MRS REBECCA ‘BECKY’ OMAKOR: OUR VALUABLE UMBRELLA

When I resumed to Oceanic Bank International Plc on Monday, August 23, 1999, my Department, Personnel Department, as it was then called, was sharing the ground floor of the Corporate Office at Waterfront Plaza with Administration and General Services Department, the Department of Mrs Becky Omakor and it was here that I first encountered her, encountered her personality of kindness, cheerfulness, hardworking and diligence.

And with the likes of beautiful minds like Messrs German Roland, Akpokiniovo Sunday and Omonkhiere Matthew (all now of blessed memories), Mr Apeyo Matthew, Mr Joseph Oni and Mrs Veronica Afemari (Nee Oneya) on one side and the presence of the ever-dynamic Ms Igho Sowho as their Supervisor on the other side, it was a beautiful and pleasant place to work.

At that time too, both Departments were under the direct supervision of Mr Afe Omoruyi, who in his direct responsibility in the operational running of the office of Managing Director/CEO, superintended over the twin Departments and in this, our relationship was symbiotic in nature where one Department feeds from the other and vice versa.

However, we later moved our Department to the second floor of the building as both Departments were growing at a rate that one single space could no longer accommodate both in the new millennia and providentially, I was deployed to the Records/Performance Management Unit, a Unit that held responsibility over staff employment documentation, staff records; confirmation and appraisal processes, etc, and it was here that I discovered that Mrs Rebecca ‘Becky’ Omakor was employed on Wednesday, November 03, 1993 as a Supervisor, but her services was later transferred to one of the Subsidiaries, Oceanic Securities International Limited (OSIL).

And before moving to the Second Floor, I had formed, within a short period of time, a good working relationship with Becky where I found her warm personality as the welcoming dose that I needed to settle down quickly at Oceanic Bank International Plc and I did because of her as she simply accepted me or for a better word, adopted me as her little brother and acted the role of a big sister to me, advising me cleanly and clearly.

Little did I know then that she is an Isoko woman from Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State while I am Uneme man from Udochi, South Uneme, Etsako Central Local Government Area, Edo State. Perhaps, it was this blood or better still, the spirit of ‘Bendel’ in us as the children of the great ‘Bendelite’ that drew us together so quickly at Oceanic Bank International Plc where I can never forget, but with gratitude the great role that Becky played in settling me down at the Bank.

Truly, blood is thicker than water and in this, it always draws people together even when they are completely unknown to each other. The strong blood of ‘Bendel’ in us drew us together at Oceanic Bank International Plc in 1999 and this has held us together, even to the present.

The credit for this, must go to Becky because she did not only act the role of a big sister to me, but the role of a mother so admirably. As a true African mother of the extraction of the great women of Isoko, she saw me and knew what I needed as a fresh graduate and gave it to me. She gave me good advice that helped me to quickly adapt to the intricacies that are in the office space.

Thank you, my own big sister, Mrs Rebecca ‘Becky’ Omakor.

Truly, in Administration and General Services Department, she was an epitome of humility, humour, great leadership, character and wisdom. She was very generous and hardworking where she carried out her role with absolute professionalism, diligence and conviction. She was never quarrelsome where her enthusiasm for life and service for others were infectious.

Her charming smile was a gift to mankind. One could hear her beautiful laughter from a mile away. And she is blessed with a beautiful and sweet voice. She is not only beautiful in looks, but also in spirit. There was this constant and lovely ‘jerry curl’ hairstyle on her head that was trendy then that always brought out her feminine beauty. And with her charming smiles, she is an adorable and admirable woman, an Isoko woman.

And laziness was never her guest! For several years and for several staff members, she was the go-to in Administration and General Services Department because of her passion, commitment and diligence.

Becky was simply unique in Oceanic Bank International Plc in the ways and manners that she conducted her activities.

Sadly, this beautiful and lovely romance that spanned more than eighteen (18) years came to an end in January 2012 following the consolidation of Oceanic Bank International Plc with Ecobank Nigeria Limited.

This period was sad for everyone connected with Oceanic Bank International Plc, especially for Becky who did not know any other love than the love of the Bank because all her active years were spent with her with absolute professionalism, candour and diligence.

