Lady Theresa Onyeduoliseke Gbemudu

(25/12/38 – 03/11/22) ady Theresa Gbemudu was a “Christmas Baby” born in Illah, Delta state, Nigeria on the 25th of December 1938, to Chief (ogbuenyi) Christian Okoaraba Ugbode and Mrs. Umejei Ugbode. She was the 4th born in a large but loving and tranquil polygamous family, comprising her father, mother and her two stepmothers Mrs. Anigbo Ugbode and Mrs. Uwanne Ugbode. In all, she grew up with nineteen siblings who she loved dearly and was very proud of. She often regaled her children with many stories of a happy and exciting childhood from stories of how and

Lher siblings bewildered their paternal grandfather with a radio, a new invention at the time, to stories of her older sister “sister Nkosenyem” who often taught bullies a boxing lesson in their youth. She was especially the accomplishment of her oldest sister “sister Joy Nsolo” as the first female Architect in West Africa. She had a close affinity to them and continued to show much love to them all. Lady Theresa taught her children and everyone around her the value of showing genuine and selfless love even if unrequited.

Lady Theresa a commited Christian, was a loving and devoted wife to Chief “Ogbuenyi” Felix Okolie Akazue Gbemudu, of the Royal Gbemudu lineage of Illah, who she married in 1961. Together they had 7 loving children, four boys and three girls namely Ngozi, Unoma, Ndozi, Awele, Agbonma, Ifeoma and Ugochukwu (Andy). They shared 38 years of marital bliss till Ogbuenyi Felix Gbemudu transited to eternal glory in 1999. Though devastated by his passing, Lady Theresa took solace in the fact that her husband a strong Christian Catholic and a Knight of the order of Saint Mulumba had gone to heaven. She also derived great comfort during this trying period from the boisterous antics of her first grandchild Ariel Gbemudu who as a oneyear-old at the time, was completely oblivious to the sadness around her. At the interment of her husband, Lady Theresa stated that “If we are to meet again, I would marry you again”. Such was her love and devotion. She turned this love and devotion to her children and remained a strong Matriarch of the family till her departure to heaven, where she is no doubt reunited to her dear husband “Nna Ngozi” as she fondly used to call him.

Lady Theresa was an educationist and followed the Illustrious teaching career of her father whose teaching and Head Master engagements spanned the old Bendel state including warri, kwale, irrua Auchi, Agbor, Asaba and culminating in the establishment of a private school Joy private school in 1945 named after his first daughter. Similarly Lady Theresa started teaching early, at the age of 15 at the Iyioka Primary school Illah in 1953. Like her father she traversed Nigeria teaching in Ibadan, Lagos, Kano, Benin culminating in the establishment of a private Nursery/primary named after her father, Ugbode Memorial school. She was especially impassioned with educating the under privileged and as Proprietor navigated “Ugbode

Memorial” as it is called, to become a foremost elementary school, consistently producing best results in Delta state and indeed in Nigeria. she was arguably the pioneer in the establishment of modern private primary schools in the environs. Her oft quoted mantra is that a sound primary school education is fundamental and foundational to one’s educational trajectory. After the passing of her beloved husband, she moved first to Lagos to be with her children and then to Abuja with them and later to the United States where five of her children are resident. Lady Theresa lived happily in California often travelling to spend time with her first Daughter Unoma and family in Alpharetta Georgia, to Nigeria and of course to her favorite city Dubai in the UAE. Lady Theresa was a warm family woman and enjoyed spending time with her nine grandchildren. She also shared a close and loving relationship with her daughters in-law Modesta Gbemudu and Funmi Gbemudu who she referred to as “daughters in love” and her sons in-law Dr. Anekwe Onwuanyi and Kainebi Collins Metuiwe