By Nuye Aaron
Friday, November 28, 2025 will no doubt go down memory lane as one of those days history came calling in the enclave called Umuagu Village in Umuorie Naze Autonomous Community, Owerri North LGA, in Imo State, specifically in late Nazegbulam’s Compound.
It was a day meant for mourning and the repose of late Mrs. Iyabode Eugenia Eugene Naze (nee Bello Ogunseye), the mother of Mr. Chukwuemeka Bamidele Nazi, popularly called “Uncle Dele” by his schoolmates, friends, lovers and followers alike, and the event truly lived up to its billing going by the calibre of representations of groups that spanned virtually all the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, including the diaspora.
Amidst an atmosphere of mourning, with all relevant and necessary paraphernalia to that effect in place to lay “Mama” to her final rest, “Crabites”, led by its 1986 set, stole the show and turned the occasion to one memorable celebration of life for Mama’s posthumous Oak Jubilee (Octogintennial) celebrations.
It turned out to be an assemblage of sort for the Crabites, an association of graduates of the Creative Arts Department (Theatre Arts) of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), named after the shape of its hall, led by the famous Bob Manuel Udokwu, one of Nigeria’s finest as far Nollywood.is concerned.
With various musicians performing on stage, permed by the performance of the cultural group of the UNIPORT Theatre Arts Department, Nazegbulam’s Compound in Umuorie Umuagu, Imo State, the venue of the occasion, was a sight to behold.
Small wonder that people close to the late Eugene Ihiejieto Naze (Mama’s husband) could not help but whisper, “even in death, Iya Dele could still gather people like this”.
This reasoning, though peripheral, clearly gives a hint to why Mama was able to gather so much crowd, including Crabites on this day of her final somewhat physical journey on earth.
Uncle D encapsulated this in his interview with Krakratv and Tori4Town when he said: “when you think of Mama, you think generousity, humanity. She cares for others more than herself.
“Most times she had showed it in different ways: she can deny herself joy to make sure that people around her are happy. She doesn’t want to hear anybody unhappy around her. She taught me everything I know, especially humanity and generousity.”
As he stated these words, one could see through his eyes the depth of hollow Mama’s departure has caused in him. Tried as he could to be, not just a man, but also the father of the family now, his tone betrayed him, even before he could check himself from drifting into letting the cry in his soul out in the open.
A close family relation who spoke on condition of anonymity, buttressed Uncle D’s description of his mother. Refering to Mama’s brief history, as presented by the family in the “Order of burial mass”, he emphasised that Omo iya eleko, as Mama was fondly called, was an epitome of peace, happiness, aspiration, inspiration, perseverance, encouragement, and focus.
“It is because of who she is (was) that we call her Omo iya eleko, which means “mother of all’. She was a mother of everybody around her in every way you can think of as a mother, right from when she was young, even after her husband, my brother, died.
“She was very young, but she respected herself, refused to remarry, and she took care of her three children single-handedly. I really miss her care, myself.”
Beyond the crowed that Mama gathered on the day of her interment, the assemblage of some key personalities in the Nollywood industry and other Cribites who have ventured into other areas of the entertainment industry, as well as the cultural performance of the Crabites cultural group was something that will remain indelible in the minds of attendees for a long while.
Representing the Crabites Class of 1986, to which Uncle D belongs, there was King Bob-Manuel Udokwu, who led the delegation; Dapo Adeniju; Princess Soala Lawson-Jack; and Chief Mabel Nlumanze.
Also in attendance were the National President of Crabites, Don Kester; the Director/Head of Programmes, Rivers State Television, Miesia Oruene-Hart; King Eze; Eugene Sedi; Chief Francis Duru, who anchored the performance of the Cultural group and participation of the Crabites at the occasion; and the truly “Port Harcourt Boy” of the Tori4Town fame, Iyowuna Obomanu.
For the Crabites’ cultural group, their performance expectedly was nothing short of what they’ve always been known for, exquisite performance, reminiscent of the performances of the late Columbus Irisoanga, one of the progenitors of the Creative Arts Department (specifically “Theatre Arts”) of the University of Port Harcourt.
Like the anonymous family member stated, even in her death, Mama was able to joyously gather people to see her being laid to rest in her final resting place, beside her husband, at 83, after over fifty years after his death.
