Evangelist Elishamma Ideh has paid a glowing tribute to her late mother, Mrs. Enore Paulina Odigie, following her passing at the age of 89.

Fondly known as “Maama Rose” by her only daughter, Evangelist Elishamma Ideh, Mrs. Odigie went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after years of battling illness. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

In a deeply emotional tribute, Evangelist Ideh described her mother as “a gallant Christian soldier” whose unwavering devotion to Christ became the defining legacy of her life.

Reflecting on the painful loss, she admitted that no amount of preparation could lessen the grief.

“Nothing actually prepares one for the loss of a dear one. I thought I was ready because I had watched you endure years of sickness, but alas—not so. My heart still broke.”

According to the evangelist, her mother’s greatest victory was not merely the length of her life but her remarkable journey from an idolatrous background into a vibrant Christian faith. She recalled that despite fierce spiritual opposition, her mother remained steadfast in serving Christ with all her strength, resources, and devotion until her final days.

“You fought hard—very hard. You fought to the end. You fought by serving Christ with all your substance, all your might, and with your body until you could fight no more. Christ was with you all the way.”

One of the defining moments in Evangelist Ideh’s life, she revealed, came during her early twenties when she had little interest in Christianity. Following a heated disagreement, she drove her mother and members of the Deeper Life Bible Church out of her living room during a prayer meeting. Rather than responding in anger, Mrs. Odigie uttered a prophetic declaration that would eventually transform her daughter’s life:

“You will serve this Jesus in a way that even you cannot comprehend.”

Evangelist Ideh said those words became a turning point in her spiritual journey, adding that from that day she became “a prayer project” of the Deeper Life Church in Ikeja District until the prophecy found fulfillment.

She also recounted a deeply personal experience shortly before her mother’s passing.

“When the Lord woke me up a day before your passing to go anoint and pray for you, I knew instinctively it was time. Yet my heart still broke. Blood is thicker than water.”

Describing her mother as a woman of uncommon faith, courage, and perseverance, Evangelist Ideh said Mrs. Odigie’s greatest inheritance was the legacy of faith she imparted to her family.

“She handed me the greatest inheritance anyone could receive—a legacy in Jesus Christ.”

Mrs. Enore Paulina Odigie will be remembered as a faithful Christian matriarch whose life testified to the transforming power of the Gospel and whose steadfast faith continues to inspire generations.