CHIBUIHE CELINE EKEKWE @ 21

 #StoryTimeToday 

#VeryLongRead

#ChibuiheCelineEkekweIs21

I celebrate today this tear rubber young adult and in addition to the many qualities she possesses, I celebrate her for being the physical representation of #MyGuardianAngel her Mum Nnenna who gained her wings 3 years ago. 

During her lifetime she wasn’t like most people. Initially, I saw it as a coincidence, but soon came to understand it for what it was ‘Divine Orchestration’.

What I speak of, was her uncanny knack for calling me out of the blues and saying; “Auntie Neneh, how are you?” And I’ll say “I’m fine” and she’ll say “You are not fine, I got the prompt to call you”. With hindsight now, I realize that even the way our paths crossed was divinely orchestrated. 

Little wonder when I was about turning 50, she visited Lagos  & she insisted on being present at my photo shoot in my home. We sang, we danced we laughed, we cried, we shot videos, she posed me, she encouraged me to wear the little iron lapel pin with the image of my late brother AJ; I wanted him close to my heart as he never saw 50 and I was doing it for us both. Even when My MIL objected and said let’s allow the dead rest, Nne insisted and that’s the reason I have his image in all my pictures from the shoot .  

When she left us, I knew a part of me was never going to be the same again. Who was going to call me to encourage me? Who was going to be that one who YAH had a direct line to for my matters? Little did I know that HE knew I wasn’t really fine.  

In the last couple of years, Chibuihe and I have cultivated a tradition that is uniquely ours. Distance notwithstanding Distance notwithstanding we have the best virtual relationship. She shares her wins, angst everything in between and Auntie Neneh was glad to be her friend. We beat assignments deadlines together, Rag Day sef we did together, with me advising her not to join others to wack less privilege money🤣🤣🤣

Fast forward to sometime last year; months before she turned 20, I woke up to a message from her (Image in last slide: it’s self explanatory) . I was literally in shock. No way would I have imagined a 19 year old would reach out to me just like that in her obvious waking moments and use words that uncannily sounded like her mother. I won’t lie, even after my response to her, I had to reach out to speak to her father about it. I didn’t want to be Labour a young girl by telling her the implication of that message, but somehow, I knew that following my response and he’s and her quick deleting of it which I saw before she did, the dynamics of our relationship changed.  

When we remembered Nne this year, I felt so numb and couldn’t do a well planned tribute I had prepared and shelved it. I believe so strongly now with hindsight, that Chibuihe was the focus as part of the tribute was about this ‘encounter’ as  I kind of felt that her mother was passing on the baton to her to look out for Auntie Neneh. 

Honestly, I count myself blessed to have such a young lady look out for me and look up to me at the same time.

I hope she gets to read this as I know she had no inkling I was going to do this when we  spoke earlier. I’m deliberately documenting this here to let the world know and most importantly let her know (call it my Treatise if you will); that she is a vessel fit for The Master’s Use and also as a Thank You to her Father Peter Ekekwe for granting me access to to his wonderful family ( have I ever mentioned that I was his friend first before his family members snatched me from him 🤣🤣)

Happy 21st Birthday Chibuihe. Thank you for being a support to me in more ways than you can imagine. It is eerie how so much like your mother you are not just in looks but in the kindness you so graciously extend to me.   Happy Birthday My Love❤️ God bless and keep you always in Jesus Name Amen.

Welcome to your Adult years

Auntie Neneh❤️