“Well I don’t have to ask God questions because HE gave her life and took it when HE wanted. I cannot say goodbye to you my sweet mother but I can only say sleep well.” Shirley Kamtochukwu Monyel – 2016.
Kamtochukwu (Ntom), you concluded your tribute to your beloved mother in 2016 with a profound statement, which we, whom you suddenly left, have to fall back on, to appreciate the finality of your absence in our lives.
As you felt compelled in 2016 not to ask God question for calling your sweet mother home, we elect not to ask God question as to the suddenness of your transition. You believed that God gives life and takes life when he wants. We also believe same. 
We are pained that God called you so far away from your loved ones, in spite of the enormity of the burden you undertook to get there, the plan to receive and reunite with the children. It was sudden.
You could not say goodbye to your sweet mother but could “only say sleep well.” Ntom, we cannot, also, say goodbye to you but we can only say sleep well in the bosom of our Lord, until we meet again. We respond to your demise by thanking God Almighty for your life with us all. We recount your presence and impact in the circle of life here on earth.
We mourn a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a niece, a cousin, a friend, a professional colleague, a co-worker, ebullient companion, cheerful organizer, ever ready to assist and serve.
Shirley was the younger of two, growing up with her mother, Ezinne Cecilia Omelogo Isama at 20 Ogbunike Street, Coal Camp, Enugu, Nigeria. She attended Army Children’s School Gariki Enugu, Nigeria from whence she proceeded to the prestigious Queen’s School Enugu for her secondary school education. She read law at the University of Nigeria UNN (Enugu Campus) and earned a Bachelor of Law LL.B (Hons) degree. She was called to the Nigerian Bar on completing and earning the Nigerian Bar Final Certificate (BL) at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja. She is an Elected Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria; Member, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPMN); Senior Chartered Member, Chartered Institute of Public Management (CIPMN).
A consummate professional, Shirley belonged to and actively participated in the programs and activities of professional bodies and associations to include, but not limited to: the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the International Bar Association (IBA). She was a member and the Financial Secretary, Otu Oka-Iwu Abuja (Igbo Lawyers Association) and the Treasurer of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) Alumni Association, Abuja Branch. An active organizer, Shirley’s presence was cherished and appreciated in the numerous civic and community organizations she belonged to: Queen’s School Enugu Old Girl’s Association; Ossomala Development Union, Abuja Branch and Legal Adviser, Ogbaru Peoples Assembly, Abuja.
A serving staff of Federal Fire Service, Abuja, Shirley sojourned to the United Kingdom to study for a Masters degree in Public Health at the University of West Scotland, Paisley Campus, Scotland, UK.
Prior to joining the Federal Fire Service, she was an inherited staff of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EDC), from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHN), where she held several positions: Legal and Compliance, Human Resources, and Customer Relations. She served as the State Treasurer of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Enugu State Council.
