Help! Men can’t keep their eyes off me – Ejinne

SHE made her debut in the movie industry in 2001, when she acted alongside the late Sam Loco Efe. Since then, she’s starred in more than twenty other movies.

A Theatre Arts graduate of the University of Port-Harcourt, Ejinne has risen above the waka-pass role she played in 2001 to become one of the most sought-after actress in Nollywood today.

Currently on location in Awka, Anambra Sate where she is part of the cast on new movie production Ejinne took time out to speak on her career.

Hobbies

As an African lady, our men love food so much. So I love to cook. In fact, cooking is my hobby. I love traveling too.

My journey into acting

My passion for acting has been from my childhood days. Then, I noticed that I loved posing for the camera. The first movie I featured in was Oil Village, produced by Sam Onwuka in 2001.

After my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), I also featured in some other movies such as Dirty Secret, Guilty As Sin, Friends In Love, Ofe Owerri Special, Sorrow To Joy, Thanks For Coming, Gallant Babes, Deep Water, Enemies I see, Tomorrow and others.

My journey into acting started as far back as 2001, when I travelled to Oguta for a holiday. There, I was told about a shooting taking place across the lake at the Oguta motel. And because of my passion for the movie industry, I stormed there. I was so lucky that I got a role to act alongside great actors like Sam Loco Efe. My role in the movie was that of a journalist who interviewed Sam Loco after his court case.

After that movie, I developed interest in acting. So, during one of my holidays, I went to Lagos. Together with my cousin, we went to the National Theatre and registered as members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). And most of the roles I secured have been through Divine Touch Productions.

For now, I don’t depend on acting only as a means of survival. So alongside acting, I also sell clothes.

Support

Those who have stood b me in the industry are just few people. I appreciate the effort of one Grace Agwu in helping me through my career. She’s been a sister to me and her effort is well appreciated.

Challenges

Nothing good comes easily so the struggle hasn’t been easy. There was a time I felt like giving up but I had to encourage myself to continue.

Peak of the profession

Since acting is what I love so much, a lot of friends have been looking up to me to get to the top. So I don’t see any reason to give up the fight. I just have to get to the peak of my profession.

Parents

When I was in secondary school, I remember that I disobeyed my father. I went against his wish by changing from the science class to the art because I wanted to act.

Even after I graduated from secondary school, I remember using the money meant for my Christmas shoe to buy a form to study Theater Art at the University of Port-Harcourt.

My parents never wanted me to act. But I thank God that toady, I have their full support and blessing.

For me, I see the struggle in the movie industry as the survival of the fittest. So I’m not about to give up my dreams because it didn’t just start in a day. Acting is my life and it’s a long time dream.

Role model

My role model is Genevieve Nanji. I just love her and the way she acts.

My expectation for 2012

I believe I’m at the peak of my career. In fact, right now, I’m in Awka doing my shooting, my second movie in the year. The first movie I did for the year was in Owerri. I believe that 2012 is my year to be the best. In fact, I had to slow down the rate at which I travel for my clothing business so that I can have more time for acting.

My beauty and career

Yes I know I’m a very beautiful and attractive lady and guys can’t seem to get their eyes off me. But in every situation, there’s always a way out of it. I believe nothing is by force so I make sure to stand my ground whenever I find myself in a tight corner.

I am determined not to mess around and I know I’m responsible for whatever I do. I hate to do things I’ll later regret. So I’ve been taking things easy. I’m careful not to act desperate in the pursuit of my career. I’ve committed my pursuit into the hands of God. God knows my heart and has seen my struggle. So I have faith that very soon, he’ll crown my effort with success.

Me and men

Men can’t keep their eyes off me. In fact, I get a lot of compliments from them all the time, so it’s not a new thing. Sometimes some stare so much at me that I can’t help but thank God for blessing me. Sexual harassment

I believe that there is sexual harassment everywhere even in offices but it’s up to the person in question to either accept or turn them down. For me, I am not desperate.

Acting nude

Yes I can act nude if it’s in a foreign movie with a very good story line. But I can’t act in a porn movie, especially in any Nollywood movie because it’s against our culture as Africans.

