My Mother Was First Woman to Accept Assemblies of God Church in Mbaise in 1938 — Akagburuonye
By Everest Ezihe, Aboh Mbaise
As preparations gather momentum for the burial of 105-year-old Ezinne Monica Nwafo Amuchie-Akagburuonye of Ogbor Uvuru, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, her son, Barr. Success Obioma Akagburuonye (Akaraugo Ndigbo), has revealed that his mother was among the earliest converts to Christianity in the Mbaise area and the first woman to accept the Assemblies of God Church there in 1938.
The burial ceremonies are scheduled to commence on November 2 and end on November 8, 2026.
Akagburuonye, popularly known as Akaraugo Ndigbo, said he was particularly grateful to God that the place where his mother accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and personal Saviour more than eight decades ago has today become the Mbaise District Headquarters of the Assemblies of God Church.
He spoke on Saturday at Ogbor Uvuru, Mbaise, the state secretariat of his Hope Rising for Imolites Foundation, when Imo State-born lawyers practicing under the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Aba, Abia State, led by Barr. Uchenna Ejiogu, paid him a condolence and solidarity visit.
According to him, the transformation of the church location into a major district headquarters is a testimony to God’s faithfulness and a reflection of his commitment to kingdom investment.
Akagburuonye, who is the financier, founder and National Coordinator of Hope Rising for Imolites Foundation, said his mother’s life was a testimony of faith, resilience and unwavering confidence in God, despite the poverty and hardships the family experienced while growing up.
“Honestly, it’s a thing of glory and justification of God’s abundant blessings and grace, that my mother lived up to 105 years, considering what we passed through as a family due to our penurious circumstances and abject poverty background.
“We were insulted, humiliated and rejected by most members of the society. Life was miserable as we were growing up, but my beloved mother was a woman of insurmountable faith, trust, confidence and courage in God.
“Despite the circumstances she found herself, my mother, Ezinne Monica Nwafo Amuchie-Akagburuonye, was the first woman in truth and spirit to accept Assemblies of God Church in 1938 in the entire Mbaise ancient clan, and the place where she proudly accepted Christ as her Lord and personal Saviour is today, the Mbaise District Headquarters of the church.”
Reflecting on his childhood and subsequent philanthropic activities, Akagburuonye said his prayer as a young man was that God would bless him so that he could become a blessing to others.
He urged people to embrace kingdom investment and service to God, stressing that divine blessings are not determined by circumstances.
The business mogul turned astute politician also spoke about his relationship with the Canadian government, saying that, based on mutual partnership, confidence and trust, he had been assured that the Canadian government would partner with him in the areas of healthcare and road infrastructure should he become Governor of Imo State.
Akagburuonye, who is aspiring to govern Imo State in 2027, expressed appreciation to the Canadian government for what he described as its recent donation of over N11 billion worth of ultra-modern medical equipment to his foundation.
He said the equipment would be distributed free of charge to selected private hospitals across the 27 local government areas of Imo State.
According to him, the distribution is expected to commence in the first week of November as part of the activities heralding his mother’s burial.
Akagburuonye further disclosed that, in honour of his late mother, he had also built an ultra-modern hospital at Ogbor Uvuru, his ancestral community.
He appealed to the visiting lawyers to nominate three private hospitals across the three senatorial zones of the state that could benefit from the medical equipment.
“As one of the ways to immortalise my mother, I have built an ultra-modern hospital in her honour at Ogbor Uvuru, Mbaise, my ancestral community,” he said.
“Please, as professional colleagues, I will be pleased for you to nominate three private hospitals in the state, taking into account the senatorial zones, that could benefit from the medical equipment freely supplied by the Canadian government as a credit to your NBA branch.”
Akagburuonye also described himself as a visionary transformer rather than a conventional politician, saying his aspiration was to consolidate on the Shared Prosperity and 3R agenda of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
He described Uzodimma as a “God-sent Governor” and pledged his commitment to the development of the state.
“I am not a typical Nigerian politician; I am a visionary transformer, and to God be the glory, I will never abuse the people’s opportunity,” he said.
“I am patriotically committed to accelerated development of all the nooks and crannies of Imo State, including its infrastructural transformation and welfare-oriented governance.
“My mission in government is to ensure that people are happy and proud of their state. I am well prepared for the challenges and well prepared to deliver democratic dividends. On my honour, Imo State must be a positive reference point. This is my story; this is my agenda for soliciting the people’s mandate.”
The governorship hopeful further solicited the support, cooperation and prayers of the people, particularly for the Imo State Government and Governor Uzodimma, asking God to grant the Governor wisdom to make the right decisions in terms of his successor.
He also encouraged Imo indigenes resident outside the state to transfer their voting rights to Imo State, stressing that hard work, prudence and commitment would ultimately receive divine rewards.
Akagburuonye thanked the lawyers for their condolence and solidarity visits , even as he appealed to them to actively participate in the week-long burial activities of his mother. He also prayed for their safe journey back to Aba.
The lawyers expressed excitement when Akagburuonye announced that he would, as usual, bankroll their 2026 Law Dinner scheduled to hold at a prestigious hotel in Aba on Friday, November 27, 2026.
Earlier, Barr. Uchenna Ejiogu, Chairman of the Imo State Lawyers Association, Aba Branch of the NBA, said the delegation visited primarily to condole with Akagburuonye over the death of his mother and to express their intention to participate actively in the burial ceremonies.
Ejiogu also thanked Akagburuonye for his more than two years of partnership with the association and commended his sponsorship of NBA law dinners involving Imo State-born lawyers in Enugu, Port Harcourt and Aba.
The NBA Chairman prayed that God would continue to enlarge his coast, even as he described the death of Akagburuonye’s mother as an irreparable loss despite her remarkable longevity, and prayed God to grant the bereaved, his siblings and the entire family the fortitude to bear the loss.
He presented drinks and kola nuts as mark of traditional condolence gifts and assured Akagburuonye of the association’s active participation in the burial ceremonies.
Ejiogu also pledged the group’s patriotic support for Akagburuonye’s political aspirations and urged him not to relent in his philanthropic activities, noting that God rewards acts of generosity and services to humanity.
He further appealed to Akagburuonye to personally attend their November dinner conference in Aba, saying the association had plans to reciprocate his philanthropic gestures to the organisation and humanity at large.
Also speaking, a senior legal practitioner, Barr. Luke Ikechi Nwaogwugwu, aligned himself with the NBA chairman and advised Akagburuonye not to be distracted or deterred by the activities of detractors.
The condolence and solidarity visit was witnessed by Nollywood actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu, (Nze Ana Ekiriekiri na Ogidi), Hon. Eddy Obinna; Hon. Herbert Udo Njoku-Andrew; and other distinguished personalities.
