Aunt Jane: Everyone’s gem, mother and friend

Nobody wants their parents to outlive them. It is not the way it should be. The thought of any parent having to bury their child is so awful, so bleak. Yet that doesn’t make it any easier to lose your parents.
On May 2, the family of Stephen Ayeet Ikwanga was robbed of their beloved member, Jane Emoit Ayeet.
Jane fondly referred to as ‘Aunt Jane’ was a down –to-earth person with a big heart. Aunt Jane helped people from all walks of life.
She served as information assistant but after acquiring a diploma in Records and Archives Management in 2016 at Makerere University Business School, she was elevated to records assistant in the central registry and in various departments. These included Lands office, education office and district service commission, where she served from 2006, until the time of her demise.
Most of her seniors and workmates described her as a polite and calm civil servant, who emphasised hard work and positive results.

Lover of hard work
Harriet Akisa, a sister, says Jane was a mother and a friend who encouraged people to work hard and have passion for their jobs. To mothers, she advised them to be faithful to their partners.
“Jane neither wanted her workmates to fall into trouble with their seniors nor did she want families to split. That is also a value she instilled in her children,” Akisa says, adding, “Jane was furious when it came to laziness because she believed that laziness was a key factor to abject poverty that most families are facing and through hard work, families would prosper.”

Counsellor
Jane was a counsellor, who used to motivate couples on the verge of breaching their marriage vows.
Stephen Ikwanga Ayeet, Jane’s husband, says his wife would go an extra mile to counsel families that had misunderstandings and always encouraged husbands to love their wives and equally advised women to submit to their husbands. This was the only way that families would live in peace.
In his eulogy, Ikwanga said Jane had time for everyone who came to their home irrespective of their tribal and religious affiliation because she had something that brought many people to her.
“Jane’s selfless nature and strong love for God further drew us friends from all walks of life. That’s why at the time of her death, the entire family was saddened,” he said.
Connie Bwire, a close friend, says Jane was a woman who would inspire others to lead joyous life and always encouraged women to love their husbands.
She always asked women to be contented with what their husbands gave them.
“At one time, when I was almost quitting my marriage after disagreements, Jane counselled my husband and I, we reconciled and equally did to many others. She was my hero,’’ Bwire recalls.

Emphasis on education
Jane is remembered for motivating mothers to educate their girl children so that they could actively participate in decision-making and development in community. Aunt Jane strongly believed that education is a fountain of success.
“Jane, we shall greatly miss you because the Lord has decided to take you for he chooses the best,” said Ayeet.
Jane succumbed to pressure of the eye, according to the medical report. She died of heart failure as she was destined for medication in Kampala on May 2. She was buried on May 11.

Brief bio
Born on March 3, 1963, Jane attended Rock View Primary School, Tororo, Kisoko Girls Primary Boarding School, Tororo, and sat for her Primary Leaving Examinations at Namengo Girls Boarding School, Budaka in 1976. This was before proceeding to Bubulo Girls Secondary School, Manafwa District and later Rock High School, Tororo where she sat her Uganda Certificate of Education in 1982. She was then recruited at Tororo District Local Government as a commercial assistant in the district information office.