Marriage

For now, all I think about is my career. And because I am ambitious, I hardly think about marriage. But if it comes, fine. But I can only marry a man who is supportive of my career because that’s what makes me happy. I don’t want a man who may want to take away my dream.

Ideal man

My ideal man is someone that is God fearing, well polished and has a good dress sense.

"Osama is Alive"- Abdulmutallab

The Nigerian who is accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound jetliner on Christmas Day 2009, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, created a scene in an appearance before a Detroit jury Wednesday by shouting in praise of slain terror leader, Osama bin Laden, and proclaimed jihad.

According to Detroit Free Press, the underwear bomber arrived in court in an apparent foul mood shouting “Osama’s alive”, as he entered the court room, adding: “I’m forced to wear prison clothes.”

Abdulmutallab, wearing khaki prison pants, a white T-shirt and black skull cap, refused to stand when US District Judge Nancy Edmunds, who was in another room with prospective jurors, asked him to stand with others in her courtroom several floors away.

While Edmunds briefed jurors about the allegations against him, Abdulmutallab hollered “jihad” and stared at the ceiling when she told jurors about the alleged plot to blow up the plane with a bomb in his underwear.
When the evidentiary hearing resumed after a brief recess, Edmunds noticed that Abdulmutallab had put on a white dress shirt but left it unbuttoned in the front.

"I will just tell you that if you want to make a better impression on the jury, you should button the shirt,” Edmunds told him. He said he wanted to wear it unbuttoned.

After lunch when the hearing resumed, Abdulmutallab told reporters when he walked in: "Don't say Osama is dead."

During most of the 25-minute jury instruction, Abdulmutallab sat at the defence table with his standby lawyer, Anthony Chambers, leaning back in his chair with his hands clasped under his chin. At one point, he put his foot on the defence table.

Federal marshals stood over him while he misbehaved. The prospective jurors could observe his antics on a two-way closed circuit television monitor.

During her presentation to jurors, Edmunds said: “We are not trying to find people for this jury, who have never heard of this case. ... We are looking for people who ... are fair, objective and impartial.”

The trial is to get under way October 11 and take four weeks. After instructing the jury and leaving them to fill out a questionnaire, Edmunds conducted a hearing to decide several requests from Abdulmutallab, including one to be released claiming he’s being unlawfully detained by the US government. Specifically, he has argued in court documents “all Muslims should only be ruled by the law of the Quran.”
She denied the request.

Abdulmutallab also wanted Edmunds to suppress incriminating statements he made to federal agents while being treated at the burn unit of the University of Michigan Hospital after his bomb misfired. Among the statements he made to agents was that he was working on behalf of al-Qaeda, court records show.

During an hour of testimony, Julia Longenecker, a nurse who treated his burns, said he never complained of any pain and was lucid and aware of his surroundings while nurses scrubbed and wrapped his burns.

His only complaint, she testified, was the Christmas music playing in the background. “He asked if we could turn it off,” she said. “It was Christmas Day and we were working, but we didn’t turn it off.”

She said he was very polite throughout the one-hour procedure: “He wasn’t mean, he wasn’t hostile. ... He was always even-keeled”

On cross-examination by Chambers, she admitted that she was told not to give him additional fentanyl pain medication before he was to be questioned by agents.

But she couldn’t remember who gave the order. She said she would have insisted he receive more fentanyl if she thought he was in pain.

After treatment, she said Abdulmutallab was taken to a hospital room where FBI agents questioned him. She said agents were polite during questioning.

During cross-examination, Chambers tried and failed to get her to concede that Abdulmutallab could have been high on fentanyl.

Also, an FBI agent testified that he did not read Miranda rights to the 24-year-old Nigerian because he was worried about other suicide bombers.

In a jury selection hearing, FBI Agent Timothy Waters testified that he questioned Abdulmutallab at the hospital for about 50 minutes.

Waters, an FBI terrorism expert, said that from experiences abroad, reading non-US citizens Miranda rights complicates the ability to get information quickly.

“It stops the process dead in its tracks,” Waters said. “I didn’t feel it was necessary. We needed information right not about individuals willing to martyr themselves on other airplanes.”

He said Abdulmutallab admitted he was an al-Qaida operative from Yemen, talked about how he had become radicalised and about other al-Qaida operatives with whom he had met after going to Yemen from Nigeria.

