MRS UZZI, ROSEMARY OMOH (NEE IDUGBE): MY LITTLE BEAUTIFUL SISTER!

When in Year 1991, Artist Blackky whose real name is Mr Nya Edward Inyang released the Nigeria Vinyl ‘About Time’ (About Tyme) on the popular music label of Premier Records with its popular hit song, ‘Rosie,’ I have not dreamt of going to Auchi Polytechnic. In fact, I just came to Lagos in January 1991, and I have not even found my feet when this hit track was released which everyone danced to with the sexy invitation ‘Rosie, can I have a dance?’

It was such a popular genre in the early 1990s that every Nigeria child could recite, offhand, its sexy lyrics. And with my poor knowledge of music and coupled with my poor voice for it, I could recite it in a group of voices.

So, nature has a way of drawing people together where in an instant and forever, they will fall in love, holding hands, joyfully together, for the rest of their life.

And I met her at Auchi Polytechnic in January 1993, and I fell in love with her, forever.

On that morning of Tuesday, January 26, 1993 when I resumed very late for my Ordinary National Diploma (OND) program at Auchi Polytechnic, I was surprised when she confidently, or perhaps, innocently walked up to me and said to me in one of the sweetest voices that I had ever heard at that time ‘Nagbia Bros. I heard that you are a new student to our class?’ But before I could answer, she added ‘but why did you resume so late?’

To this innocent question, I lost my characteristic wits because I always pride myself that I could face any situation, no matter how daunting, but on that occasion, my breath seized, seized momentarily, but when I regained it, I could only stare at her, I just stare at her face, her natural beauty and I was hypnotized momentarily by it.

Perhaps, it was her innocence. Perhaps, it was the beautiful smiles on her lips. Perhaps, it was the beauty of her face, which no man would see, even now that would not fall in love with her! Perhaps, it was the visible tribal marks, the Afenmai tribal marks of the Iviukhua people on her face. Perhaps, these were what held my attention with her, but there was something strange about her.

Perhaps, it was truly her innocence. Just looking at her, she was innocent, and one could read this and feel it, both at near and far quarters. And I felt it instantly.

And as I read her to feel her, instantly a thought came to my inner mind, and without prompting, I made a solemn promise in my heart that I would look after this innocent little sister all the days that I would spend at Auchi Polytechnic because she looked simply like my late little sister, Otini who did no grew up to fulfil the natural bond between us.

On that day, Tuesday, January 26, 1993, I picked up this beautiful and lovely book to read because I love to read well written books and even as a voracious reader, I have not been able to complete my reading, not even a chapter because every day in the past thirty-one (31) years, it has been a beautiful line to read every day.

This was how I met the beautiful and lovely Mrs Uzzi, Rosemary Omoh (Nee Idugbe) at Auchi Polytechnic in January 1993, whom Artist Blackky did not see in Year 1991 before he released that hit song, ‘Rosie’ and through this, she became my little beautiful sister.

However, as I was struggling to settle down at school because of my late resumption, two significant things happened.

One morning, we were preparing for the first lecture of the day when she walked up to me with another girl and introduced her to me.

In her introduction, she said, ‘Bros, meet my twin sister, Loretta’ and as she noticed my uneasiness because of their ‘unidentical’ identities, she quickly added ‘people call her my friend, but she is my sister because she is my sister.’

And that was how Rosemary, like the beautiful story in the Gospel of St John 1:45-51 as told beautifully by St John when Philip brought Bartholomew or Nathanael (Nathaniel) to our Lord Jesus Christ, brought Miss Loretta Imose Usiohen to me and through her, she became, not only my course mate and friend, but my little sister too.

Secondly, it was time for the Departmental elections, and I had resumed to school one morning and without any warning, to meet posters of the innocent Rosemary vying for the position of Secretary General (SG) of the Departmental Association adorning the walls of our classrooms and in fact, every available space around the Department and School of Business Studies.

Immediately, I was alarmed, and I sought audience with her where I did everything possible to dissuade her from this dangerous path that she was about to embarked upon because our brother and friend, Mr Atsegameh Umoru Musa who had his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) earlier in the Mass Communication Department had warned me about the possible dangers of engaging in politics on campus especially a campus as Auchi Polytechnic and I felt that with this viable first-hand information that Rosemary was too innocent to put herself, naked into the murky waters of campus politics, but in her innocent smiles, she insisted that it was a worthy path that she needed to embarked upon and unwillingly, I joined others, like the late Mr Itua Saturday, a beautiful soul indeed, who volunteered to be her Campaign Manager, to campaign for her, especially as she would represent the interest of our class in the Departmental Association. Sadly, this did not last as their Executive Council (Exco) was later proscribed following its call and protest for the removal of the then Head of Department (HOD), Mrs P. E. Momoh arising from some unresolved issues in the Department.

