed that I sent her this message:

‘I am completely overwhelmed with emotions right now. God bless you Ma. This story will be told in full soon.’

And as usual, she responded in her usual humility ‘please keep body and soul together for now. Thanks for the good work on the Oceanic Bank Family platform.’

Certainly, this was not the first time that I was impressed by the good heart of Abigail.

On Saturday, October 19, 2019 after we have presented cheques (bank drafts) to the family of our late colleague and sister, Mrs Philomena ‘Mama Phil’ Diemiruaye Uyovbisere (Nee Ovwagbedia), Madam Abigail as we fondly call her, handed me an envelope as I was about to come down from her car at Ikota, Ajah which I initially refused to collect, but she insisted that I collect it and I was surprised when I got home to count its contents.

Truly, I have been impressed with Madam Abigail in so many ways:

When I joined Oceanic Bank International Plc on Monday, August 23, 1999, I was living at 6, Silva Street, Off Odunukan Street, Abule Ijesha, Yaba, hence my bus route was the Ojuelegba Route and the pleasant Mr Moses Ologbosere was our able Pilot and among his distinguished passengers in his 18 seater Toyota Hiace were Bolaji Emmanuel Oladipupo, David Moyosola; Musa Abdulrahaman Gbadamasi, Mrs Franca Nkiruka Ibekwe (Nee Okeke); Elijah Abiola Olowu and of course, Madam Abigail, who at that time was already an Assistant Manager (AM) and I was a bloody Assistant Officer, Entry Point (EP).

In the bus, I observed that Madam Abigail would always love to seat at the back and in this position, would always be quiet, no matter the banters going on in the bus. However, there was something about her presence in the bus that could always afford us to delay the bus just so that she could meet up with our departure time and whenever she was not in the bus, there was always an absence felt, something special missing because even though she hardly participated in the banters, she always carried this smile that showed that she loved being in our midst.

In this state, I was simply impressed by her personality because the Ojuelegba Bus Route was always a joyful ride and it was one of my finest moments in Oceanic Bank because the family atmosphere in the Banking Halls and Offices were extended to the bus and by implication, to our families at home.

One day, as we were waiting for our Pilot, Mr Moses Ologbosere and he seemed to be late in coming, Madam Abigail suddenly pulled up with a big learner sign on a Mazda salon car or so and requested that Musa Gbadamasi and myself that were at the bus stop at Ojuelegba should join her and we did, but while approaching the intersection between Alaka and Iponri, immediately after the Stadium bridge, there seemed to be a little challenge for Madam Abigail to manoeuvre her way to the left side of the road so that she could climb the bridge heading towards Apongbon and for some valuable minutes, we were just there, but when Musa offered to take the wheel from her and take the car out of this bottleneck of an intersection because of the presence of heavy traffic, Madam Abigail refused, but courageously as the Delta girl that she is, manoeuvred the car out of the challenge and when we finally climbed the bridge, she said nonchalantly to us ‘if I allow you to drive the car out of trouble today, how will I learn!’

That day, I was impressed by her spirit of determination and will to succeed no matter the odds because the next time that Madam Abigail took us in her ride, she was not only driving confidently, but expertly.

On that day, I was impressed by her courage to dare, dream and do and I was simply proud of my big ‘Bendel’ and Urhobo sister from Ovwodokpokpo Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government as she showed her big heart, the big heart of Delta State.

Proudly, I have been impressed by Madam Abigail’s humility.

Truly, at the time that I joined Oceanic Bank International Plc on Monday, August 23, 1999, Madam Abigail was already an Assistant Manager (AM) and Head of Operations (HOPS), Corporate Branch, the flagship Branch of the Bank and with a rich résumé as hers, it was certainly a beautiful reflection of her humility that in our days at the Corporate Office particularly between 1999-2000, she choose to enter the same staff bus with us and she never showed any signs of pride in her work or her relationship with any staff members no matter lowly or highly placed.

I have been impressed by Madam Abigail’s passion for work.

In my early days at Oceanic Bank, Dr (Mrs) Duopama-Obomanu Abigail Ogheneruemu (Nee Towuru), FCA with staff members like Mrs Philomena ‘Mama Phil’ Diemiruaye Uyovbisere (Nee Ovwagbedia) and the giant Renner Ogbevire Nakpodia both of blessed memories and a host of other old staff members too many to list here, became for me the very first symbols of the Bank that inspired me to believe in the Bank because they did not just work with passion, they worked to own the Bank by working truly and sincerely. In fact, there was this sense of ownership about their work that naturally motivated some of us to give our best to the Bank at all times.

