A Gory Tale of Domestic Abuse: Revisiting the Case of Osinachi Nwachukwu

By Ogieriakhi Favour Etinosa

It is a sad day indeed when one’s life draws to a close; when all of one’s dreams, aspirations, and desires are left unfulfilled. It is a much sadder case when the perpetrator of such atrocities is one’s lover.

Let us take a journey through the brutal murders of women who were killed by their abusive partners and husbands. Whether you choose to remember it or not, you must know of Osinachi Nwachukwu’s unfortunate passing. On the 8th of April, 2022, the popular gospel artist was declared dead after prolonged beatings by her husband, Peter Nwachukwu. The 42-year-old singer was said to have endured a ghastly abusive marriage where even her children were asked to participate in her torture. She was pushed out of a moving vehicle, embarrassed in public, and had her movement and music career restricted. I pray her humble soul rests in peace.

Yet, that was early April. That issue has been shoved aside, and though the murderer is facing punishment for his crimes, Osinachi’s story may just flow down the drain, alongside many other forgotten cases. When the story closes, so does the passion. So I ask, not as one hoping for disaster, but as one who has noticed a long-neglected trend: Whose death is next? While I pen this, is another Nigerian woman enduring an abusive relationship? Whose name will be next to be blazed by headlines?
Let’s journey now to the 5th of April, three days before Osinachi’s death, to Ajah, Lagos, where 24-year-old Precious Okeke was killed by her lover for ritual purposes. The victim was killed by a man she shared her bed with; a man she had thought would love and cherish her. Her fiancé, Ifeanyi Njoku, not only murdered her but had carnal knowledge of her corpse, following a herbalist’s instructions. Now, I wonder what mystic atoms make up a woman’s physique that makes her prone to ritual killings. You might say, ‘Oh, that was a few months ago. There will certainly be a change. Things will be better. You might be led to think that with Osinachi’s case, the issue of domestic violence will be addressed, but on the 28th of May, 2022, a dashing Tanzanian make-up artist, Swalha Salum, was shot dead by her husband after six months of marriage.

So, dear reader, this is not an old issue. The list is endless. The year 2022 has been a sad one for Nigerian women, and African women at large. We can journey again to Liberia, where 25-year-old Princess Cooper was found dead behind a building, allegedly killed by her fiancé who sought to siphon her money; or to South Africa, where 35-year-old Namhla Mtwa was shot dead by her boyfriend of 17 years on the 21st of April. Domestic violence is a sad reality and our women, mothers, and sisters, are on the receiving end. Though you might blame these poor women for falling for such monsters, what of the case of the 11-year-old Ghanaian girl whose father attempted to use her for money rituals only to be saved by a merciful herbalist? What about 24-year-old Precious Ikpikhumi, a student of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, who was strangled to death by her ex-boyfriend after she had ended the relationship on account of his violent behaviour?

This list is endless, and as I pen this, I wonder, where is our safety as women? What assurance do we have that the next man we meet won’t be the one to draw our blood? What measures has the government taken to protect its females, and what can the average woman do to stay safe? I could advise women to protect themselves, to keep in their possession guns or knives, but that too is counterproductive. I could advise them to end abusive relationships before it is too late, but even that is not always feasible as the case of Precious Ikpikhumi must have shown you. Should we then remain nuns, dreading all-male folk?

Dear reader, I implore your wisdom because I am equally confused and appalled by such killings. Therefore I ask while pondering on the terrible deaths of Osinachi, Precious, Princess Cooper, Swalha, Namhla, and countless others, where is the safety of the African woman?