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However, as young and innocent as she was, Rosemary believed that she was led to give a voice to women by standing up against their oppressions in a campus setting as Auchi Polytechnic and this was her conviction for contesting for that position that she won without much opposition even though she contested against one of our course mates and friend, the ‘hilarious’ Hilary Amedu.

With the gift of hindsight now, I should never have tried to dissuade her from that worthy path, the path of sincere and true representation. However, Rosemary never held this against us.

In fact, she took this experience, sad and short as it was, on her cheeks and with an equanimity of courage as she believed that it was a critical learning point in her life at Auchi Polytechnic that has helped to prepare her for the life that she has continued to live as a wife and mother.

Sincerely, Rosemary is truly a rose. She is beautiful. She has thorns in her rose, but thorns of innocence, thorns of kindness and thorns of simplicity. She is truly a joy to be with.

Honestly, there was something about Rosemary that attracted me to her or her to me. Maybe it was her innocence. At ND 1, even as a Lagos Babe, she was truly innocent which was completely written all over her. Maybe it was the peace that she radiated or maybe it was the beauty, especially the natural beauty of her face couple with the warm smiles on her face.

Sincerely, there was something that just connected us where I never saw or noticed her feminine disposition, but the person in her and through this, I was able to relate with her completely and fully like a little sister without any fear of temptation or misgivings.

With deep nostalgic feelings, I recall that I used to visit her at the Idi Araba part of Surulere. At that time, she lived at 17, Garuba Musa Street (formerly 35) with her uncle, Mr Momodu Sanni who was married to one of my tribe’s women, Mrs Theresa Momodu (Nee Kadiri) from Anegbette, South Uneme Clan and through this, he could speak smattering Uneme.

In this, they made their home comfortable for me every time that I came for a visit. Sadly, both are now of blessed memory. While Mr Sanni died in 2004, his beloved wife, my tribe’s woman, Theresa died in 2018.

However, my visits were so frequent that her late uncle, Mr Sanni thought that I was befriending her little and beautiful Niece and indirectly urged me on while advising me not to marry outside of Afenmailand.

To such advice, though commendable and welcomed, I just laughed because he did not realize that my relationship with her little and beautiful Niece goes beyond that of a man and a woman, but eternal as it was divinely ordained.

With pride, Rosemary is my little sister in the true sense of it because every single day in our relationship, I saw my late little sister, Miss Lamosi Litinin (Tini) ‘Otini’ whose sad death in May 1975 has continued to remain a deep mystery for me as she did not grow up to fulfil the natural bond between us.

And this is why I simply fell in love with Rosemary, but not for the usual man and woman relationship.

At Auchi Polytechnic, she was fun. She was exciting. She was bright. She was innocent as she possessed this innocent courage. Yet, she was vulnerable because whenever she walked through a door into a room, everyone will know that she was there. She was beautiful. And with her beautiful smiles which was always constant, she was an influencer of her own public space, and this made me to keep an eye on her, to protect her, her vulnerability.

Her beauty couple with her innocence, made her vulnerable!

Honestly, at Auchi Polytechnic, Rosemary had an aroma, the aroma of simplicity and innocence, the aroma of beauty and brightness. And even now, these sterling nature qualities have not left her even as she ages, gracefully.

Rosemary was born to bring beauty!

At the completion of our Ordinary National Diploma (OND) program in 1995, we all came back to Lagos for our compulsory one-year Student’s Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) popularly known as ‘Industrial Attaché’ or ‘IT,’ preparatory for our Higher National Diploma (HND) program. While Rosemary observed hers with the United Bank of Africa Plc (UBA), I did mine with my Boss, Barrister (Mrs) Fatima Ibijoke Daudu (Nee Abdulaziz) at Fidgate Nominees which I have since chronicled on Saturday, June 15, 2019 as ‘Mrs (Barrister) Fatima Ibijoke Daudu (Nee Abdulaziz): My Ever-Peaceful Boss!’

Severally, I recall that I visited her at her Ijesha residence during this period as she had left her uncle’s place at Lawanson, Surulere. And even though our addresses were far apart and as struggling students observing their Industrial Attachment programs, going to Ijesha from my Abule-Ijesha, Yaba residence was never a difficult ask for me because I just wanted to be around my little beautiful sister.?

