Shine On Through, Kati!
Author: Priscilla Dewa - President SLOGA Abuja branch | Date: 5/24/08
How do you write a tribute to a great orator? A great leader? How do you express her spiritualism on paper? Her dynamism. Her integrity and credibility. Her painstaking accountability. Her stewardships. Her creativity.
This is to a woman of great outstanding substance who epitomizes womanhood/beauty, within and without, who oozes sophistication, style and grace unconsciously. Who always stands up for the truth when others are ready to let it slip by.
With a voice that would be the envy of a nightingale she glides melodiously to any musical tune you chose to play for her.
A loving mother to her immediates, and strangers alike. The best wife and finest cook to her loving husband.
God used unique sand and clay structure and created a one-of-a-kind gem. Oh Kati!!!
Every 20 years or so, there's someone great who walks the planet, and I think “Kati” was very special (“Kati” is her mums way of calling Mrs. Kathryn Hoomkwap).
You could stand outside on the street with Kati and ask her one question, thinking it'll be a five minute discussion and it'll be a two hour and five minute discussion. I remember the last time we shared time on the sidewalk in Jos, taking a walk. She was full of ideas for my pet project and discussed it extensively with me - it turned out to be a two hour and five minute discussion.
That was one thing I admired about her, her selflessness – she always had time to sit ‘n talk…
She was also demanding as she wanted you to show up as a good and productive personage, to show up with your individuality and creativity, and give your 100%, because she always gave 100%. The lady was just energetic and full of life and wanted every one to excel in what ever they set out to do. She was ‘passionate’ and injected this into every single word, every single action, every single nod of approval, every single word of encouragement, every single smile…
Kati’s love for God and His church, and her true devotion to Mother Mary is seen greatly in the way she lived her life, her interaction with people, and in her daily and weekly attendance of Mass wherever she may be.
A passionate relationship with God was nurtured by a special bond with the
She was immensely comforted by the unwavering assurance that God was ultimately in complete control of everything, and that He held her hand as she journeyed through the valley to His abode.
It is a great loss to her family especially, to SLOGA, to Plateau state, to
Can you write a piece that would adequately describe such Greatness…
This piece is motivated by a genuine desire to appreciate genuine greatness which has found some symbolism in Kathryn Hoomkwap.
It represents my modest way of patriotically and compatriotically giving honour to whom it is due without any screen.
Many people try to achieve goals. Most fail. Some strive, work hard and plan for all the details yet they achieve little or nothing at all. Others strive, work hard, plan and achieve huge success. Yet there are a few individuals who do little else than take small steps and seem to achieve a great deal with what seems like effortlessness.
Oh, Kati!! How we "Remember", "Remember", "Remember".
I’ll remember our fine times together, and feel joy again in the memory of her presence.
I will miss most the sunshine she brings to me every day with each smile…
Though we’ve always lived a considerable distance apart, we’ve visited each other, traveled together, and shared many fine adventures.
Perusing Kati’s autobiography gave me an insight of the kind of person she is.
“Kati, you are such a simple person”.
I say ‘are’ instead of ‘were’ because good human beings never ‘were’, they remain ‘are’. Maybe the world would go on as usual day-after-tomorrow, saying a good word today and tomorrow, but for me, I shall remember you always in my thoughts. MAY GOD BLESS YOU EVEN AS YOU STAND BY HIS RIGHT HANDSIDE.
Shine On Through, Kati
May her lovable soul rest in perfect peace. Amen!
Tribute by Prisciilia Dewa, Kekuut, Rangtiem, Naanzem and Kwaphoom Hoomkwap
P.S
Mrs Kathryn Hauwa Hoomkwap (nee Bala) was born in Shendam,
An alumnus of both St. Louis College Jos (SLOGA, 1967 head girl and pioneer of the Higher School Certificate in the same school), and of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Political Science( second Class Upper).
Kati’s achievement will forever boost the green-white-green flag and
Commissioner in Plateau State, 1979 and 1983; chairman, Plateau State Board of Inland Revenue; Member of various State and Federal governing boards and parastatals; As a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), she served the party in various capacities; CHAN President; CWO Provincial President and Vice President in Jos; and most recently, investiture with the coveted papal award - DAMA DELL’S ORDINE DI SAN GREGORIO MAGNO) an acknowledgement by the church of her selfless contribution to the spread of Christianity. Internationally, United Nations delegate, Consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Family
She is also a recipient of the Member of Order of Niger given by the Nigerian Government.
She was married to senator George Baba Hoomkwap for 37 years and has four children Kekuut Josephine Hoomkwap, Rangtiem Georgina-Alphonsa Hoomkwap, Naanzem Eucharia Hoomkwap and Kwaphoom Eugene Hoomkwap.
Kati died of brain hemorrhage on
POVERTY AND THE FAMILY IN THE THIRD WORLD
The family remains the basic unit of society in the world today. In its modern meaning, the family is that social unit comprising a man, his wife and their children. In most sub-Saharan African countries, the extended family, which is a more inclusive definition of the family, includes uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents and other distant relations. This paper has deliberately chosen to make the family its center-piece for a number of reasons.
Excerpt from: A/S-23/1 8
The Holy See delegation has participated actively in the negotiations leading to this special session of the General Assembly, a session which has raised issues of critical importance to the lives of millions of women worldwide, and which has been evaluating the progress that has been made since the Fourth World Conference on Women.