After all the questionnaires are filled out, jury selection will resume October 4. Notified prospective jurors will report in small groups for individual questioning, known as voir dire. This is when the defence and prosecution question each individual, looking for possible biases or red flags, and pick the actual jury.

Help! My Husband, Jude Nwokenkwo, [Gov Okorocha's Aide] Abandoned Me and My 3 Sons in USA

I understand this may come to some people as a surprise and to others it may seems like an angry wife venting all their laundry through social media. Whatever your feelings may be please keep an open mind and think about what it might be like if your own sister or family member was the one facing this kind of situation, what will you do? Remember l could be your sister, your mother, your neigbhor and or your relative…..

My name is Bisi Nwokenkwo the wife of Jude Nwokenkwo, the current Ehime mbano local government chairman Imo state, Nigeria. We have been married for 21yrs with three wonderful boys age 17, 11, and 8year old. Fourteen months ago my husband Jude Nwokenkwo decided with my full support and blessings to run for Federal house of Representative under APGA in Imo state, he lost the election to another candidate from New York. But was appointed the local government chairman (Ehime Mbano) by the current Governor of Imo State (His Excellency Rochas Okorocha).

Since fourteen months now my husband (Jude) has abandoned me and our three boys in the United States without any prior disagreements or problems. I have tried numerous avenue to either speak to him directly about his obligations and or have his closest friends talk to him, every effort has failed. As of now our home in the United States has been foreclosed (taken away from us due to lack of payment for a period of time) and he has not contributed towards the financial stability of his boys since he left for the election in November 2010.

I found out in the beginning of 2011 through private investigation that Jude Nwokenkwo is now married to a 21yrs old lady called Ugonma Duru younger sister of Cyprian I. Duru through Ibo traditional marriage that took place in Omuaha in Abia State while still legally married to me in the United States, I have confronted my husband with all the evidence that was in my possession but still vehenmently denied ever been married or have any woman living with him in Nigeria. l understand this young lady have a family members in Virginia that condoned her behavior. According to this younger lady’s family in Virginia, Jude had came to asked for their sister’s hand in marriage but had told them that he has never been married or have any kids, which is a naive statement to make……. a 48yrs old Ibo man not married and no kids, are you kidding me???? What planet does this family thinks they are from? Throughout all this, l have tried to justify my husband’s action/irresponsible behaviour by saying to myself men will be men and may be probably he is using this younger lady to release election tension in Naija. I guess it’s more than releasing election tension, after drinking the milk from the cow Jude Nwokenkwo decided to buy the cow. If only the cow is worth losing your family for. I can’t believe this weak, coward, and no backbone of a man is leaving me and our boys for this village illiterate younger lady……what am l saying, l forgot beauty is in the eyes of the beholder…hahaha. Men, seriously if you want to leave your wife and kids for a lady pleaseeeee make sure it’s worth it and not some half educated village illiterate imbecille that is way beneath you and your wife…..shiooo! This younger lady doesn’t love my husband she is only there for the money and security……what 21 year old would in their right mind want to be married to a 48year old man who is old enough to be her father? And what mother would open her eyes to allow her young girl to marry a married man if she is not a desperate mother without morals or God’s fear in her. This girl’s mother is a shameless woman if you ask me. As of now Jude Nwokenkwo is living with this younger lady and her mother in owerri city as a married couple and they are both expecting a baby anytime soon, it not a rumor but facts.

This husband of mine thinks he can have his cake and eat it too. He kept me and some of his families in the dark for so long until God exposed him to me.

This evil heartless man (Jude) is not only committing an adultery/bigamy, he has the nerves to ruined my credit here in the States by taking out a $40,000 loan on my name from JP Morgan chase without my consent…..people who does that???? if it’s not a criminal minded human being. Jude Nwokenkwo and his brothers Emmanuel and Simon Nwokenkwo are bunch of 419s.

As a matter of fact, his older brother Emmanuel aka Emma santana Nwokenkwo is a wanted man here in the States, if anyone knows his where about please contact the authorities in the states.