In this, I followed her everywhere. I just saw a little sister that needed to be protected in any way and in every manner possible. But more than this, Rosemary was simply fun to be around with.

And Loretta too because it was Rosemary who brought her to me. I just wanted to protect them even though I could not truly protect myself.

So, I just followed them anywhere and everywhere!

And I am sure that the mother of Loretta, like Rosemary’s uncle, thought that I was befriending her beautiful daughter because every other night, I was at their residence at Community Road, Akoka whenever we were on holidays because I could just walk or ‘trek’ there from my Abule Ijesha, Yaba residence without breaking any sweat where she would deliberately create a private space for us. In those times, I just laugh in my heart because the reason why they were my friends or sisters, went beyond the normal.

I just fell in love with them, simple and short!

And every other weekend, I would always find myself at Ijesha just to see my little beautiful sister, Rosemary.

Sincerely, at that time and even now, I never saw the female in them, but little sisters that needed to be protected, hence in our conversations on WhatsApp on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, I said to my little sister, Rosemary ‘sincerely, I never for once saw the female in you and Loretta, but little sisters’ and her own response was even more humbling when she said ‘those good old days. We were so not aware how precious those moments were.’

Truly, those moments were precious, yet we never knew how precious they were. It was truly our years of innocence!

Thankfully, Rosemary and Loretta were decent girls at Auchi Polytechnic and that was why I said to her on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 that ‘our relationship was helped because you girls were never seductive because seduction can be overpowering or overwhelming no matter how strong a heart is.’

Honestly, memories are treasures that we keep locked deep within the storehouse of our souls, to keep our hearts warm when we are lonely. No matter what, happy memories never wear out. We all take different path in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other, everywhere. And I have taken a little of Rosemary and Loretta with me in my memory wherever I go.

Sadly, some moments are not really valued until they become memories!

I recall one episode that happened that almost brought trouble between me and one of my good friends. As we resume to school for one semester, Loretta resumed first without her ‘twin’ sister, Rosemary. So, she decided to stay with me at our off-campus residence at late Alhaji (Col) Shielu’s house at Silversands, Upper Garage, Auchi and there was this friend of ours that wanted to take advantage of that situation and I have to stand up to him even at the risk of our friendship. Loretta was not just my guest; she was little sister.

That was how dear and precious Rosemary and Loretta were to me at Auchi Polytechnic and even now.

Yet, it is true that no one is perfect, but in Rosemary, we have an almost perfect being. Perhaps, her only weakness, is her trust. She trusts wholly and wholeheartedly and in this, she trusted me so much both at Auchi Polytechnic and even now. There was nothing she could not tell me.

Recently, in fact on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, she told me of one of her lifetime decisions that she took. As I listened to her, I came to the inevitable conclusion that that was a considerable courage and risk that she took, yet she took that great decision in the exercise of her faith.

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At Auchi Polytechnic, I truly shared a special bond with Rosemary and Loretta as they both gave me an authentic life of friendship. They trusted me. They believed in me. They listened to me because they believed that listening is an important element in our relationship with one another and for whatever reason, they listened to me. And through these, they advised me and inspired me to a life of study.

With gratitude, I can never forget, even though I have not done anything materially worthwhile for Rosemary and Loretta in true appreciation to them for the positive roles that they played in my life at Auchi Polytechnic and this is one of my main regrets, how Loretta would release her Olympia brand typewriter to me for weeks for my own private practices and through this, I became one of the best. It was this tool that helped me to type out the manuscript of my project work before its final typed work which would have been difficult for anyone to undertake because of my poor and bad handwriting.

Together, they understood my hunger for reading and studying, my love for storytelling and passion for writing and so encouraged me with their typewriter.

Sincerely, I can never be grateful for such kindness!

Severally, I recall how my ‘small’ nose would lead me to their home at Shagadi Street, Iyekhei Quarters during our Higher National Diploma (HND) program in search of what to eat because it is said that it is impossible for one to be patient when one is hungry as time is said to move slowly when one is truly starving and even in their struggles, they would strive to provide for me and whenever they could not, Rosemary would always humbly come to say ‘Domarking, there is nothing with us oooo.’

They were the one, especially Rosemary that corrupted my nick name, ‘Domark’ which was taken from the baptismal names of my father ‘Dominic’ and mine, ‘Mark’ to ‘Domarking’ and the passion at which she called me this name at Auchi Polytechnic and even now, was not only sexy, but spiritual. Spiritually, it connected us.

