Children of the late Queen Florence T.J.T Princewill, wife of the late Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom in Rivers State, King Prof. T.J.T Princewill, have described her as a great mother who made a huge impact in the lives of many people, including those she didn't know.

The week-long activities lined up in honour of the late Queen, who bore the title 'Se-Ingibo', meaning "Mother of Kalabari Kingdom", came to a close on Sunday with an outing/thanksgiving service at Saint Alban's Anglican Church, Obuama in Degema Local Government Area of the state.

The outing/thanksgiving service was preceded by a night of culture and musical display, which was held in honour of the late Queen on Saturday night at the Obuama Town Square.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the service on Sunday, son of the deceased, Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill, said the impact of her legacies was evident in the outpouring of love and support during her burial activities.

Princewill, who is also the head of Queen Elebabene/Da Ogo Group of Houses in Buguma, stated that the late Queen’s first quality was in the joy she brought to the life of his late father, King Princewill.

His words: "Mummysco as I call her is woman whose life was about making an impact. She made a huge impact anywhere she went to and she touched so many peoples' lives.

"My biological mother passed away in 2000 but my father remarried two years after that. I was one of her first advocates in the family because I just saw the kind of joy she gave to him and the kind of peace that came from it.

"Anyone who knows my father knows that anything that is important to him is important to me. But, I also got to love her in my own way independent of my father because of the impact she had in my life. We talked a lot at length, we discussed everything and I became very close to her and she got close to me and my family.

"So, I am not surprised when I saw that outpouring of love. People didn't know that she is not my biological mother because that is the way we related.

"The outpouring of love and support is legendary. People did things here for nothing, people did things for next to nothing, people contributed time, effort, all that. It was nothing short of mind-blowing.

"So, I am not shocked by that outpouring of love. Without them this wouldn’t have been possible. We didn't get a lot of support from outsiders and we didn’t ask. We just decided to put our head down and dig deep. We lost a huge icon in our family and there is no replacement.

"On the future of her legacy and if there will be a foundation in her name, we shall see. But one thing we must all have noticed in this burial is that we have not done things without thought. Our mother has barely been in the ground. So shortly, the family will sit down to discuss what lasting legacies we want to sustain.

"She has done more than enough to leave a legacy. So much so that even if we don't do anything beyond now, her legacies will remain," he said.

Also speaking to journalists, her second son and head of the Da Beal Group of Houses, Obuama, Alabo Daso John Beal Odibo Tom-Big Harry, said the late Queen was a gift to the community as she trained even those who were not her children.

Describing their late mother as the first female Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman in the history of the community, Tom-Big Harry, said she used her position to attract a lot of projects to Obuama community.

"As I have been saying everywhere I go for anybody that cares to listen. Our mother was a mother to all. Naturally, she was a mother to everybody and God now ordained it for her to become the wife of the King of Kalabari Kingdom, which automatically made her to become the Se-Ingibo. Se-Ingibo means 'mother of the Kalabari nation'.

"From the beginning, it was not easy for her when she was growing up. When going to school was difficult for some people, she struggled on her own, went to Teachers' Training College. From there she went to University of Hull, where she got her first degree.

"She came back to Nigeria, got her masters on her own while she was also training my younger ones. She was also training people from the community, even people that she did not know.

"So, when she became the wife of the Amanyanabo, it became a different thing entirely. For the legacies she left behind, they are very many. In this community for instance, she was first female CDC chairman.

"She was the first person that brought on meaningful projects to this community. When Dr. Peter Odili was governor, she brought in a big generator for electricity in the community. The road network you see in this community today were masterminded by her when she was the CDC chairman," he said.

On his part, the first son of the late Queen, Opakriba Ezekiel Tom-Big Harry, reiterated many of the things his younger brothers had said, but also added that their late mother had no favourite child as she loved all her children.

He said: "First, I don't know where to start from. The main message that I have is that she was a mother to all. She loved all of us her children. She had no favourite child that she loved the most." We all felt loved and that in itself was a skill considering how many we were.

While we are all here today to give thanks to God for a successful burial, we want to give thanks to all who contributed to make this a success. Our mother would be so happy. This was a display of Kalabari Unity. The coming together of several into one just to celebrate their Queen.

•PHOTO: Son of the deceased, Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill, (Middle) and flanked by dignitaries, during the funeral the late Queen Florence T.J.T Princewill

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