"God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we're awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we're alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it (1 Thessalonians 5: 9-11 - The Message)". There is this story in the Uzoigwe family that Nwugo responded when the Minister who baptised her mentioned her name during the baptismal ceremony when she was just about 3 months old. There was no question that Nwugo made an appropriate sound at exactly the right time and the story has been retold with much laughter, joy and pleasure for many years. Joy, pleasure, warmth and goodness are just some of the qualities Nwugo brought firstly, to the Uzoigwes, and then to her husband, friends and colleagues in her short but very productive life. Nwugo Ulunma Uzoigwe was born in the very early hours of 22 February 1967. The Nigerian Civil War was just beginning and the family had returned to the village, Umuagu in Umuahia, Abia State. Nwugo's parents had lived in Ibadan for the initial part of their married life, and the first of the four children of the family had been born there. Nwugo came along in 1967 and ushered in some others to make the Uzoigwes the big family they turned out to be. A child of the war years, as a baby, Nwugo was taken with the family, first to Oriagu, then Orlu and Nkwere before ending up at Nukka in 1970. Nwugo, and her immediate younger sister, were among the first intakes of Mrs Odabi's new Nursery School at the University of Nigeria. Even at a very early age, Nwugo showed great talent for words, learning all her nursery rhymes very quickly and reciting them back at home to the family. Her primary education was at University (Primary) School, Nsukka, where her interest in music was cultivated. Nwugo learnt to play the accordion and participated in many school musical events. By now also, her appetite for the written word was growing. Secondary education followed at Queen's School, Nsukka where in her final year Nwugo served as a school prefect and her responsibilities included leading morning prayers. She continued to read voraciously and excelled academically. For her, the holidays were meant for only one thing, reading novels and if there is a club anywhere for readers of the most Mills and Boon novels in the world, Nwugo should be at the top of their list. It was no surprise then that she went on to study English at the University of Nigeria in 1985. She was later to study for and gain a Masters degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos. National Youth Service for her was at Ilorin and it was while here that she began to attend Rhema Chapel and then gave her life to the Lord. She has since been a member of Daystar Christian Centre and a committed chorister in their worship team. On completion of her national service, Nwugo joined her siblings in Lagos and immediately secured a job at Insight Communications Ltd. from where she moved on to a company called Olive Communications Limited. Later, Nwugo joined Campaign Palace Ltd. as Art Director where she continued to hone her skills. An exceptionally creative person, Nwugo's communication skills enabled her to make very rapid progress in her career and also travel round the world. She joined the British Council as Head of Communications in May 1999. With this job also commenced Nwugo's journeys round the world, frequently to England but also to North America, Middle East and the Far East. She moved to the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria in December 2002, and here for a period of 2 years, she worked as Head of Tertiary Scholarships and as the Brand Focal Person. She has played a part in the mobile communication revolution taking place in Nigeria, starting first at MTN Nigeria Communications Limited where she worked from June 2005 as Communications Manager and then to Etisalat in February 2008 as Head of Communications. In all her working life, Nwugo strove for excellence, giving her best in a way that endeared her to colleagues past and present. Nwugo also had an unquestionable commitment and love to God and to her family. In her personal life, Nwugo enjoyed 12 years of marriage to Alozie Nwoke from their wedding on 12 October 1996. In the few words that Alozie has managed to speak since the very sad loss of his dear wife Alozie said 'the marriage was wonderful until 8th January when the Lord acting in His sovereign nature called my wife home'. To say Nwugo's passing away is a huge loss is an understatement. This is one of those events that words cannot describe. This is one of those painful experiences that only God can heal. The only consolation is that Nwugo has retured to her maker and being a worshiper, must have already joined the eternal throng of grateful souls redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. She will be sorely missed because she was many things to us - a dear sister, a loving and supportive wife, a great friend, a wise counselor, a patient listener, a great helper, a favourite aunty. Her cooking, her sweet smile and her antics with nieces, nephews and in-laws will be greatly missed. Nwugo leaves behind her husband, Alozie, and his siblings, Azubuike, Oluchi, Obinna, Chukwukere and Kelechi Nwoke, and Chioma, Nkechi, Lewechi, Ihuoma, Obiageri, Nwanyinma and Rachel Uzoigwe, her own siblings as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws. "But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I'll probably never fully undersatnd. We're not all going to die - but we are going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes - it's over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we'll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true: Death swallowed by triumphant Life! Who got the last word, oh, Death? Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now? It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three - sin, guilt, death - are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thanks God! (1 Corinthians 15:54 - The Message)" ...from her siblings.