Barbara Magoha Shares Memories of Her Late Husband

The late Cabinet Secretary for Education, Professor George Magoha’s wife, Barbara Odudu Magoha, has eulogized her husband, narrating their first meetings before becoming a couple.

Barbara spoke during a requiem mass that was held for the late Professor of Medicine at the Consolata Shrine in Westlands, Nairobi County, on February 9, 2023.

“Today a vision from 1980 has finally come true. It is a vision about my two friends, my father’s two friends, and my father in law,” she started.

Barbara says that her husband went to Nigeria in 1972, when they met. She narrates that she got a scholarship to study medicine, which was disapproved  by her father, who died later in 1973.

“My father disapproved of that scholarship; he told me I was blocking the poor. I had to get that sponsorship guaranteed by his friend. That is the number one friend he had. When my mum went there, the man said we needed to see your daughter before he could guarantee the scholarship,” said Barbara.

“When my mother and I went there, he looked at me and gave her the dress down of the century. He said this one will never come back to this country. Why do you want the government to imprison me? My mum went to the office crying, and the junior officer guaranteed. And he said, by the time she finishes, I will have retired or be dead, so they can’t get me to repay that money,” she continued.

According to her moving eulogy of how they met (Magoha and Barbara), it was fate that brought the lovebirds together because Barbara never left Nigeria for further studies while Magoha, who was destined to study medicine in Zambia, opted to move to Nigeria.

https://mideyahdigital.co.ke/2023/02/09/magohas-son-mourns-dad-in-a-moving-tribute/

“We met and after one month he started telling people that we were getting married. I told my mother that this is the man I want to marry, and she said that if you give me some time, I’ll talk to you. She prayed and fasted for three days (in 1980) where she had a vision that Magoha would be a great man,” she said.

Through her tribute, Barbara defined Magoha’s life as being made on three pillars: being made by God, being molded by Starehe Boys High School, and doing everything with medical precision.

“I’ll never complain; I had him for forty years. I’ll be very ungrateful if I do that. There are people who have had marriages of lesser years,” she says.

Barbara narrates the last moments with the late Magoha,

“While ironing, I heard him calling me in stressful voice. When I went, I found out that he had collapsed. His tongue was coming out, and I pressed down on the tongue for some fresh air. I screamed. I called the workers, who came and got him revived. Then he said, “I want to see my son,” she added.

https://mideyahdigital.co.ke/2023/02/03/prof-magohas-body-to-pass-through-uon-knec-offices-ahead-of-burial/

Barbara says that the son, who was in the theater, responded positively to the request and made emergency calls. Magoha had consecutive heart attacks before the CS died.

“Magoha, son of Magoha has exited the stage when the ovation was loudest. Thank you for celebrating his life,” She ended her eulogy amid claps from the mourners.

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