Obiageli Theodora Nwankwo - Obituary

biageli "Oby" Theodora Nwankwo, 61, of Silver Spring, MD passed away on Saturday, December 9, 2017. Oby was born on September 22, 1956 in Nigeria to Theodora Uzoamaka Ndigwe and the late HRH Obi Alfred Ndigwe. Oby’s resume is extensive. She was a lawyer of over 30 years with post call experience in litigation, judicial duties and development work. Oby was the founder and Executive Director of the Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC), an NGO with offices in Abuja, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states. She led CIRDDOC to work extensively all over Nigeria and has trained Community Information Officers, Civic Educators and paralegals who provide human rights, civic education and legal services in most of these states. In addition to CIRDDOC, she led in the campaign for the domestication of The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the AU Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa by the National and State Assemblies and the passage of the Child’s Rights Law in the States. She was elected as a member of the UN CEDAW Expert Committee for a 4-year term in January 2013 and was re-elected for another 4 year term in 2016. She received numerous awards, was a member of numerous committees and was a consultant for several organizations; however, her biggest accomplishment was raising her seven beautiful and accomplished children. She may have left the physical world today, but her selfless life of service to humanity not only remains etched in our memories, but also keeps us striving to do more and more for our great organization in order to keep her vision alive – through service. May God, in His Bounty, keep her in His lasting residence, where neither toil nor sense of weariness shall touch her – Amen. Oby was a member of Renewal Christian Center in Hyattsville, MD. She enjoyed traveling, helping others but most of all spending time with family and friends. Oby was preceded in death by her husband, of 23 years, Victor Nwankwo; sister, Ifeoma Okereke. She is survived by her mother, Mrs Theodora Ndigwe, seven children, Uzo Nwankwo of Hanover, Kennedy Okereke of Silver Spring, Oby Otti of South Orange, NJ, Ogo Nwachukwu of Hanover, Ral Obioha of Houston, Chinazo Nwankwo, and Chidera Nwankwo both of Silver Spring; five siblings, Ralph, Bensokey, Clem and Sunday Ndigwe all of Nigeria, and Patricia Ndigwe of California; grandchildren, Ora and Aka Nwachukwu both of Hanover and Ziva and Nina Otti both of South Orange, NJ. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 10 AM at Trinity Assemblies of God, 7800 Good Luck Road, Lanham, MD 20706, interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Silver Spring. On line condolences may be made by clicking on the link to the left of this page.