Furthermore, when Jude came back to the U.S in July 2011 for three weeks he wired $8,000 to this younger lady’s account in Naija, l have all the evidence and he also purchased a $2000.00 wedding rings for her, when l confronted him in front of our pastor with all the evidence he have the nerves to say that it was for my birthday….negro are you for real?? Mind you people he never give me that ring. And he ran back to Nigeria without our knowledge. The sad part was when he was sworn in as the local govt chairman, he refused the presences of me and the boys, l can’t believe he used his brother’s wife as a woman standing in my place. When people asked him where is family are he cooked up a story about how they will join him later. What a shame! This stupid man (Jude Nwokenkwo) has a lucrative Home Healthcare business here in chicago, he cannot even instruct his business partner to give his family money to support us instead he has the gut to use his younger brother Simon Uche Nwokenkwo to wire money to him in Naija every time and also he has been helping him shipping Mercedes Benz trucks to Nigeria for a present for his new fake wife, oh sorry, his concubine. Both brothers are now scheming the medical supply distributors out of thousands of dollar worth of equipments by closing down our medical supply company here in Chicago, Illinois and shipping all unpaid equipments to Nigeria to open up a new equipment supply shop in Owerri Imo state, Nigeria. That’s a crime. For the past fourteen months have tried to reason with this man, l can’t keep this any longer and l just want all this to be out in the open for everyone to know the true color of Jude Nwokenkwo…. this man is a chameleon. Jude and his concubine called my mobile phone this afternoon Jan 24th 2012 from Nigeria to insult me. Jude also has denied his kids by his own statements to me ” what kids and what responsibility he stated” Maaannn Jude must be pussy whooped as one of my dear friend said. ugh!

My fellow Nigerians, if some of you on this forum thinks am venting……darn right Skippy l am, 21yrs of married is not 21days of courtship and it’s not a joke. My kids and l deserved better than the way Jude is treating us and it is not fair. “never bite the hands that feeds you” I thought wise people say charity begins at home. If Jude cannot take care of his family how on earth did the Governor appoint this man to serve his constituency. Naija citizens need to start watching out for people they put in the office to serve them, that is why we are still in all this mess.

Also through many conversations with his friends l understand that Jude had said that he is not interested in this marriage, fine then do the right thing by coming back to the states to get a divorce, and clear my name of all the credit mess you put on me.

Single Saudi Woman Offers N209 Million To Find Her Mr. Right

If you are looking for a rich wife, then read this story.

A Saudi woman is offering SR5 million (N209 million NAIRA) to get married — even if it is a Misyar marriage. (Misyar is a marriage contract where couples can live separately but get together regularly, often for sexual relations)

But wait. The woman has conditions which she will not reveal now. The main thing is that the new husband must “appreciate marriage life.”

The woman published the attractive offer in the Saudi Arabic language magazine Roa, which said applicants can write to it by e mail or fax. The announcement neither mentioned the woman’s name and age nor where she lives.

“Applicants should provide their contact number so the woman will contact them in case she agrees on the marriage,” the magazine said.

It quoted the woman as saying:”It does not matter whether the new husband is attracted to my money as the most important thing is that he must appreciate marriage life and marital duties…I am even ready to accept a Misyar marriage and pay him SRfive million at once…he will live with me in my villa and must accept all my conditions which I will reveal to him later.”

The magazine said the woman was married before but that she divorced her husband “was greedy and wanted only money.”

“I made the wrong choice first time….I want to make the right choice now…my main obsession now is to marry…I am desperate to marry,” the woman said.

My Story: Ogochukwu Onuchukwu - A woman shares her story from the grave.

Ogochukwu Onuchukwu (Nee Onugu). 23/10/1976 - 27/2/2012

I don't know how to introduce what you are about to read...it's very chilling, quite disturbing, and extremely heart wrenching. If this doesn't make you cry, nothing else will.
A dead woman, Ogochukwu Onuchukwu (she died last month) shares her story and writes a letter to her husband from the grave. I culled the letter from her WEBSITE and wanted to share it because it's something we all need to read and hopefully someone will learn from it. Read it below...