Honestly, as said by the Preacher, ‘it is within the dynamics of a loving relationship that one comes to understand and believe certain things without further proof.’ In this, I need no further proof that Rosemary and Loretta trusted me. They followed me with total trust. They believed in me. They listened to me. And they loved me.

Sincerely, at Auchi Polytechnic, I literally lived in them because I just loved them!

I am grateful. I am simply grateful.

In the summer of 1996, we resumed for our Higher National Diploma (HND 1) program for the 1995/96 academic session where I personally resumed on Monday, July 15, 1996 following my admission letter dated Monday, June 03, 1996.

However, as the semester progressed, there were some unresolved issues with the Departmental Association around its financial prudence, particularly regarding the organization of the Welcome Party for new students, where, with some of my course mates, I played a key role that led to the suspension and eventual cancellation of the Welcome Party for the new students.

With the gift of hindsight now, that situation could have been handled differently, however, I do not regret the role that I played with some of my friends because our conviction then and even now, was for the good of our Department and if we have the same opportunity, perhaps, we may still do the same thing today. However, I never participated in that crisis because I had the ambition of contesting for any political position.

With gratitude, many of my course mates and friends thought otherwise. Perhaps, this was what informed so many of them, friends, and course mates to persuade me to contest for the position of the President, much against my will and I succumbed.

Ironically, it was the same campus politics that I tried everything possible to dissuade Rosemary from contesting in 1993 that I threw myself into in 1995 to contest for the position of the President irrespective of the pressure from my friends and course mates who believed that I could do it where Rosemary became one of my most vocal supporters and foot soldiers. Indeed, she was one of my positive cheerleaders!

With Loretta, she went with me everywhere before and during the campaigns and after the election. And I succeeded in my Presidency because of so many factors and the roles that Rosemary and Loretta played were very pivotal. They became my ears to the ground where, whenever I did not conduct myself properly, they were quick to come to admonish me beautifully and peacefully.

From them, like many of my friends, I received true and positive counsel to act well and conduct myself properly as a President because they were never afraid to tell me what was right or proper.

Indeed, like the conversion experience of St Paul, I heard only positive voices from their mouths. They were courageous about their conversations with me of what was right and proper to behave as a President.

I will forever be grateful for their positive and sincere support for me.

Sincerely, my relationship with Mrs Uzzi, Rosemary Omoh (Nee Idugbe) was divinely ordained because we share most things in common.

We are the children of Afenmailand. While she is from Iviukhua, Etsako East Local Government Area where she would always proudly say ‘I am proudly an Iviukhua girl’ and in this, she always proudly stresses her devout Iviukhua heritage arising from her sound moral and ethical upbringing and trainings, I am from Udochi, South Uneme Clan, Etsako Central Local Government Area. My dearly beloved and beautiful wife, Mrs Racheal Osabomeh (Nee Enaruna) share the same heritage with her husband, Chief Festus Uzzi. They are from Oredo and with a beautiful smile on her face, she would always proudly say to me that her husband is a proper ‘Oredo n’Oba ye.’?

Rosemary birthday is March 13 while mine comes almost a month after on April 11. My wedding was on Saturday, August 18, 2001 at St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Ugbowo, Benin City while hers was on Saturday, September 14, 2002 at St Maria Goretti Catholic Church, Benin City.

With these near similarities, she always reminds me that ‘she is my running mate.’ Indeed, my little beautiful sister, Rosemary is always running after me for me to protect her in every way that I can.

And we share the same Faith, the Catholic Faith.

In an emotional laden voice, she told me on Sunday, January 21, 2024 that she was worshipping with the Assemblies of God in Lagos before she gained admission to Auchi Polytechnic in 1992, but when she got to Auchi, she did not like the setting of the local Parish that she found, hence she started attending other Pentecostal Churches within and around Auchi and in the campus. And while in Lagos and during her National Youth Service Year (NYSC) in Anambra State, she started attending the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) which she continued when she relocated to Benin.

However, Chief (Dr) Festus Uzzi refused to enter any Church with her except the Catholic Church when she found love in him, and this prompted her attendance in the mandatory catechism classes as she had no deeper knowledge of the Catholic Faith that led to her Sacrament of Baptism on Friday, September 13, 2002.

This is iconic as she received the gift of the Catholic Faith through her husband, and she was rightly baptized on Friday, September 13, 2002, the eve of her wedding after undergoing the various stages of her Catholic formation in Catechesis through the Right of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).

