Henrietta Ukaigwe

Aunty, I just can't believe you are gone. Listening to the news on the Radio, now,that you're buried,cost me greater pain and sadness. Cant just believe you are no more,and your voice and contribution on television,no more. Rest,my heroin.

It is written, "it is appointed for man to die once and after this, judgement." But this we pray; that mercy reigns over judgement. Wishing you a blisful rest in eternity Madam Henrietta.

That women's football lost a great deal in your death is just stating the obvious, going by the out-pouring of emotions from all corners of the globe. Just in March, 2020 and at the Media officers training in Lagos, i shared a project with you which you were very excited about because it would have mega positive impact of the women's game. But now you are gone, along with all your passion and with all your wealth of experience which has been vital to the growth of the game in Nigeria. What a loss. It is just a few short years of knowing you and yet your death left me this short of what to say or how to say it. This here is me been short of words. Rest In Peace Madam Henrietta Ukaigwe. - Timisire Abayomi

TRIBUTE TO A GREAT FIXER I witnessed the fading moments of your eventful life and I saw one thing you could not fix – death. You fixed your education career by seeing yourself through higher institution. You are a pillar in women football in Nigeria as a great Fixer. You fixed the vacuum created by Vincent Enyeama in the Super Eagles by discovering, nurturing and making sure Francis Uzoho manned the post for Super Eagles. Again your fixing tendencies also reached the dark and sleepy town of Ijegun as your presence illuminated the place Hetty, you are the best in Abba. You have lived the life and the stars in the sky approved of it by cresting HETTY as Tribute to you. My condolences go to Nigeria as she loses a good Fixer HETTY, one of the best from late Chief and Lolo L.A.O Ukaigwe... REST WELL HETTY FRED UKAIGWE

Hetty, that’s my favourite, preferred and fond name for her, you truly came, you saw and you actually conquered. It’s not how long one lives on earth that matters but how well one is able to utilise the smallest space one occupies within one’s stay on earth. You lived so short a time on this effacing world and within the shortest time you etched your essence in millions’ minds and through the singular act touched lives. Your journey to eternity was peacefully, yes, I could attest to that. I stood there, watched and stared right into your eyes on that dark Tuesday, July 14 helplessly and painfully as you bade mother earth bye. For the first time ever since we knew ourselves that you would ignore me and turned deaf ears to series of frantic calls, I understood as you appeared to be hearkening to a higher call – the creator. The English playwright and literary icon, William Shakespeare may have been economical when he crafted this masterpiece, ‘when beggars die, there are no comets seen; the havens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.’ The entire sports community has been thrown into deep mourning and hysteria following your demise as they take turns to recount your numerous landmark achievements. William Shakespeare enthused, ‘his life was gentle, and the elements, so mixed in him, that nature might stand up and say to the world, ‘this was a man!’ May the hosts of heaven and creator receive your soul gracefully and grant you peace you so much desired even while on mother earth. Dearest sister, it has been tough, tougher to come to terms with the reality that you have departed from this sinful world, it’s more excruciating even now perhaps forever to say bye. Goodbye!!! - Humphrey Njoku

My Best Friend, Henrietta Upon my arrival at the hospital on that fateful Tuesday, July 14 that would forever remained hatefully memorable i met you expectedly lively, hearty, hilarious and chatting freely with the nurses and attendant nothing around you showed that somebody's life was about to be snuffed by the Cold hand of death in the next few minutes. You indeed requested for a new hairdo and I stepped out innocently to fetch the choice material and stylist. Was i deceived, could i have disobeyed you, how i wished i did disobey you perhaps if I did it would have change the course of fate and saved me from the severe heartache and nightmare I'm going through right now. could i ever forgive myself for heeding to your request. Behold what a twist of fate that has made me inconsolable upon return that the same cheerful nurses i left you with a few minutes ago would become cold and practically barred me from re-entering the ward to hand over the hairdo material you graciously requested. Effortlessly, i resisted the nurses but they would not bulge rather coldly and sternly mooted that you were gone. Gone to where, i shouted at them, I pushed forward but all the time was held back and the situation has remained the same ever since the dark Tuesday. I bluntly refused the nurses doing anything on your body as far as I'm concerned you may have gone into a coma and would come around it with some expertly medication. Not even the simplest act of pulling the bedsheet over you. I told the nurses a capital NO because you were not dead but in a coma and would soon regain consciousness. I waited, a pensive waiting, hoping and praying at same time for some miracles and no thanks to the on-going three day strike embarked upon by the resident doctors at the time coupled with the eternity it took to convince one of the consultant to confirm you dead. The consultant whom I so much pinned the last hope to announce that the nurses were wrong almost immediately killed my world by confirming the obvious. Instantly, my world crumbled and collapsed upon me, Hetty, I was shouting on top of my voice, you couldn't die, you could not leave, who were you leaving me with in this hateful world. As far as I know Hetty was the only friend, sister and confidant i have in the whole world. Hetty, I'm still with your hairdo material and I have refused to let go of the stylist, I'm still waiting for you to wake up from your deep slumber so that i would give your hair the exact style you wanted. Hetty, you are staying too long in waking up, please i know you could not hurt a fly, and I know you would not want to be unfair and unkind to me knowing that i might not be able to pick the pieces of my life. If you stayed the way you were, now you understand how difficult it has been and it may not be going away soon. How do i describe the most selfless person I know? How do I begin to recount the dozens of players she helped, the people she inspired, the lives she touched? This is a woman who donated her time and talents to the growth of women football. Multiples times a year, for free because she felt called to do so. How I can help you? I can't be the only person who heard Henrietta say those words over and over again. no expectation of anything in return To call a giver doesn't do her justice, Giving was simply part of her nature, a portion of her soul. Hetty was a mother, a sister, a friend, a woman of faith, a defender of those in need, a fighter, a brilliant, talented journalist. Someone i can honestly say made me and a lot of people better I guess you departed the scene too short a time. However my consolation is that you lived the short time meaningfully. Men and women have been attesting to your good deeds. Heaven, too where you rest at the moment equally attest to your saintly mien. Rest on dearest sister till we meet to part no more, adieu. Tessy nwoke

Rest in peace my dear friend. You are greatly missed.

Sleep well Aunty Henrietta Death is cruel, death is wicked, what word again can I use to describe death ? If anyone had pre informed me that someone dear to me like Aunty Henrietta would die on Tuesday 14th July, I would have cursed the person and his or her generation. When you see Aunty Henrietta, you will see a woman always cheerful, her smile is contagious. You can't be with her and be angry because she will find a way to make you happy. That's the beautiful soul death snatched, death is wicked. Who will call me nwanne mu again? Aunty Henrietta loves me so much that she calls me almost every month to know how I'm doing, she won't end the call without words of advice. That's the person death decided to snatch, death is a bastard. I kept on calling Aunty Henrietta number after I heard the news hoping she will pick my calls but her numbers weren't connecting. I waited thinking maybe her battery is low that I will get her but still her number didn't go through. They said we shouldn't question God and I have tried so hard not to ask God why must it be you Aunty Henrietta. Your death broke me. If only tears could bring you back to this world, my tears alone could have brought you back. I have cried and cried but my tears can't bring you back. It's difficult to say goodbye Aunty Henrietta, sleep well. Faith Oluchi