Lifestyle
Founder Of Mammy Market Passes Away At 86
By Gideon Ayeni
Maria Ochefu, the woman behind the iconic Mammy Market found in military barracks across Nigeria, has passed away at the age of 86.
Her son, Professor Yakubu Ochefu, confirmed the news in a phone interview on Thursday, revealing that she died peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday.
Ochefu, who was married to the late Colonel Anthony Ochefu, a former military governor of Enugu State, had been receiving medical care at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital before her passing. She was set to turn 87 in April.
In a past interview with PUNCH newspaper, she shared how she pioneered Mammy Market, a venture that later became a staple in military barracks nationwide. She also recounted serving notable figures, including former Heads of State General Yakubu Gowon (retd.) and Muhammadu Buhari, during their time in the military.
GWG.ng reports that she was reported to have first started the Mammy Market in Enugu and the phenomenon of the markets existing within Nigerian Army barracks subsequently spread across army formations across the country.
Her legacy lives on through the Mammy Market, which remains an essential part of military life across the country.
(With additional information from Punch Newspapers)
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