Nathan Momah seated on a wooden chair in a black short-sleeved tunic, silver hair and glasses, looking calmly toward the camera.

Sunrise to Sunset

Engr. Sir Nathan Chiagolum Unoma Momah

Nnanyelugo

Passed February 3, 2026, at 77

Sunrise

Unoma

meaning "good home."

He was the fifth of eight children and the last son in the family. His mother had just returned home to Nnewi from the northern region of Nigeria when she gave birth to him. Because of this, he was given the name Unoma, meaning "good home," a name that would come to reflect both his origin and the grounding presence he would later become to so many.

Wherever he went, he made room for others. Whoever crossed his path felt at home.

Nathan Momah in a white embroidered tunic, silver hair and glasses, smiling warmly with his head tilted slightly. — Born
Akwudo Hospital, Otolo-Nnewi

Passed
February 3, 2026, at 77

Early years

Nathan was a quiet and curious child. He loved soccer, took things apart to understand how they worked, and showed an early gift for mathematics and the sciences.

He attended Local Authority Elementary School in Isele-Uku, where he served as General Prefect of both his class and the entire school.

In one memorable moment, with no electricity in the home, he wired together batteries and a bulb and brought light into the house out of nothing.

His father, recognizing the engineer growing in him, encouraged him to pursue a technical path. Nathan enrolled at Auchi Polytechnic in Bendel State, where he studied Electrical Engineering.

Building his path

After his studies, Nathan taught school in Asaba and took on electrical work to support himself. But his vision reached further.

A young man in a white blazer and flared blue trousers standing on a path between apartment buildings in New York. — When he finally landed in New York, he arrived with no money, no family, and nowhere to go. He checked himself into the YMCA and enrolled in school.

A young man in a white short-sleeved shirt and sunglasses sitting on a car at night beneath a neon sign. — He drove a taxi at night to make ends meet. Through long shifts and longer winters, he kept his eyes on the goal.

A young man in a graduation cap and gown, a woman beside him resting her hand on his shoulder. — He earned a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering, and his first professional position took him to Kodak in Rochester, New York.

A man in a gray suit and a colorful tie standing at a table in a restaurant. — From Rochester, his career carried him to New York City, where he rose to become Project Manager at the New York City Department of Transportation.

He served as President of the Nnewi USA New York Chapter, and later as National President of Nnewi USA, leading with humility, fairness, and a quiet passion for unity among Ndi Nnewi at home and in the diaspora.

A young couple in a studio portrait, the man in a tweed jacket and tie looking toward the woman, who wears a white flower in her hair.

A groom in a white tuxedo feeding wedding cake to his bride in her veil.

Nathan in a white lace-patterned tunic standing beside Ify in a navy satin dress, holding hands.

Marriage and family

One picture stopped him. He closed the album, turned to his hostess, and said, "Mabel has another daughter?"

They were traditionally married in Nnewi on December 27, 1979, and exchanged vows again at Riverside Church in Manhattan.

And every single day, no matter the season or the shift, he greeted her with a kiss.

A life of generosity

To list everyone Nathan helped would be impossible. His home in New York was a sanctuary, what one of his sisters affectionately called "the bus stop."

Nathan standing among a group of women dressed in white at an outdoor celebration. — Cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and complete strangers passed through that home.

A traditional ceremony in a garden, a family gathered around baskets of yams and a white cake shaped like an open book. — They were welcomed without questions, fed without hesitation, and made to feel they belonged.

Nathan in a white agbada with gold embroidery standing on porch steps, two girls in white dresses beside him. — He helped many families find their footing in America.

Back home in Nigeria, he sponsored many students. He paid hospital bills for the sick. Every Christmas, he sent food and money to widows in the village.

Nathan seated on a wooden chair in a dark tunic, hands folded, in a bright room with a staircase behind him. — He was a man of few words but unshakeable principle. He was an icon of peace, a personification of kindness, and an apostle of justice.

Nathan and Ify seated on a white sofa, with four younger men in blazers and white shirts around them. — He carried the values of Okpuno-Egbu, Umudim, Nnewi with pride and lived them every day.

"Momah," he taught his children, means "Good Spirit."

He moved through the world as if he understood the weight of that name.

Nathan in a flowing white agbada walking with a cane along a stone path lined with white drapes and scattered petals, a garden gazebo behind him.

Glorious exit

On February 3, 2026, our beloved Nathan answered the call of his Heavenly Father.

He fought a good fight. He kept the faith. He finished the course.

His life was a testimony, and his legacy will continue to live on in every soul he touched, in every home he opened, and in every prayer he ever whispered on our behalf.

Je nke oma, Nnanyelugo. Rest until we meet again to part no more.

Nathan Momah seated on a wooden chair in a black short-sleeved tunic, now in full light.

A Good Spirit, rest now. Your Legacy Lives On.

View His Memorial Page

Engr. Sir Nathan Chiagolum Unoma Momah, Nnanyelugo.