And in this, I lost contact with her when I left the Bank too on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, and for several days running into weeks and subsequently into months and years, I did not know how to find or locate my big sister who played the role of a good mother to me at Oceanic Bank International Plc.

I was simply lost in all my efforts to locate her. So, I reserved myself to fate, fate that one day, someday, we shall see again or reconnect again by chance and that chance came through the advancement in technology.

As already chronicled in one of my Chronicles ‘The Priceless Mrs Folashade Elizabeth Modupeola Ogunbodede (Nee Pitan)’ on Thursday, April 14, 2022, ‘Oceanic Bank International Plc both in operation and out of it, built a feeling of community and a community of feeling. One just needed to have worked there to feel this and since Monday, August 23, 1999, I have felt this, and I am still feeling it even till this moment in time.

It is in this feeling that with the advent of WhatsApp to the shores of Nigeria in Year 2013 or so, a WhatsApp platform was created on Tuesday, October 06, 2015, by Mr Adebayo Olajide Eboda to cater for the interest of ex-staff of Oceanic Bank International Plc and purely by divine grace, I became one of the Administrators of the platform. Perhaps, because I worked in the Human Resource Department and through this, I could easily identify members to be added to the platform.’

And it was in this role that I cannot recall correctly now the person that contacted me with the contact details of my big sister, Becky to be added to the platform and before I could do this as I was momentarily overwhelmed with joy for having her contact details again, my telephone rang and it was the usual sweet and calming voice of my big sister, Becky on the other side and she calmly said to me, ‘Mark, my brother, how are you doing with your family?’ And before I could answer because of the feeling of goosebumps all over my body like that of an innocent girl falling in love for the very first time, she said to me ‘I understand that you are one of the Admins to the Oceanic Bank Family platform on WhatsApp. Please add me to the platform as my contact details have been sent to you.’

This was sometimes late in March 2021 or early April 2021, the month of my earthly birth. And with this conversation, I was simply in a dream land as I could not believe my ears, so quickly, I added her to the platform and this began the second missionary journey of our beautiful relationship of that of a ‘little’ brother to that of a ‘big’ sister where Becky has not taken her eyes off me once again and my family even from a far land where our conversations have not only be warm and beautiful, but have been very rewarding because of the kindness and goodness of the beautiful heart of Mrs Rebecca Omakor.

And as I began to share my family daily prayers ‘whatever we do, we will always pray for you and your family’ with her, she in turn began to share with me ‘Walkers with God Daily Devotional’ which has been very inspiring and spiritually rewarding, expressing the kindness and goodness of Becky.

For instance, few days after we reconnected on WhatsApp, I was highly surprised when Becky extended the kindness of her heart and that of her family to us on Thursday, April 15, 2021, which was just four (4) days after the celebration of the anniversary of my earthly birth on Sunday, April 11.

On that day, I simply said to her, ‘God bless you Ma for this uncommon kindness to me and my family’ and in her usual way, she simply responded ‘you are welcome.’

Truly, Becky is a woman of few words, but with a great and kind heart in her actions!

This action of her few words, but with a great and kind heart she displayed again on Monday, June 20, 2022, where, without prompting, she extended the kindness and goodness of her heart to us once more.

Now, it always works for me.

For several days, my right palm was scratching me so vigorously and I resisted the urge to use my teeth to scratch it, a belief practiced by my people, South Uneme, however, the intensity of it was so much on Friday, February 10, 2023 that I could no longer resist the urge, hence I scratched it with my teeth while saying and repeating the words ‘whatever reaches my hand, let it reach my mouth’ in between my teeth, superstitiously, but religiously.

Meanwhile, I have been ill of malaria, my usual scourge and enemy since Monday, February 06, 2023, where I could not go anywhere, but when I woke up from my sleep, I met her missed call on WhatsApp at about 12:53pm and I sent her a follow up message on WhatsApp ‘good afternoon, Ma. Just saw your missed call. How is the family doing?’ And this was at about 01:08pm, but by 06:52pm, she repeated the call where we talked for a long time, principally discussing the forth coming general elections in Nigeria with its attendant challenges of fuel queues at the fuelling stations as a result of the scarcity of the ever and much needed Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS) and its attendant terrible hardship on the commuters and the impact of the redesigned new Naira notes on the populace and general insecurity in the country.

