When the news broke that Gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu is dead, it struck Nigerians and lovers of her music like a terrible blow.
It was first reported that the singer popularly known for her featured song, Ekwueme died of throat cancer after being on life support for days. Read previous report Here.
Later on, some of her friends and those who knew her have now come out to allege that she didn’t die of cancer but of injuries sustained from the beating from her abusive husband who constantly abused her.
One of the friends, lifestyle blogger Amanda Chisom, accused her husband Peter of being “a control freak whose only interest is to maximise profit from her voice.”
Another close friend said the victim’s husband cum manager, managed her phones, social media accounts, bank accounts, and received payments for the singer’s ministrations.
According to gospel artiste Gold Martins, who shared screenshots of those who knew the singer verifying the domestic violence story, claimed that Osinachi personally confided in a mutual friend, explaining her experience and her inability to leave.
Gold quoted the singer as saying, “If not for the church and what people will say, I would have left this marriage.”
One of the friends said the singer told her of how the husband would tie her up and ask the children to “beat her up with a cane. She told me this.”
According to the friend, “He would lock her up in the house even on days when she has important concerts and programmes that she had already been paid for.”
“I hosted her in one of my programmes, The INVASION in 2019. It was a terrible experience with the husband on the phone and then when she arrived, she shared scary marital issues.
“She had to sneak out of the house to honour the invitation. The husband threatened me on the phone and assured me that the wife will not return to his house if she attends the event.”
In a follow up, popular Gospel singer, Frank Edwards confirmed the domestic violence claims in his post on Facebook.
Reacting to the new information about her death, former minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili called on churches to take issues of domestic violence against women seriously.
She wrote: “The death of Osinachi Nwachukwu of the epic *Ekwueme* worship song really hit hard. To read allegations of spousal abuse worsens the pain. I hope the truth is unearth and justice given. Everyone, including Churches must take issues of Violence Against Women seriously. Urgently”
Similarly, actress and mother of four, Omotala Jalade-Ekeinde called on women and men to ‘leave’ abusive marriages because ‘domestic violence will kill you!”
“DOMESTIC VIOLENCE will Kill you !
Mentally, financially, psychologically, Socially and Eventually physically. You will die one way or another … Dear Woman or man … “LEAVE”! The Dead cannot praise the Lord. May his Mercy be on us all. #Ekwueme,” she wrote.
Below are reactions from others on Twitter.