And she has taken the Catholic Faith way of life as her own. Truly, Rosemary’s example is set before us of what a life of true conversion and dedication should be.?

However, hers was not a dramatic conversion. She was convinced that life is better served with the love of her life, Chief (Dr) Festus Uzzi and his faith, the Catholic Faith. These are the true and sincere sacrifices that one must make for the one that one loves!

It is so amazing how she has continued to zealously propagate and defend her newfound faith in the Catholic Church, both by her actions and attitudes.

Truly, Rosemary has continued to be for us a prime example of the fruits of dedication as her growth and maturity in the Catholic Faith has continued to inspire us to a life of dedication and holiness.

Honestly, God is always reaching out to us through our diverse daily experiences. Rosemary received the gifts of God, and she has continued to do great things by her fruitfulness and dedication.

Completely, she has united herself to the Church, the Catholic Church fully and completely and through this, she proudly calls herself ‘Mama Mary’s daughter.’

And she is truly the daughter of our Mother Mary in all respect!

Honestly, Rosemary just trusts me and why, I may never be able to explain.

Year 2020 was the Year of the Pandemic of Covid-19 and its attendant effects in every aspect of our lives, individually, nationally, and internationally can never be quantified.

The world was still figuring how to come out of this pandemic when on Saturday, November 21, 2020, I received a chat from my beautiful sister. The chat simply said ‘Good evening, Sir. Hope you and my people are doing well? I want to humbly ask a favour on behalf of my Chief. He is writing a book and has reached the end, and he needs someone to proofread it for him. By proofread, I mean make corrections, especially grammatical errors before taking it to the Press. I recommended you. You may not have Masters in English Language, but I know you are better than some who do. Please consider us. Thank you.’

For days, I was simply lost on how to respond to this request because it was an assignment that I was not unworthy to carry out, yet Rosemary insisted that I should be the one to carry it out.

I can never forget that honour because it was an honour that I am not worthy of, yet Chief (Dr) Festus Uzzi could trust me with such a task to review a Book that I am not worthy to review, but because I was recommended by his beautiful wife, Mrs Uzzi, Rosemary Omoh (Nee Idugbe), my little beautiful sister.

I recall, with profound gratitude the conversations between me and Chief (Dr) Festus Uzzi before, during and after the review, particularly our conversation on Wednesday, November 25, 2020 after the review when he said to me ‘you did not only review a Doctor’s work, even a Professor’s work.’

Honestly, I will forever be grateful for those kind words from Chief (Dr) Uzzi because they reminded me that everyone has something to give, no matter how inadequate we feel.

Thankfully, I was able to do my little best from the little knowledge and wisdom that God gave and blessed with me.

Truly, this was the great honour done to me by my little beautiful sister, Rosemary as she found and trust me enough to review a Book written by a Ph.D. holder where I am an ordinary Diploma holder.

For the records, Chief (Dr) Uzzi reigned as Kegite Chief in 1992 with the nomenclature of ‘Chief the Alligator Pepper’ at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. And in Year 2020, he authored, amongst several others, ‘The Technique of Kiln Construction.’

Yet, he could find me worthy to review such a technical work.

Sincerely, people’s kindness touches us differently and, on that occasion, it touched me differently because it was a kindness that I did not deserve!

My own little beautiful sister, Rosemary, as we celebrate our fourteen (14) years as friends on the social media platform of Facebook, but thirty-one (31) solid years that our path crossed at Auchi Polytechnic, I have nothing to say to you than ‘thank you.’

Thank you for giving me this beautiful story to tell. Thank you for trusting me so completely. Thank you for assisting me, positively to be who I am today. Thank you for those beautiful smiles that you brought to me at Auchi Polytechnic when I thought I could not go on.

Thank you for bringing your innocence to bear on me and through it, convinced me that relationship between a man and a woman could truly be lived innocently.

Thank you, my own dearest sister, Rosemary for the many beautiful and positive lessons that you have taught me and continue to teach me.

On this day and always, may our Mother Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help that you have come to love and adore so beautifully, continue to hold you and your most amazing family in her maternal love.

And may the Holy Family of Nazareth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph continue to be the model of family for you.

I will always love. Thank you for everything, my dearest and beautiful Mrs Uzzi, Rosemary Omoh (Nee Idugbe), my little sister.

Na me

Your ‘big’ brother and friend

Domark Osabomeh

President, ASAS ‘97

Saturday, February 03, 2024