In these, Becky advised me sufficiently to stay calm and away from trouble at this time, but prayed that God’s will be done, but significantly, as we ended our conversation, she requested, ‘please send me your account details again as I do not know where I have written it.’

Thank you, dearest Becky for continuing to be our valuable umbrella!

Becky is the type of person that you will strike a conversation with once, but held it for a life-time because of her friendliness, brilliance, and intelligence and Friday, February 10, 2023, was not different with her brilliant thoughts and smiles.

However, Monday, May 08, 2023, remained the most pivotal. 

At about 03:30 on Thursday, May 04, 2023, our first daughter, Miss Theresa Oshiothenoya Osabomeh informed us through our family WhatsApp platform that she would be commencing her final examinations at the University of Benin on Monday, May 08, 2023, and she would be needing the prayers of the family for a successful examination.

However, as a father, I know my responsibility. I needed to send something to her urgently that would make her examinations period a very comfortable one, but I could not because of the weekly upkeep of her siblings, Miss Mary Omomhe Osabomeh and Master Mark Oshioke Osabomeh at Wellspring University, Benin City.

In this, I was worried and I considered all my options, but with great courage, on Monday, May 08, 2023, I approached one of my course mates, Mrs ‘Double General’ Adesuwa Osariemen Uzamere (Nee Obasuyi) who has been so good to us through a WhatsApp chat at about 11:18am to send something on our behalf to her daughter, our daughter, Tessy, but at about 03.15pm, I received an alert from someone and quickly, I checked my contact list, but without finding anyone with such details, I was worried who would have sent me an alert, but as I was still wondering, at about 03:24pm, I received a chat on WhatsApp from her and she simply said ‘I transfer an amount through one of my friends to your account’ to which I responded ‘I just saw it now and I was wondering who did’ and with this, I shared my worries with her and how I had already approached one of my course mates and if only I had known, I would not have done it.

Everyone is truly smart at hindsight! On that day, Monday, May 08, 2023, I dare say that I was not smart at any hindsight.

However, before I could realize it, I received another alert and the following conversations ensued between us:

Me: I just received another alert from the same person.

Becky: Yes, for your daughter.

Me: Ha, I for no tell you oooo!

Since Monday, August 23, 1999 when I joined her at Oceanic Bank International Plc, Becky has been so consistent with me, but what is not in doubt here is that she is consistent with her gifts for us, but what does it mean to be ‘consistent?’

Various dictionaries and thesauruses offer more than twenty different synonyms, ranging from ‘reliable’ to ‘steady,’ from ‘dependable’ to ‘regular.’  Certainly, this is a lot, but Becky has remained consistent in her gifts for us by continuing to choose to be in a state where she would consistently give to us her moment-by-moment actions for us, the gifts of her beautiful heart for us.

And we can never be too thankful, thankful to a heart that is beautiful, a heart that is blessed and a heart that is godly.

Truly, it is not enough to have or carry an umbrella if it is not utilized, but we must always learn to unfold the values of our umbrellas in life because every talent is a prestigious umbrella to help us generate blessings for our destinies.

In this, Mrs Rebecca ‘Becky’ Omakor has been and continued to be our valuable umbrella, using it to protect us from the rains that beat our lack and our insufficiency.

And we can never be too grateful to her, grateful to the umbrella of her generosity for us.

November 2023 was overwhelming, financially for me and my family for unexpected family related expenses. We have so much to do, but with few resources to do them. So, as the month end and December 2023 approaches that ushered in the festive period of Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, I was a bit apprehensive because of the expected financial responsibilities on my lean shoulders.

In this, I looked up to God in my friends and when as early as 11:21:58am on Thursday, December 07, 2023, I received that alert with a name that is not listed on my friend’s list once more, I was a little bit careful where I vowed that I would leave the money, no matter the financial temptations on me at this time of the year, in the account in case it was wrongly transferred and this was before I received a call on WhatsApp from her at about 06:00pm, but due to the consistent bad network, we could not heard each other, hence she sent me a chat thus:

Becky: Good morning, Mark. I send something to your account for Christmas. Please let me know when you get it.

