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艾德勃博士永遠安息

大約十年前的夏天， 一對非裔夫婦走進了我的辦公室， 非常谦和地告訴我，他們想出版一份社區報， 以報導非裔教會及社區新聞為主， 並且把一份十六頁對開已経排版的報紙給我看， 當時我對這份圖文並茂之社區報印象十分深刻， 在言談中 ，我才知道他們也是來自非洲奈及利亞之第一代移民， 艾德勃博士是從艾利芙學區擔任小學校長後退休， 並且曾在英國留學， 其夫婿早年也在奈及利亞電視台工作多年。

當我接下了他們的創刊版面後， 我立即召集暗房收版及有關同仁請他們立即安排收電子版及印刷時間 ，経過短暫的交談 ，我把他們送到電梯， 並保証我們會竭盡全力為他們做好一條龍服務， 包括收版、 印刷、 送報發行， 他們看著我微笑點頭。

第二天清晨上午七時， 我依例走進了報紙印刷車間， 正逢他們的彩色社區報從輸送帶上印刷出來， 我立即撿起一份油墨未乾的彩色社區報給他們去了個電話， 不久這對夫婦就趕到印刷中心， 就像一個新生嬰兒之誕生， 我們的臉上都呈現了喜悦和興奮的笑容， 從此這份報紙加入了美南新聞傳媒集團之大家庭， 不久後他們就連報社辦公窒也搬進了美南國際貿易中心大樓。他們夫婦同時協助我們舉辦了許多文化貿易商業活動， 尤其是和非洲大陸之交流， 几內亞大使楊森多次在國際貿易中心舉辦招商說明會，德州和非洲之間之座談會多半由她們夫婦主持。

當疫情來襲時， 休斯敦社區遭到無情之打擊， 國際移民社區更是求助無門 ，艾德勃博士建議國際貿易中心應該加強對社區擴大服務 ，當天下午我立即召集同仁成立工作委員會， 加強對社區小商業申請政府補助、 法律諮詢 、稅務減免等服務 ，並於當週末下午召開記者會， 並請格林國會議員及數十位社區領袖參加。

疫情期間 艾德勃博士因聚勞成疾 不幸病倒， 週前接到其夫電話， 開始泣不成聲， 告知她已歸天， 我頓時悲哀充滿胸膛 ，聞之無以言表。

上週六 我參加了非裔教會為她舉辦之追思會， 數百位友人參加 ，我在會上除了表達哀悼之意 ，並表達我們失去了一位益師良友， 她的離去是國際社區之損失， 在新聞媒體之事業上 ，我們曾經是戰友和同志 ，我們將永遠怀念妳 ，請妳一路好走……

Dr. Martina Edebor Our Colleague, Friend And Leader

In the summer of late 2010 an African American couple walked into my office and told me very modestly that they wanted to publish a community newspaper that would mainly report on African American community churches and community news. They showed me a 16-pages tabloid layout. I was very impressed with their graphics and layout and immediately called my staff in to discuss about how we could work on this new job. In our conversation, I found out that Dr. Edebor and her husband had both come from Nigeria and that we were all first-generation immigrants. She was educated in England and here in the U.S. and retired from her position as a school principal in the Alief School District.

After the meeting I assured them we would try our best to print their newspaper, and not just print their newspaper, but also we would include distribution with ONE STOP service! They were all smiles and I walked them to the door and said goodbye.

Next day as usual, I arrived at my office at 7:00 am. When I walked into our pressroom, the all-color newspaper with fresh ink had just come out of the press form. I immediately picked up a copy and called the Edebors and told them their newspaper was ready. In less than one-half hour they both arrived and held the newspaper like a newborn baby. We all were smiling with great joy.

From then on, their newspaper joined the big family of Southern News Group. Soon after, they even moved their office into the International Trade Center which is the next building over from the Southern News building.

Over the last several years, Dr. Edebor assisted at the ITC where she and her husband hosted many cultural, trade and business seminars. When the pandemic hit our community, she suggested that we needed to do more for our community. We decided to add more services including legal services and SBA loan application services. We held a news conference to introduce the new services and many community leaders as well as Congressman Al Green were among our guests.

During the pandemic, unfortunately, Dr. Edebor fell ill due to fatigue. A few weeks later I received a call from Mr. Edebor and he told me that she had returned to Heaven. I suddenly felt sad and full of personal grief.

Last weekend I attended the memorial service and celebration of her life in a local church. Hundreds of friends came to say their final goodbyes. I told all the friends that her departure is a great loss to the international community. We are comrades in the media business and we all will miss her very much.

Dr. Edebor, you really had a full life.