My mum is crying. I can see her from here. She has aged since the last time I saw her. Why does she look so old and why is she so thin? Can someone console her? Can someone make her stop crying?
I try to get up but I can’t. I try to reach for her, but I’m stuck where I am. It is very dark in here, and very cold, so very cold.
What am I doing here? Where is everybody? Where are my children? I begin to panic, to struggle; I want to get out of this dark room.
I can hear Uzo calling. She’s calling my name. Then, I see mum again. And I hear Uzo again. I don’t see my children. Where are my children? I can’t see beyond the walls of this dark and cold room.
This just messed with my head...I hope you fair better. Continue reading...

Uzo calls again.

She sounds desperate to rouse me from my sleep. I am struggling to wake but I can’t. I open my eyes and they shut of their own accord.
I am powerless to keep them from shutting. And I find as soon as I stop struggling, my sleep becomes sweet repose. Suddenly I don’t want to wake from it just yet. It is peaceful.

I see mum again, and I see Uzo. Uzo keeps calling. She won’t stop calling. She is crying too, just like mum.

Can someone bring Kamsi and Amanda to me? Can someone bring my babies to me? I need to hug them, Kamsi, especially. Is he crying too and calling out for me? Does he understand that I am gone? Kamsi will miss me.

He is a special child, you know; Kamsiyochukwu - my son and my first child.

I prayed and longed for his birth. He was the blessing from above that would seal Kevin’s love for me and give me some footing in his home and some acceptance from his family.

Before Kamsi, I was a nobody in Kevin’s home. I was born the last of nine children, the baby of the family. I was used to love and affection. I was everyone’s baby. I grew up knowing that everyone had my back, I grew up knowing the safety and security of being the baby of the home. You may then understand my shock when I stepped out of my home and into new territory with the man of my dreams only to find that I was really not as special as I had been made to believe. I look back to that day when Kevin took me home to introduce me to my new family. The cold and rude shock of the welcome his brother’s wife gave me set off an alarm in my head.

These people didn’t think I was special. In fact, her first words were, ”Kevin, ebe kwa ka isi dute nka?” (Kevin, “Where on earth did you bring this one from?) That would be the first time I would be addressed as “this one” and from then on, I grappled with the realization that I was not welcome in my new home.

I remember my first Christmas at Ihiala as a new bride. My brother-in-law’s wife would sneer and clap and refer to me as “Ndi ji ukwu azo akwu” (the people who process palm fruits with their bare feet). I knew she meant my impoverished home town of Nsukka. She would sing to me all day long telling me the only reason why their brother married me was because of my beauty and complexion.

Now, I lie here and I wonder if I was in my right mind to ignore the several other alarms over my 12- year union with Kevin.

I had to ignore them, I told myself. I had already taken my vows to be with Kevin until death did us part.

They never really wanted me, I can now see. But I was too blinded by love to realize that. I needed to do something to cement Kevin’s heart with mine. I needed to remain Kevin’s wife and to prove to the world that indeed Love would conquer all.

When after one year of marriage there were still no children, the painful journey that sent me to my grave started. I went from specialist to specialist, ingested every kind of pill that promised to boost my fertility. As my desperation grew, so did pressure from Kevin’s family. My horror-movie life story started playing out; the horror-movie life that has sent me to an early and cold grave from where I write this letter to my husband.

*********************************************************************************
My sweet Kevin,

We started to fight over little things. The fights were worse after you visited home or attended any of your numerous family meetings. You came home one evening and asked me to move out of the bedroom we both shared and into the guestroom downstairs. The next time you returned from the meeting, you tied me up with a rope and used your belt on me. No one heard my screams.

I remember when you told me that your family had asked you to remarry. You showed me documents of all your numerous landed property including the house we lived in. Your brother was listed as next of kin. When I asked you about it, your answer rocked the ground I was standing on. You said, “What have you to show that entitles you to any stake in this household?” You were referring to my barreness.

It is funny how to my family and friends, I was the beautiful and loving Ogo, whilst to you and your family I was a worthless piece of rag. You called me barren. I could have fled but your love and acceptance was of more worth to me than the love and admiration of the world outside our home. I desperately sought to be loved by you, Kevin.
In your family’s presence I felt unworthy, unloved and unwanted. Yet, I stayed on. I would make you love me one way or the other and I knew that one sure way would
be to produce a child, an heir for you. That was the most important thing to you.