Me: Oh my God! God bless you Ma. I received it since morning, but I did not know who sent it. I am very grateful Ma.

Becky: You are welcome.

Me: God bless you for your consistent kindness and compassion for us. God will reward you and your family for us.

Becky: Amen.

Sincerely, since our paths crossed at Oceanic Bank International Plc on Monday, August 23, 1999, her attention and attendance to me, has almost become mandatory where she always has a very genuine and happy face for me, and it is always such a beautiful moment with her.

Honestly, Becky has been tremendously consistent in this over the past twenty-five (25) years, and this is what marvels me most because it is never easy to be consistent in generosity.

However, as I step back and look again at her generosity, I have come to recognize other amazing things about her that has continued to show the presence of God’s power in her life.

The power of God is with her as she has continued to carry out her charity and charitable acts, especially in my family. It is the power of God that has continued to draw her to the works of kindness and generosity for us. It is the power of God that has continued to inspire her for her acts of goodness and compassion for us. It is the power of God that has continued to awaken the gift of faith in her heart and moved her to do the work of charity for us.

In truth, Becky has continued to respond to the power of God in her life by speaking simply in kindness and goodness for us.

And like the man by the side of the pool in Luke 5:25, our years of suffering and pain are always gone in an instant with her compassion for us, and we could not help, but to glorify God, glorify God for her and her family.

Truly, Becky has been tremendous for us. Without seeing us, she has continued to love us. Without touching us physically, she has continued to embrace us with her love, the love of her true heart. And without hearing us to ask her for anything, she has continued to help us with the gifts of her kindness.

Sincerely, her persistence and consistency to us help us with the gifts of her heart, have continued to impress me because most times, personal financial responsibilities could be so overwhelming that to live the beautiful virtue of charity, becomes a difficult task, yet not Becky.

Thank you Mrs Rebecca ‘Becky’ Omakor, my own big sister and our own good mother.

I cherish and nurture friendship. And I cherish that of Mrs Rebecca ‘Becky’ Omakor.

Truly, they were so many beautiful and irresistible souls in Administration and General Services Department, Corporate Office and indeed, in Oceanic Bank International Plc. Becky was one of them where she held a beautiful heart, always smiling, always cheerful and with the beautiful hair on her head, a ‘jerry curl’ that was as constant as the northern star, she was such a beautiful lady to admire.

Becky is simply a beautiful woman and with her visible bowlegs, she is such an admirable Isoko woman to admire by all, men and women.

Thank you, Becky for blessing our world with your beauty!

As you celebrate your ‘Diamond Jubilee’ my own dearest big sister and our own good mother, a new month and a new beginning have just begun for you, but this is not the start of a new Chapter in your life. This is the beginning of a new Book in your life. In this new Book, may you continue to find the strength to continue to overcome every obstacle in every page of this new Book and the determination to achieve greatness in every chapter of this Book. May excellence, brilliance and greatness follow you in every line of this new Book, the Book of your Diamond Jubilee.

Thank you, Becky for calling me your brother sincerely and honestly, a name that I always feel unworthy of.

Truly, we are advised never to stop doing little things for others. Sometimes, those little things occupy the biggest part of their lives. Thank you, my own dearest big sister, Becky for doing great things for us. Thank you for loving us in spite of ourselves. Thank you for holding our hands so lovingly across so many of the storms of our lives. Thank you for your uncommon compassion, kindness, goodness and generosity for us.

On this day and always, we will always pray for you and your family. And we will always love you.

Happy sixty (60) years (Diamond Jubilee) birthday to you, our own dearest and most unique sister, friend and mother.

Welcome to the Sixth Floor of God’s unending graces for you and your most amazing family.

We greatly cherish and appreciate your positive presence and friendship in our lives.

Happy Diamond Jubilee Mrs Rebecca ‘Becky’ Omakor and thank you for being our valuable umbrella!

Na me

Mark Osabomeh

Your ‘little’ brother

For the Mark Osabomeh Family

Sunday, July 14, 2024