LIFE AND TIMES OF MADAM MAGDALENE CATHRINE ASANA EDOGAMHE
1 October 1905 – 21 August 2017
Madam Magdalene Cathrine Asana Edogamhe was born on 1 October 1905 at Ivhiukasa-Fugar, in present-day Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, to Mr. Okhor and Mrs. Ayemheor Okhor. She was the last child and only remaining daughter of her mother, who had four children before her.
Madam Magdalene never had the opportunity to attend formal school. She lost her father at an early age and subsequently returned with her mother to their ancestral home in Ogbona, where she grew up. It was there that she acquired the practical skills that would sustain her throughout her long and remarkable life, particularly farming, petty trading, household management, and other traditional domestic skills.
Marriage and Family Life
Madam Magdalene’s early married life was marked by the painful loss of her first husband, Mr. Momodu of Okotor. Their marriage was blessed with a son, the late WOII Pius Momodu. Following the death of her first husband, she later married Mr. Thomas Eragbe Edogamhe of Ivhioche Quarters. He was a renowned farmer and trader.
Her marriage to Mr. Thomas Edogamhe was blessed with four children—two sons and two daughters:
Mr. Raphael Aloaye Edogamhe, JP
Mr. Stephen Edogamhe
Mrs. Justina Abu
Pastor Mrs. Angela Musa
As a mother and homemaker, Madam Magdalene worked tirelessly to provide for her family and ensure that her children received proper education. Her life was characterised by hard work, perseverance, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to the welfare of her family.
Farming, Trading and Family Sustenance
Madam Magdalene was an industrious woman who combined farming with petty trading and food processing. She worked diligently on the farm and also engaged in various forms of traditional food preparation and trading to support her household.
Among the foods she prepared and sold were Akara, Imasa, and Aka-oka. She also prepared Ugba, the traditional African locust bean product, at different periods. Through these activities, she contributed significantly to the sustenance of her household and demonstrated the resourcefulness and resilience characteristic of the women of her generation.
Her life provides a good example of the important economic role played by women in traditional Ogbona society. Without formal education or access to modern employment, women like Madam Magdalene relied on agriculture, food processing, petty trading, and other indigenous economic activities to raise their families and contribute to the wellbeing of their communities.
Character, Values and Community Life
Madam Magdalene was remembered as an exceptionally humble, peaceful, cheerful, and principled woman. She taught her children the values of humility, honesty, integrity, hard work, and peaceful coexistence.
She was particularly passionate about preserving marriages and protecting children from the consequences of marital separation. Through her counsel and personal intervention, she helped to sustain several marriages. She believed strongly that divorce could have serious and lasting negative effects on children and therefore encouraged couples to seek reconciliation and peaceful solutions to their differences whenever possible.
Her home became a place where people could seek advice and encouragement. She was widely respected for her wisdom, calm disposition, and concern for the welfare of others.
Love of Traditional Music and Folklore
Madam Magdalene was an enthusiastic lover of indigenous music and traditional entertainment. She was associated with the Agbi Dancing Troupe of Ivhioche, Izi-nokhua, Ivhioche, reflecting her appreciation of the traditional performing arts and communal entertainment of her time.
She also had a great flair for storytelling and was particularly fond of traditional folk tales. In the evenings, usually after meals, she would entertain family members and others with stories drawn from the rich oral traditions of her people.
Many of her stories centred on the tortoise, a familiar character in African folklore whose adventures often convey important moral lessons. Through these stories, she transmitted wisdom, values, humour, and traditional knowledge to younger generations.
Her love of folklore was therefore more than entertainment; it was also an important means of preserving and transmitting indigenous knowledge and cultural values.
In recognition of her advanced age, wisdom, and standing among the women of the community, she was accorded the traditional title of Emha, signifying her status as one of the oldest and most respected women of Ogbona and the Avhianwu Clan.
Religious Life
Although her husband, Mr. Thomas Eragbe Edogamhe, remained a committed Roman Catholic Christian throughout his life, Madam Magdalene’s own religious journey passed through different Christian experiences before she eventually became firmly established in the Catholic faith.
At various periods of her life, she attended the Christ Apostolic Church and was also associated with Guru Maraji before ultimately embracing the Roman Catholic Church.
Following the death of her husband, she was baptised into the Catholic faith and became deeply committed to her Christian life. She was an active member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, participating in its activities until declining eyesight eventually prevented her from attending meetings.
Her faith was not merely ceremonial. Prayer was an integral part of her daily life. She was known to pray continually and to bless those who came into contact with her. Whenever someone greeted her and prepared to leave, it was common to hear her offer a prayer, asking God to bless the person and his or her household.
Her Years of Blindness
In 1995, Madam Magdalene lost her sight. For a woman who had spent her entire life being active and industrious, this was a significant challenge. Yet she accepted her condition with remarkable courage and serenity.
She did not allow blindness to destroy her cheerful disposition or her faith. Rather, she accepted it as part of God’s will and continued to live with dignity and gratitude.
Despite her blindness, she remained capable of performing several personal and domestic tasks. She could wash her plates, cups and spoons, brush her teeth, arrange her bed, attend to her personal hygiene, and carry out other activities within her ability.
Her response to blindness revealed the strength of her character. She did not become bitter or resentful, nor did she hold grudges against anyone. Instead, she continued to encourage her children and those around her to live peacefully and to avoid bitterness, hatred, and unforgiveness.
Legacy and Final Reflections
Madam Magdalene Cathrine Asana Edogamhe lived an extraordinary 111 years. Her life spanned more than a century of profound social, cultural, economic, and religious transformation.
She belonged to a generation of Ogbona women whose lives were built around hard work, family responsibility, farming, traditional commerce, cultural preservation, faith, and community service. Although she never attended formal school, the wisdom she acquired through experience, observation, motherhood, faith, and community life became an education in itself.
She raised her children with strong moral values and left behind a legacy of humility, honesty, peace, perseverance, prayer, and service to others. Her love for traditional music and folklore also made her a custodian of aspects of the oral heritage of her people.
Madam Magdalene passed away on 21 August 2017, at the remarkable age of 111.
Her family and those who knew her deeply felt her absence. Yet they found comfort in the knowledge that she had lived a long and meaningful life and had faithfully discharged the responsibilities entrusted to her.
As those who mourned her expressed it, her death was not a reason to resent the will of God, for death is the inevitable end of every mortal life. What remains is the legacy one leaves behind.
Madam Magdalene Cathrine Asana Edogamhe left behind a legacy of faith, humility, hard work, peace, wisdom, family devotion, and cultural heritage.
She genuinely paid her dues in life and deserved the honour bestowed upon her.
May her gentle soul continue to rest in the peace of the Lord.