I began the numerous procedures, painful procedures, including surgery. I gave myself daily shots. At some point the needles could no longer pierce my skin. My skin had toughened to the piercing pain of needles.

After seven years of marriage, our prayers were answered. God blessed us with our son Kamsiyochukwu, which means ‘’Just as I asked of the Lord’’. God had intervened and miracles were about to start happening because for the first time in seven years, my mother-in-law called me. Finally I was home. I had been accepted. I was now a woman, a wife and a mother. Finally there was peace. Kamsi will be four in November.

The miracles stayed with me because 18 months later through another procedure, Chimamanda was born. Her birth was bitter sweet for me. Sweet because you Kevin, my husband, and my in-laws would love me more for bearing a second child, but bitter because this particular birth almost cost me my life. The doctors had become very concerned. You see, I had developed too many complications from all the different procedures I had undergone in the journey to have children and these were beginning to get in the way of normal everyday living. I developed conditions that had almost become life threatening. So the doctors sent me off with my new bundle of joy and with a stern warning not to try for another child as I may not be so lucky.

I chuckled, almost gleefully. Why would I want to try for a third child? God had given me a boy and a girl, what more could I ask for. I was only ever so thankful to God.
Kevin, you and I gave numerous and very generous donations to different churches in thanksgiving to God. All was well. I was happy and fulfilled. Kevin, you loved me again. Your family accepted me. Life was good. And all was quiet again. …………………… For a while.

Then fate struck me a blow. As if to remind me that my stay in your house was temporary and was never really going to be peaceful, Kamsi – our son, our first fruit, my pride and joy and the child that gave me a place in my husband’s home, began to show signs of slowed development; the visits to the doctors resumed, this time on account of Kamsi.
We started seeing therapists. After we’d been from one doctor to another I decided I had to resort to prayer. I was frightened. I was terrified. I was threatened. I started to feel unwell. I had difficulty breathing. I needed to see my doctors, Kamsi too. He wasn’t doing too well either. He had difficulty with his speech. He was slow to comprehend things. I did not know for sure what was wrong with him but I knew all was not well. Not with him and not with me. We
were denied visas to the USA because we had overstayed on our last trip on account of Kamsi’s treatments. So whilst we waited for a lawyer to help us clear up the immigration issues with America, I applied for a UK visa and sought help in London. But by then, trouble had reared its head at home, again.

Kevin, you had again become very impatient with me. My fears were fully alive again. The battles it seemed I had won were again in full rage. My husband, in your irritable impatience and anger, you told me to my face that our son, my Kamsi, was worthless to you. You said he was abnormal. You said that our daughter, my Amanda, was a girl and that you had no need for a girl child because she would someday be married off. I remember, in pain, that you didn’t attend Amanda’s christening because you were upset with me. You told me your mother was more important to you than “THESE THINGS” I brought to your house. You were referring to our children, were you not? “THESE THINGS”.

My heart bled. I wept bitterly. Then I quickly calmed my fears by telling myself that you were under a lot of stress at work and that you were also probably reacting to all the money that you had spent on my treatments. Surely, all that was getting to you? Even when you threatened me with a knife, twice you did that, I still felt unworthy of you and very deserving of your hatred. Even when you would say: “I will kill you and nothing will happen because you have no one to fight for you”, I kept on struggling to get you to love me because, Kevin, your validation was important to me

You had refused to give me money for my medical trip to London. I knew then it was because you had your hands full with caring and catering for everybody who was dear to you. Your finances were stretched. I thought then that in time you would come around.

My health continued to get worse. Eventually, I made it to London. After extensive consultations and tests, I was given a definitive diagnosis. My condition was life threatening. It was from this time, when it was clear that I required surgery to save me life that I came face to face with a different kind of war from our home.

Kevin, you stopped speaking with me. I was in pain, in anguish and in tears. I didn’t understand what was happening. I had stayed three weeks in London and Kevin, you never called, sent a text or inquired how I was faring. You stopped taking my calls. Instead I got a call from my cousin in whose care I had left my children. She was frantic with worry because there was no food in the house for the children to eat; Kevin you had refused to provide food for our children. Kevin, you had also refused to pay for Kamsi’s home schooling.