I have been impressed by Madam Abigail’s gift of leadership.

Naturally, God has given us many gifts and these might be gifts for leadership or gifts for caring for people as God wanted us to receive these gifts gratefully and then, decide how we can use them to care for His people and build up His kingdom.

And I have been impressed by Madam Abigail’s gift of leadership and to lead credence to this, I went to town to seek just three (3) out of her many ‘ardent’ followers and what they told me at different times, were strikingly the same:

‘We all know Abigail is not only hardworking, but she works very smartly too and a goal getter because whatever challenges she face, she would always overcome. I can testify that she is a true leader, compassionable to a fault and ever ready to give a second chance. And you would never know that she is fighting your battle for you because she is always working behind the scene fixing things for her team members.’

If I was impressed by these well-crafted impressions of one of her followers, I was simply blown away with this:

‘With Abigail, I learnt first impression should not last the longest. When I first met her, I thought that she was rude and tactless, arrogant in her leadership and not really caring for those under her, but with time, I came to understand what she craved to achieve was excellence and thoroughness. Abigail pushed me to be better at all times, do my best and then even more than that, she is a hard worker and those around her learn to match up with that energy and thought process. And I learnt that once you are in her corner, you will always be there where she is ready to fight everyone and anyone for you. She is caring, very generous and always ready to swing into action when you need her. I am proud to call her my Boss, my sister and my friend.’

This testimony, proved true once more that saying that ‘the greatest value of having people around us is not what we get from them, but the better person we become just because of them and this is the power of association’ that many of Madam Abigail’s ardent followers have continued to enjoyed from her.

And by the time I got to the third follower, I was more than impressed by the living legacies that are already being said about Madam Abigail.

‘Abigail: A Boss that taught me how to draw on strength that I did not even know that I had, pushing myself to achieve only the best. She is definitely an extrovert and behind her perceived tough exterior, lays a very big heart of gold. In fact, Madam Abigail is a softy once you can get through the exterior. On the job, once you are good and reliable, she is impressed and adds responsibilities gradually and she never leaves you alone. She is a Boss that takes the blame for you in front of the Bosses, but will ‘chew’ you to the bones when alone with her.’  

Perhaps, it is because of these beautiful testimonies that our own dear Ify Omeni – The Tale Weaver wrote on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 in ‘A Wreath for the Nightingale,’ while eulogising the late Mrs Ibidun Ajayi-Ighodalo; ‘you are our own ‘Florence Nightingale,’ a flowering sonorously beautiful package and I thank God that we can celebrate you especially on your birthday while you are still here with us.

In the Christian Faith, the highest value is the value of love and the Lord’s dwelling is in the human hearts because it is the beauty of the hearts of God’s people that makes life habitable and pleasant.

The heart of Madam Abigail is beautiful.

I have been impressed by Madam Abigail’s trust in friendship.

When Madam Abigail moved to the Stallion Building in December 2013, the beautiful stories about trust in friendship are out there for everyone to see and even if it was only a friend, just a friend that she took along with her to Union Bank Plc, that is enough evidence of her trust in her circle of friends and people generally and I am impressed by this.

I am impressed by Madam Abigail’s reliability.

Through the massive efforts of my ‘little’ sister; Adejoke Oriyomi Adesina   

(‘My Sweet Adejoke Oriyomi Adesina,’ Monday, April 08, 2019), I attended a chat/interview with one of the Lead Consultants, Mr Femi Onanuga on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at the 9th Floor of Union Bank Plc and as the chat was progressing, suddenly the name of Madam Abigail came up when Mr Onanuga asked me who of the ex-Oceanic staff that I know in Union Bank Plc and he dialled her extension as soon as I mentioned her name, but he was told that Madam Abigail was in a meeting, but I was later reliably informed that Madam Abigail returned his call where she told him that she knows me very well and I could do my best in the Human Resource Department.

Although that chat/interview did not work out well, I can never in my life time forget such a favour, a favour which I do not deserve as Madam Abigail put her integrity on the line to vouch for me even when I did not inform her of the chat.

I am grateful because on that day, you took a risk for me.

Sincerely, I have been impressed by Madam Abigail’s kindness.

On my 2020 birthday on Saturday, April 11, 2020, I got a quiet alert, but looking at the name of the Depositor, I could not recall who he was and while wondering if this was not a wrong transfer, I received the usual simple chat on my WhatsApp ‘I sent small ‘something’ to your Ecobank account. Please buy a bottle of Coke and celebrate life. God bless you.’

