By christy anyanwu
Patricia Uchenna Onumonu is the Creative Director of Trish O. Couture, a fashion label that does exclusive ankara ready to wear outfits. In this chat with Sunday Sun in her shop located at Murphy’s Plaza, Victoria Island, she talked about her relationship with her mum, Mrs Christy Okoye.
What advice did your mum give you about marriage?
Marriage is not a bed of roses and that no marriage is perfect. That we should be patient in everything we do, to be good, love and respect my husband always.
What’s your mum’s pet name for you?
She calls me Nwaogaranya or Nwachinemerem. She calls me such names when she’s trying to tease me.
How would you describe your mum?
She’s very creative and believes you can make little things big. Mum knows how to manage resources and she’s very industrious.
Were you pampered as a child?
For where? My mum has five girls and three boys. My brothers were born later in her life and were the pampered ones. We girls, early in our lives, knew what we wanted to achieve in life. She was soft with us as kids but when we became teenagers she became tough with us. Remember, that we were five teenage girls with her?
Her advice to you as a teenager?
She warned me that if any man touched me, I’d be pregnant. The warning came on stronger when I started seeing my menses. “Don’t go near any man o,” she warned sternly.
What advice did she give you that you held to heart?
She taught me to be a strong woman, to endure things and be patient in any situation.
What makes your mum happy?
She was happy when we did well in school. Our report sheet determined her mood while we were growing up. But as adults, my mum is happy when she sees that I’m full of life and happy. She lives in Lagos too and we see each other frequently.
What makes her sad?
When we misbehaved. When she talks and we don’t listen and we do our own thing, she would frown. At such times, she woke us up at midnight to give us motherly advice.