Helen Omosefe Odita

Mrs. Helen Omosefe Odita

June 14, 1951 to August 31, 2026

 

Early Life and Faith

Helen Omosefe Odita, née Edokpayi, was born on June 14, 1951, in Agbor, in present-day Delta State, Nigeria. Her mother, Mrs. Ekefre Edokpayi, was a midwife at the General Hospital, and her father, Mr. David Osayande Edokpayi, was the Postmaster General. Helen was the second of six children born to Mrs. Ekefre Edokpayi.

 

While her mother pursued her nursing career, Helen, along with her older sister Grace and younger brother Herbert, lived with her maternal grandparents, Elder Johnny Essien Etukudo and Mrs. Dinah Essien, in Eket, in present-day Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Their structured and nurturing household emphasized hard work and love for faith, family, and friends, values that became the foundation of Helen’s character.

 

Faith was woven into Helen’s life from childhood. She lived in the church compound where her grandfather was pastor of Qua Iboe Church and attended choir practices with her uncles and aunties. Her first “nursery rhymes” included Psalm 23 and the Lord’s Prayer. In high school, she memorized the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 6, and 7, among other passages. Her mother, a deaconess in the Methodist Church of Nigeria, valued that position even more than the honor of serving as matron at the General Hospital in Benin City, Nigeria.

 

Helen was raised to believe in hard work, faith, respect for the family name, and the discernment of right from wrong. She appreciated those who planted these good seeds on her behalf and carried their lessons throughout her life.

 

Education, Marriage, and Family

After obtaining her First School Leaving Certificate from Eket Group School (Mile 1), Helen returned to Agbor and attended Baptist Girls’ High School, an all-female boarding school run by American missionaries. She formed enduring friendships there, and her schoolmates continued to respectfully refer to one another as “sister.”

 

Helen obtained the West African School Certificate in 1968 and entered the College of Education in Abraka in 1971, qualifying as a chemistry and biology teacher. During her first year as a student teacher, she met Dr. John Chukudi Odita, then a physician intern at Eku Baptist Hospital. Both came from large, inclusive families where family titles such as brother, sister, uncle, and auntie were important.

 

Helen briefly taught chemistry and biology at Baptist High School in Benin City before attending the University of Ibadan in Ibadan, Nigeria, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (Botany/Zoology). She joined the Bendel State Board of Education, taught at various schools in Benin City, and was promoted to Vice Principal.

 

Helen and John married in 1979 and had three children, Emeka, Ifeoma, and Chiedu, whom they considered their “Greatest Assets.” Together they built a strong cultural and educational foundation for their children rooted in faith, family, and friendship. Helen eventually left her position as Vice Principal to devote more time to her young family.

 

A Life of Teaching and New Beginnings

Dr. Odita’s career took the family to homes in Benin City, Nigeria; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Doha, Qatar; Sugar Land, Texas; and Shreveport, Louisiana. He was devoted to his family and medical profession, and wherever he was offered an appointment, he negotiated arrangements that included his wife and children.

 

The family moved to the Middle East in 1986. In Doha, Helen taught science to middle school students at the American International School. In 1993, they moved to the United States when Dr. Odita accepted an appointment as an Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

 

Beginning again professionally, Helen enrolled at Texas Southern University in Houston, where she earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and obtained a Texas Certificate in Secondary Education. She believed that her “steps along the way have been ordered by the Almighty!”

 

After moving to Shreveport, Helen obtained a Louisiana certificate and joined Caddo Parish Public Schools, teaching biology and physical science. She retired in 2014 as a graduate teacher with extensive experience at both the high school and middle school levels.

 

Helen earned the respect of colleagues and supervisors throughout her career. Brian Jones of the American International School in Doha described her as “dedicated, conscientious, and professional in every aspect.” Dr. Mary Nash Robinson of the Caddo Parish School Board described her as “diligent in her effort for children” and said that “everything she touched turned to gold.”

 

Faith, Family, and Community

The Odita homes were known for an open-door policy, welcoming family and friends wherever they lived. After Dr. Odita passed away in April 2004, Helen continued these traditions and remained a pillar of strength for her family.

 

Helen had the joy of watching her family grow. Emeka, married to Marie, is the father of Harper (2021) and Zarja (2024).

 

Ifeoma married Chinememma (Chi Chi) Ibekwe, and together they welcomed Nnamdi (2013), Nadia (2015), Norah (2017), and Nina (2020). Chiedu married Ekaete, adding another beloved daughter to the family. Helen’s children and grandchildren brought her tremendous joy.

 

Helen stayed closely connected to family and friends through phone calls, gatherings, and numerous groups and communities. She remembered important events, showed up when it mattered, and maintained friendships spanning decades. Her home remained a gathering place, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas, when her open houses sometimes welcomed dozens of people.

 

An expert cook, Helen was known for her okra soup, egusi soup, pepper soup, and oxtail stew, and innumerable Nigerian dishes. Her generosity extended beyond her kitchen. She was known to give her last dollar and help anyone she knew to be in need. She also loved gardening, intricate puzzles, both in person and on her iPad, and traveling. Her more recent journeys included New York City, New York; Austin, Texas; Bentonville, Arkansas; California; and Nigeria.

 

Helen remained deeply rooted in her Christian faith. For more than two decades, she was a devoted member of Grace Community United Methodist Church in Shreveport, singing in the choir, serving as an altar decorator, and volunteering in numerous capacities. 

 

A passage that reflected her faith was I Corinthians 13:4 to 6, with its message of patient, kind, and selfless love. Helen was thankful to God for what she described as the unmerited and extravagant blessings of her life and for those He placed along her path to lift her in times of crisis and guide her spiritual journey.

 

A Life and Legacy Remembered

Helen passed away unexpectedly in Shreveport, Louisiana, on August 31, 2026, at the age of 75.

 

Helen is survived by her children, Emeka Odita (Marie), Ifeoma Ibekwe (Chi Chi), and Chiedu Odita (Ekaete); her grandchildren, Nnamdi, Nadia, Norah, Nina, Harper, and Zarja; several brothers and sisters; her uncle, Nduese Essien; and many relatives and friends across Nigeria, the United States, and around the world.

 

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dr. Odita; her parents and grandparents; her sisters Grace and Edowaye; her brother Herbert; and numerous other family members.

 

Helen’s life was grounded in faith and devoted to family, but her love reached far beyond the walls of her home. She taught, encouraged, welcomed, fed, prayed for, and cared for people throughout her life. She believed in showing up for those she loved, keeping family and friends connected, opening her home to others, and helping whenever she could.

 

Whether through a meal prepared with care, a phone call to check in, a word of encouragement, or a place at her table, Helen had a way of making people feel remembered and loved. The values planted in her as a young girl in Eket became the values she passed on to her children, grandchildren, students, family, and friends. Her life was a testament to faith expressed through love, service, generosity, and an enduring commitment to others.

 

Helen’s words to her grandchildren reflected the values she lived and sought to pass on: “Do your best, listen to your parents, and keep your spaces clean.” In one of her last written sentiments, she offered a final expression of the encouragement she so freely gave throughout her life: “Remain resilient, confident and strong, and I will keep cheering you on.”