THE GRACEFUL EXIT OF A PRINCESS Uche Orizu - Beautiful in and Out I met Uche at Oceanic bank as part of a 4man team that started Consumer Banking Dept at Oceanic Bank. I saw a willowy young lady that had a purpose in life and enjoy every step of it as well. Uche was dedicated to work and was an epitome of excellence. Whatever she did, she excelled in it. She would go to the gym in the morning before getting to work effortlessly and I would wonder........Is she for real? After the Military Pensions Verification exercise wound down, the next project was setting the Econet Wireless Telecoms Channel Unit within the Dept. She was the liaison between the bank and Econet Wireless (Channel Marketing). She made sure we all had our Econet mobile lines activated........I still use the line till date. Uche worked alongside myself and a few others as the the pioneer Marketing Team Leads  and later Profit Centre Manager (PCM) within the Consumer Banking Dept.  Uche did not see her inexperience as a marketing staff as an impediment to perform excellently, rather her intelligence came forth and she carved a niche for herself in the Marketing Dept. Working alongside Uche was an experience I cherish and would remain fresh in my mind. She was not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. She had this gracefulness and inner strength for someone that looked so fragile. She was beauty and brains. She ensured peace and a healthy relationship all around her and is very forthright with her thoughts and opinion without been rude or brash. She had kind words to people around her with being solicitous too. I remember when she got her first apartment in Dolphin and I had to help her buy a few household stuff. Her apartment on the upper floor and my reaction was....... Utche you mean you intend run up and down the stairs every time you need something. Her response was....." It's healthy living". Needless to say that I started my exercises the following morning ....running, skipping, and crunches. I lost 20kg within 4 months in all the right places thanks to Utche.  I remember her first car..... Silver Honda Bullet with her initial Learner sign. She was so careful driving that I told her one day that I was sure if she had a choice she would jog to the office rather than drive. She simply laughed heartily and said " It's not a bad option to consider". She was one on my first clients when I set up my travel agency in 2003. She was so amazed that I could think up a business with our work schedule. I issued her ticket up till the end of her 1st year in San Francisco. Utche had a fantastic family life. Her immediate family especially Ada &Tonye  and Nonso were very much part of her work family as we shared and traded information on families. I knew when Ada got pregnant and the birth of Jasmine. Uche contaminated everyone around her with her excitement.  Jasmine's 1st birthday, Ada taking in and giving birth to the twins and the challenge it was raising 3 infants. Tonye becoming a commissioner in Bayelsa state ....e.t.c. At a point in time, I could remember her Dad's NAF number and quote it. She loved her family to pieces and was proud to share them with others. She ate healthy, lived healthy, breathed healthy. She would delve into her food with gusto and clean up like she lives on air. Not one ounce of fat. From Chicken Republic, Cactus, Double 4, lunch at Villa de Medici, Chocolat Royal, - the list of restaurants we ordered lunch from are endless.  In the last few years, we have not had time to sit and gist but we light up the airwaves when we hook up to gist on the phone. We use the same hospital in Lagos and we ran into each other a few times. Even though I knew she was struggling and in pain, her passion for marathons lights up her face as we talk about her feats and plans. She had inner peace and dignity and nothing was ever going to stop her from living her life to the fullest. I can relive memories and share pieces of beautiful stories about Utche forever.  I miss u Utche; even my daughter - Alexandra cannot fathom why her tall beautiful Princess had to go be with Jesus. She says that you are Princess Blair Willows (Barbie).  Sleep well in His bosom, you ran your marathon on earth and it led you to Jesus. You ran a marathon in life, excelled, victorious and the finish line led you in glory. You are forever in my heart.  All my love Adetoun Abbi-Olaniyan (Adepitan)