Faith & Spiritual Legacy
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." — 2 Timothy 4:7
Lolo Regina with the Catholic Reverend Father and young children celebrated in Holy Communion attire.
The 4:30 AM Family Prayer Altar
For over forty years, the first sound heard in the Ezeudu household before daybreak was the soft, melodic hum of Regina’s voice singing praise in Igbo and English.
She believed that before speaking to the world or stepping into the bustling commodity market, she must first consecrate her family to the Almighty. She would lay her hands gently upon the doorposts of her children’s rooms, calling each child by name in prayer.
In seasons of illness or financial uncertainty, she never despaired. Her famous response remains etched in family memory: "Chukwu no n’elu; O ma ihe Nile" ("God is on the throne; He knows all things").
Her Beloved Scripture Passages
The verses marked with pen ink in her personal Bible that guided her steps and comforted her soul.
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life... Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."
"Onye puru ichọta nwanyi nwere ezi agwa? N’ihi na uru ya bara kari nkume ola-edo n’onye bara uba... Umuntakiri ya na-ebili na-akpo ya onye a gọziri agọzi."
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."
"Jehova bu Onye-ozuzu-atụm; ihe agagh akọm. N’ebe ahihia ndu n’eto ka O n’eme ka m’dina: N’akuku miri di nwayọ ka O n’edu m."
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day."
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Her Cherished Hymns & Songs
The spiritual anthems she sang in the choir, at the family morning altar, and during evening quiet hours.
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Nnukwu Bu Ikwesi-ntukwasi-obi GiBy Thomas O. Chisholm (1923)
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
How She Cherished It: Her signature anthem of thanksgiving. Whenever the family celebrated a child’s graduation or new milestone, Regina would lead the household in this hymn before any speeches.
View Full Stanzas & Lyrics
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Abide With Me
By Henry Francis Lyte (1847)
Abide with me: fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide! When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
How She Cherished It: A beloved evening hymn she sang softly before bedtime, finding deep peace in the promise of Christ’s unmoving presence in life and death.
View Full Stanzas & Lyrics
Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide!
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
It Is Well With My Soul
By Horatio G. Spafford (1873)
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
How She Cherished It: A testament to her calm spirit in seasons of storm. Regina taught her children that peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God inside the trouble.
View Full Stanzas & Lyrics
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Nara Ekele Onye Obi Oma (Igbo Thanksgiving)
Nara Ekele Onye Obi OmaBy Traditional Igbo Hymnody
Nara ekele, nara otuto, Onye obi oma. Ihe I na-emerem jurum anya, Chineke mo nara ekele.
How She Cherished It: A joyful traditional Igbo chorus Regina sang while preparing meals in the kitchen or celebrating with fellow Christian mothers during Thanksgiving festivals.
View Full Stanzas & Lyrics
Nara ekele, nara otuto, Onye obi oma;
Ihe I na-emerem jurum anya, Chineke mo nara ekele.
Chorus:
Onye obi oma, nara ekele!
Onye n’eme mma, nara otuto!
Nara ekele, Onye obi oma.
Mma mma Gi bara uba, Ezi Nna;
N’ututu, n’ehihie, na n’abali;
I n’echebem n’ogbe nile;
Chineke mo, nara ekele.
Fellowship with the Catholic Women Organisation
Lolo Regina was known as a joyful harmonizer. During annual Mother's Day conventions and parish harvest thanksgiving, she led songs of gratitude, organized welfare for elderly widows in the parish, and helped younger brides navigate the early challenges of Christian marriage with patience and mutual respect.