Then Kevin, I received that e-mail from you. The only communication from you for the entire period I was in London.
Do you remember? It was an angry email. You berated me for putting your integrity at stake at your work place. Apparently your employers had called a hospital in London to inquire about me and were told that no one by my name was ever their patient. I later found out that you had given the wrong hospital name to your employers. Do you remember, Kevin?

For the first time in my 12 year marriage, the alarm bells in my head began to sound real. For the first time in 12 years, I felt real anger stir up in my heart. Kevin, I was angry because you paid no heed to the hospital where your wife was at in London. You had no clue and cared little about what I was going through. Yet you would berate me for putting your INTEGRITY at work at stake. Your integrity was your primary concern, not my health.

Then it hit me! All these years I was trying to be all I could be for you, Kevin, to make you happy, to please you, Kevin, ……… you actually hated me. You didn’t want me in your life. The signs were all there. Your family had showed me from day one that they didn’t want me. I was the object of a hatred that I could not explain. I
couldn’t understand why.

Then I saw the hand writing on the wall, all those many things that went on. You even sold my car whilst I was still lying on a hospital bed in London, with no word to me. I was not to learn of what you had done until I returned to Nigeria. The doctors had allowed me to return to prepare for surgery.

Kevin, do you remember that on my return I gave you a pair of shoes I had bought for you? Kevin, my husband, do you remember hurling those shoes at me? Kevin, do you remember me breaking down in tears? Kevin, do you remember me asking you that night, many times over, why you hated me so much, what I had done to make you hate me as much as you did?

“You are disturbing me, and if you continue, I`ll move out and inform the company that I no longer live in the house. Then they will come and drive you away”. Kevin, my husband, that was your response to me. Did you know then I only had days to live? Is that why you told me that would be the last time I would see you physically? Did you know it would only be a few more hours?

I still had a surgery to go through. Kevin, since you wanted no part in it, I had contacted the medical officer in your company directly for referrals. I left Eket for Lagos on Saturday. That same day I consulted with the specialist surgeon and surgery was scheduled for Monday morning.

In those final hours, as I prepared for my surgery, I was alone, my spirit was broken. I had lost all the fight in me. Kevin, I knew that nothing I did or said would turn you heart toward me, and I had nobody for whom you had any regards who would speak up for me.

In those final hours, Kevin, I called you. This was Sunday morning, less than 24 hours to my death. Do you remember, Kevin? I called you to share what the specialist surgeon had said. I was still shaking from your screams on the phone when I got in here. You did not want me to bother you, you screamed. I should go to my brothers and sisters, you screamed. I should pay you back all the money you gave me for my treatment in London, you screamed. Kevin, did you know that would be my last conversation with you? My last conversation with you, my husband, my love, my life, ended with you banging the phone on me.

Recalling the abusive words, the spitting, the beating, the bruising, the knifing, and the promise that I would not live long for daring to forget to buy garden eggs for your mother, an insult you vowed I would pay for with my life ……., I knew then it was over for me. There was no rationalizing needed any longer. Even the blind could see ………. You did not want me in your life.

I went in for surgery on Monday morning, February 27, 2012, and after battling for several hours, I yielded my spirit.

Kevin, my husband, I lived my promise to God. The promise I made on the day I wedded you.

For better ………………………… For worse
For richer …………………………. For poorer
In Sickness ………………………. And in health
To love ………………………….. And to cherish

Till DEATH US DO PART!

And it has.

NOW I AM DEAD!!!!!!!

Just as your mum predicted ….. Her cold words follow me to morgue. She swore to me that I would leave her son’s house dead or alive. I couldn’t leave whilst I still breathed. It had to be through death, and death it has become.

Kevin, you are FREE! And, so am I.

Your freedom is temporary. Mine is eternal.

Whilst you still have freedom, remember Kamsi and Chimamanda.


Lovingly yours until death,
Ogo.

I am gone. Gone forever. But if one woman, just one woman will learn from my story, then maybe I would not have gone in vain.

My heart weeps for my children, my mummy, my sisters and my brothers, my extended family. These ones, I was a gift to. These ones, they loved me. These ones, they wanted me. These ones, they needed me. These ones, they wish I had spoken out earlier.
***

Written by someone who was part of her life and witnessed her struggles. RIP Ogo