That alert, certainly was not for a bottle of Coke, but a truck load of drinks and I can only be grateful and like I did in my response to her, I promised to tell this beautiful story someday and I am thankful to God for the opportunity to be alive on this day of Madam Abigail’s birthday to tell this true and beautiful story of how impressive she has continued to be, not only to me and my family, but anyone that comes across her.

On that day, Holy Saturday, April 11, 2020, I once again touched the goodness of her generosity and I was healed, healed by the beauty of her good heart.

And she has not even stopped being a helping hand as I felt, not only her big hand in her pockets once more, but her big hand in her generous heart on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 when I received that alert, completely unsolicited and when I asked what it was for, she simply responded as usual ‘nothing o. Just to keep body and soul together in these times. Greet the family for me.’

Again, I cannot forget this day in a hurry because while the entire world is uncertain of what tomorrow holds because of the ravages of COVID-19, yet she could think of me and spare for me and my family from the little that she has and I promised her that one day, some day, this story will be told and this is the story that I am telling today, the story of my encounter with a heart that is beautiful and impressive.

I have been impressed by Madam Abigail’s unselfish generosity.

It is said that noise should never accompany charity, but your heart and this is what Madam Abigail has consistently done in all our contributions in the Oceanic Bank Family Group because whenever she made a contribution, she would privately chat me up with that simple message ‘please do not announce my name for this little contribution’ and I am always left humbled by her simplicity.

Truly, this is the key to true humility. It is about confessing that all we have accomplished is due to God’s generosity and goodness. It is about believing that He is the One who lavished us with gifts in the first place. It is about understanding that He is the One who gives us the vision and the grace to use them.

And this is what Madam Abigail has continued to do, not only to me and my family since our paths crossed in 1999 when I joined the establishment, Oceanic Bank International Plc that became a family for us, but all those that she encounters.

Madam Abigail, it is said that love and kindness are never wasted because they bless the one receiving it as well as the one giving it. As you have continued to give us your love and kindness, our good Lord will never abandon you.

I have been impressed by her faithfulness in friendship.

When the sad news broke that we lost Mrs Philomena ‘Mama Phil’ Diemiruaye Uyovbisere (Nee Ovwagbedia) to the cold hands of death in the early hours of Monday, July 22, 2019, it was a sad moment for everybody and anyone that was associated with her and while we were all mourning this great loss and rightly so, Madam Abigail rallied everyone for a worthy cause, Mama Phil’s burial and the successes at both the Service of Songs on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at All Souls Church (Anglican Communion), 15, Kayode Animashanu, Road 15, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos and Funeral Service at St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Ovwor-Olomu, Delta State on Friday, September 27, 2019, are testaments to this.

I was particularly impressed with the role that Madam Abigail played at the Service of Songs as she put herself into all the activities truly and sincerely showing that even in death, she did not abandon a friend-in-a sister, Mama Phil.

Truly, Madam Abigail teaches loyalty and humility and I have been impressed by these and if you think that it was easy working with the two most influential women in Oceanic Bank International Plc; Mrs Ogunlusi Ololade, FCA (Operations Group) and Mrs Iroezind Marian Amechi (Accounts, Reconciliation and Branches – ARB), please ask the impressive Madam Abigail.

Madam Abigail, I know that you are not perfect because no one is, none, but I have been impressed by your integrity and benevolence. I have been impressed by your compassionate love not only for me and my family, but all around you as one of your followers simply said to me recently ‘Madam Abigail is such a detribalised person.’ I have been impressed by your passion for hard work and dedication. I have been impressed by your true friendship and loyalty. I have been impressed by your trust in friendship. I have been impressed by your selflessness. I have been impressed by your reliability. I have been impressed by your desire for excellence and thoroughness. And I have been impressed by your faith, trust; hope and love for God.

I have been impressed by your humility.

In your usual humility, I know that you will not have approved this if I had sought your permission, but I have to breach this protocol because this is the only way I can ever say ‘thank you’ to you even when it will never be enough.

So, on this day, Sunday, June 28, 2020 that you celebrate your birthday, I wish you happiness and sunshine now and in the coming years. Thank you for all you are and all you do for all of us.

On this day of your birthday, it is my sincere prayer that the good Lord will continue to place His hands on you to give you an extra supply of His grace so that He will continue to do good and marvellous things in and through you in fulfilment of your name, Ogheneruemu.

God bless you Madam Abigail because ‘you are our own ‘Florence Nightingale, a flowering sonorously beautiful package.

Happy birthday!

Na me

Your brother, friend and colleague

Mark Osabomeh (HR)

Sunday, June 28, 2020