‘IT IS WHAT WE DO ON EARTH THAT WE SHALL BE REMEMBERED FOR’ — BISHOP NWOBI AS MBAISE MATRIARCH, EZINNE ANASTACIA DIKE, IS LAID TO REST AT 87
‘IT IS WHAT WE DO ON EARTH THAT WE SHALL BE REMEMBERED FOR’ — BISHOP NWOBI AS MBAISE MATRIARCH, EZINNE ANASTACIA DIKE, IS LAID TO REST AT 87
By Vivian Iwu
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The Catholic community, family members, religious and friends from different parts of Nigeria gathered on Friday in Oparachi Ihitte, Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, to bid a final farewell to Ezinne Anastacia Ulumma Dike (née Oguh), whose life of faith, love and service was celebrated as a testimony to Christian devotion.
Mama Anastacia Dike, who died at the age of 87, was laid to rest after a solemn Funeral Mass at the Divine Mercy Catholic Parish, Oparachi Ihitte.
The funeral attracted an impressive gathering of bishops, priests, religious sisters, traditional rulers, academics, family members and mourners from different walks of life.
Among those present was the Most Rev. Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, whose presence added solemnity to the celebration of a life described by many as deeply rooted in faith and Christian values.
Priests and clergy from Enugu, Ebonyi, Owerri, and other parts of the country joined the Dike family to pray for the happy repose of their beloved mother.
Also in attendance were priests from the Catholic Secretariat in Abuja, members of the Sisters of the Eucharistic Adoration and the Sisters of Perpetual Help, as well as other religious congregations.
Notable personalities at the funeral included the Vice-Chancellor of Claretian University of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Wence Madu, Acting Vice Chancellor of the Nigerian British University and the Director of Social Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara in Imo State, Nigeria, Rev Fr. Innocent Ebere uwa, traditional ruler HRH Ernest Onyewuchi Agala (Ogbododu III Mbaukwu Ihitte), and other distinguished guests.
The late Ezinne Anastacia Dike was the mother of two religious sisters, Sr. Emilia Mary Chioma Dike, SPEA, and Sr. Dr. Maureen Uloma Dike, DCPB. Her nephew is also a Catholic priest, while her life was said to have touched and inspired numerous priests and religious.
A WOMAN OF UNSHAKABLE FAITH
Delivering the homily, Rev. Fr. Emeka Agu reflected deeply on the virtue of faith, describing the late Ezinne Anastacia Dike as a woman whose Christian life was evident not merely in words but in her devotion and relationship with God.
According to the homilist, Mama's faith was unshakable.
She was described as a woman who truly believed in God and whose devotion to the Catholic faith was expressed in the way she lived, loved and related with people.
The homilist recalled that Rev. Fr. Kyrian Chilaka served as her spiritual director and spoke of Mama's readiness for the journey ahead.
According to the account shared during the funeral, Mama had, in April this year, indicated that she was ready.
For those who knew her, that readiness was not born out of fear but out of a life of faith and trust in God.
Her devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary was also recalled as one of the defining features of her spiritual life.
Her children included two religious sisters, while her family relationship with the priesthood and religious life reflected the deep spiritual environment around her.
But beyond the religious vocations associated with her family, the homily focused attention on the woman herself—her faith, her love for God and her commitment to Christian living.
‘THE CHALLENGE IS NOT JUST GOING TO CHURCH’One of the strongest messages from the homily was the challenge to Christians to look beyond mere attendance at religious services.
“The challenge for us today is not just going to church on Sunday,” the homilist reflected, asking Christians to examine a deeper question:
Who are you?
It was a question that echoed through the celebration of Mama's life.
Christianity, the congregation was reminded, is not measured only by the number of times a person attends church, but by the quality of life the person lives.
How faithful are we?
How do we treat others?
What values do we leave behind?
What will people remember about us when we are gone?
These questions became particularly significant as the funeral Mass celebrated the life of a woman remembered for her faith, love and Christian example.
The homily also dwelt on the central Christian message of the resurrection.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The resurrection of the body.
And the promise of eternal life.
The congregation was reminded of Christ's assurance that those who believe in Him shall not die, pointing to the Christian understanding that death is not the final destination for those who live and die in faith.
For the late Ezinne Anastacia Dike, the body that had become limited by the realities of old age was no longer an inhibition.
Death, the faithful were reminded, is not simply an end but a passage in the Christian journey towards eternal life.
The biblical call to purity of heart also featured prominently in the homily, as the congregation reflected on the promise contained in Matthew 5:8:
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
The funeral therefore became more than a gathering of mourners.
It was a call to reflection.
A reminder that every human life will one day leave behind a story.
The question is what that story will say.
The homilist also reflected on three virtues traditionally associated with the Igbo people—wisdom, hard work and the fear of God.
According to him, the late Mama stood as an example of a woman who embodied values that gave meaning to both her cultural and Christian identity.
She worked.
She loved.
She believed.
And she feared God.
For Mama, those who spoke about her said, life was deeply connected to her faith.
Everything, it was recalled, was about the Sacred Heart.
Her life reflected a devotion that was not confined to public worship but was expressed in her daily existence.
She was remembered as a standing example of a Christian woman.
And perhaps that is one of the greatest tributes that can be paid to anyone.
Not the number of titles held.
Not the amount of wealth accumulated.
Not the size of one's social circle.
But the ability to live in such a way that one's life becomes a testimony.
One of the most emotional moments of the funeral was recalled by Bishop Simeon Okezuo Nwobi.
The Bishop emphasised that it is what human beings do while alive that they will ultimately be remembered for.
Reflecting on the life of the late Mama, Bishop Nwobi recalled the touching words of a woman who said:
“Mama, go well, for you led us well.”
Those few words, the Bishop observed, carried a profound meaning.
They suggested that Mama was not merely a member of her community.
She was a leader.
A woman whose life provided direction.
A woman whose example influenced others.
A woman whose absence would be felt not simply because she had lived for 87 years, but because of what she represented while she lived.
Indeed, the statement captured one of the central messages of the day:
It is what we do on earth that we shall be remembered for.
When the applause has faded.
When the titles have been forgotten.
When the ceremonies have ended.
What remains is the life we lived.
And for Mama Anastacia Dike, those who gathered to celebrate her life appeared to have found an answer in the words spoken at her funeral:
She led them well.
While tears flowed and hearts were heavy, the funeral was also a celebration.
A celebration of 87 years.
A celebration of motherhood.
A celebration of faith.
A celebration of love.
And a celebration of a woman whose life produced a legacy that extended into the Church through her children and family.
The presence of numerous priests, religious sisters and personalities from different parts of the country reflected the impact of a life that reached beyond the walls of one home.
The Dike family was not only mourning a mother.
The Catholic community was celebrating a woman of faith.
The community was remembering a leader.
And those who knew her were reflecting on a Christian whose devotion to God had become the defining testimony of her earthly journey.
As prayers were offered for her soul and the final rites were performed, one message remained clear:
The body may return to the earth, but a life well lived continues to speak.
For Ezinne Anastacia Ulumma Dike, the words of those who mourned her may become the most fitting epitaph of all:
“Mama, go well, for you led us well.”
May the soul of Ezinne Anastacia Ulumma Dike, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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