A statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Godwin Adindu, reads:
Born on May 27, 1928 to the family of Nwagwu Anaba of Umuafor Village
in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, Madam Bessie lost her
father in 1944 when she was 16. But her mother took the decision to send
her to school the next year by which time she was already 17.
She obtained her primary education at the 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.
Madam Bessie got married to late Mr. Ishmael Uleanya Ikpeazu of
Umuobiakwa Village, also in Obingwa in December, 1961 and this union
was blessed with three children; Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu ( Governor of
Abia State),Mrs. Ocheze Edith Ugboaja and Barrister Iheanyichukwu
Ugonna Ikpeazu.
As a Nurse, she worked at Ahoada County Hospital, Ahoada Rivers State;
Okpuala Ngwa General Hospital and Nigerian Christian Hospital, Onicha
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.
Madam Bessie as an entrepreneur was the founded 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 mobiliser and deaconess of the Seventh Day
Adventist Church, Madam Bessie also served as the leader of the
Women’s Ministry of the church.