The  Abia State Governor,  Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has announced the death of his mother, Mrs. Bessie Ikpeazu (Nee Nwagwu). She was 87. 

The governor's mother  a career nurse and midwife, died of natural causes after a brief illness in the early hours of Sunday, November 29 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH)  Enugu.

she was born on May 27, 1928 to Mr. Mrs  Nwagwu Anaba of Umuafor,  Obingwa LGA of Abia State, her father died in 1944 when she was 16  and her mother took the decision to send her to school which she started  at the age of 17.

 Late Mrs Ikpeazu  obtained her primary education from Adventist Primary School,  Aba and later attended School of Nursing, Adventist Hospital, Ile Ife and graduated in 1959. In 1975, she went back to further her education at the School of Midwifery, Methodist Hospital, Amachara Umuahia.

Mrs. Ikpeazu got married to late Mr. Ishmael Uleanya Ikpeazu of Umuobiakwa  also in Obingwa,  in December, 1961 and this union was blessed with three children; Dr. Okezie  Ikpeazu (Abia Governor), Mrs. Ocheze  Ugboaja and Barrister Iheanyichukwu  Ikpeazu.

As a nurse, she  worked at Ahoada County Hospital, Ahoada Rivers State, Okpuala Ngwa General Hospital and Nigerian Christian Hospital, Onitcha Ngwa in Aba where she served as the matron until she retired in 1994. During this period, she also served as the Nursing Supervisor for the Motherless Babies Home, Adventist Hospital,  Aba.

 She  was the founder and  owner of Ulari Maternity Home/Clinic Umuobiakwa, a clinic where she saved many lives for no charge and delivered thousands of babies for little or no charge.

A community leader, social mobilizer and Deaconess of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, she  also  served as  the leader of the Women’s Ministry of the church.