By Oseloka Okaro
Dame Elizabeth Nkechi Okaro, MFR, APKMN, KSJI, was a versatile veteran broadcaster with sterling leadership qualities. She was an educationist, extrovert, philanthropist, a great organizer, administrator and was happiest when helping others. Mummy was a gregarious personality who had so much love to share.
She was born on the 16th day of December, 1930, in Bukuru, Plateau State, to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Chukwuma Iwugoh from Ifite village in Umuoji town, Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State.
They were a family of high moral and social standing and she had a nice and memorable childhood, with frequent outings and family picnics until the demise of their mother when Mummy, the oldest child, was seven years old. Their father remarried and the new wife had six children, making them a family of 10 children.
Her primary school education in Plateau State was at St. Gerald’s Catholic School, Bukuru, and later at Barkin Ladi. Then she attended Our Lady’s High School, Kaduna, from 1944 to 1947, and completed her secondary school education at Queen of Apostles College, Kakuri, now Queen Amina College, Kaduna, from 1947 to 1949.
After her Cambridge School Certificate exams in 1949, she was awarded a Federal Government scholarship to study in the UK. She attended St. Osyth’s Teacher Training College, Clacton-on-Sea, England, where she studied Home Economics for three years. On her return home, she started her career as an education officer at Government Girls School, Kaduna.
In 1958, she got married to Emmanuel Oseloka Okaro of Ogidi. Her husband travelled abroad for further studies and she later travelled and joined him abroad. She worked as a teacher while her husband studied. The marriage produced six children.
Dame Elizabeth Okaro was launched into broadcasting by the late Chief S.O. Awokoya, the then adviser of education to the Federal Government. He spotted her broadcasting talent and encouraged her to come and work in the western part of the country. She started at the broadcasting unit of the Federal Ministry for Education, Lagos, under the late Chief Abiogu Kema and they formed the pioneer staff of the unit. She broadcast on educational subjects for radio.
In 1966, the British Council recommended her for in-service training, initially in radio broadcasting at the Centre for Educational Television Development (CEDO) in London. She later returned to the centre for further studies in television broadcasting.
On her return from her studies, the civil war in the country was brewing and she was transferred to the eastern part of the country, initially to their office in Port Harcourt to join her husband who was with the Federal Ministry of Works. When Port Harcourt fell to the Federal troops, the family returned to Ogidi. She was appointed refugee camp director, managing four refugee camps in her hometown, Umuoji, Anambra State.
At the end of the war, she reported to the state ministry of education and was posted to Modern Aids to Education Centre in Enugu, the East-Central State capital. She was deployed in the production of educational broadcasts on radio. A prolific writer and brilliant radio and television producer, she mentored others in education and broadcasting.
In 1974, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) was started and, having had the training for TV broadcasting, she was invited to start off the educational television broadcasting unit of NTA. There, she produced a variety of TV programmes like Look and Learn, Everyday Science as well as pioneering various entertainment programmes like the Tom-Tom series, In a Lighter Mood, which was adopted by the Johns Hopkins University, USA.
She could easily be described as an all-rounder, a radio and TV scriptwriter, producer, presenter and actress. She was part of the cast of the award-winning movie of Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart, playing the role of Unoka’s wife, Okonkwo’s mother. She also presented several popular TV programmes, such as “ Tales By Moonlight”, “Maggie Kitchen”, “Look and Learn”, “Women Today”, “Everyday Science”, “Agaracha”, “Love and Marriage” and “Say It With Music”, to mention a few, as well as writing, acting and helping in producing a popular drama titled “Iyi Uwa”. She also published a book for children titled “Meat From Heaven”.
In 1971, Mrs. Okaro, in partnership with other Enugu-based civil servants and broadcasters, started a theatre group called The Hill-Top Arts Theatre. This group performed at Government House, Armed Forces Day celebration in Kaduna, and Dodan Barracks in Lagos for visiting African Heads of State, among many other performances.
After retiring from service, she was appointed the first executive secretary of the Women’s Commission in old Anambra State and also went on to become first secretary of the Women’s Commission in the new Anambra State.
Though resident in Enugu town, she commuted daily to and from Awka diligently for her entire tenure at the commission. She also served on the Better Life for Rural Women Programme, which Mrs. Maryam Babangida, the then First Lady, had instituted nationally and promoted at the state level with the support and involvement of the governor’s wives.
She was subsequently appointed by the successor First Lady, Mrs. Mariam Abacha, as the executive secretary of the National Women’s Commission. Mrs. Abacha had, incidentally, been her student in primary and secondary school.
Under her watch, the project, National Hospital For Women and Children, which was conceived by Mrs. Abacha under the auspices of the Family Support Trust Fund, was overseen, executed and delivered. The hospital at the time was a landmark project of high standing. It heralded the advent of sophisticated and high technological advancement in the healthcare sector in Nigeria. She also became the first chairperson of the board of the National Hospital for Women and Children, now known as the National Hospital, Abuja.
It is to the credit of these two first ladies that the Federal Government later appropriated the hospital as its own tertiary hospital in the Federal Capital city.
She subsequently worked with another First Aady, Justice Fati Abdullsalam Abubakar, and this completed her service to the country.
Dame Elizabeth Okaro also wrote publications like “Fashion Through the Ages”, “Diet for Local Consumption” and “Societies”.
For her numerous exemplary services to the nation, she was honoured by the Federal Government with a national honour, Member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR). She also received various other awards for excellence, including “Honour of the Cross” from Pope Benedict the 16th.
She belonged to many organizations which include but not limited to; Catholic Women’s Organization (C.W.O), Association of Papal Knights Medalists of Nigeria. Nobel Lady Knights Of St. John International Laux 567 Enugu, National President, Kakuri Old Girls Association, Enugu, Meritorious Award By NTA Network Center Enugu for The Popular TV Series “In A Lighter Mood”.
She was widely traveled both locally and internationally and spoke three main Nigerian languages fluently, namely, Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba.
Dame Okaro was a devout Catholic loved the Church. She loved to work for the Church and after her retirement devoted herself to serving God and the Church. She will be remembered by her Church Parish “Seat of Wisdom” for her jingles, songs and her winning way of fund raising for the Church.
Dame Elizabeth Nkechinyelu Okaro was called to glory on the 27th day of August 2022 in hospital in Lagos after a brief illness.
A Christian wake will be held in her honour on 1st November, 2022 at Seat of Wisdom Catholic Church Housing Estate, Abakpa Nike Enugu at 5pm, and Vigil Mass at her residence in Ire village Ogidi, Anambra State on 3rd November, 2022.
Her remains will lie in state at her residence in Ogidi on 4th November, 2022 followed by Funeral Mass at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Adazi Ogidi, Anambra and internment thereafter at her residence in Ogidi.
Dame Elizabeth Okaro will be remembered for the positive impact and influence she had on people she encountered in her life’s journey. Her ever bright signature smile, which could quickly take away the gloom from a sad day, radiating hope, warmth, kindness and promises of a better day ahead. Her golden voice that reverberated and resounded with utter bliss, be it at the rendition of a song or while making a speech or presentation.
Will she be missed? Oh, yes, she will be missed, but her legacies will live on in the hearts of all to whom she meant “the world and more”.