36-year-old John Emeka Obodoechina was recently burnt to death in
Lagos, by his fiancée, Blessing Ohare Ukhurebor, simply because he
decided to quit the relationship due to her violent nature.
DailySun reported that John and Blessing had dated for over a year, before she moved in with him.
It was also revealed that John introduced Blessing, from Edo State,
to his siblings, but he was advised to study her for a few months before
deciding on a formal visit to Blessing’s family for dowry payment.
John was said to have assured the girl of his intentions to meet with
her family, but the meeting was suspended after their relationship got a
bit messy.
A relative of John’s, who pleaded anonymity, revealed that he, John, started noticing some unacceptable behaviour from Blessing.
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It was learned that at the slightest misunderstanding, Blessing would
lock the door, pull a kitchen knife and threaten to stab John to death.
John’s elder brother, Chief Obodoechina snr, explained that John
informed him about how he met Blessing in his office and had been
helping her in the business she was doing.
'After about three months, Blessing started taking some of her
belongings into John’s place. At that time Blessing did not know whether
anyone was John’s sister or colleague in the office, so any calls from a
female caller was seen as a taboo.'
'That was when John started introducing Blessing to his sisters and
colleagues. But when all that also failed to guarantee peace, John felt
that marriage between Blessing and himself might be disastrous, so he
decided to end the relationship.'
'He, therefore, informed Blessing that both of them should part ways
in peace. But Blessing, apparently didn’t like the idea. There was a day
John came to my house at an odd hour and complained bitterly about
Blessing. I advised him that if they were not compatible, they should go
their separate ways before something dreadful would happen.
It was gathered that after John who couldn't stand the relationship
anymore, he called Blessing and told her to relocate elsewhere,
promising to give her some money to help her get another apartment.
On the 1st of August, when John gave Blessing N100, 000 to help her
secure an apartment, she got angry and set herself and John ablaze.
Following the tragic incident, John’s sister, Angela Ibrahim who
lives in Badagry, said that morning, she was invited to John’s office by
the management of the African Fertilizer &a Chemicals (Big) Ltd in
Agbara, Ogun State.
According to her, the invitation surprised her, and she quickly raced to the office.
She said: “There, I was told that Blessing Ohare Ukhurebor, a girl
from Edo State, who John had wanted to marry, burnt him alive.
'I could not understand that because it was not up to four days that
the girl left my house and did not show any signs of an impending
violence.
'That was when I started calling my brothers. When we got to John’s
house, we saw John bent on the bed, totally burnt. There was no
electricity and the gas cooker in the kitchen was not affected. The two
phones were there. '
'There were no signs that the gas cooker or phone caused the fire. It
was only John and the area he was sleeping that was burnt. The
neighbours that we met told us that some people had taken Blessing out,
as she was also affected. But they said she was not dead. '
'The neighbours went and reported the incident to the Baale of the
area who ordered some of the palace chiefs and John’s neighbours to
report the incident to the police.'
“On getting to the Police Station in Agbara, the police said they
could not do anything unless a relation of the deceased was around. When
my brothers came, initially they could not hold themselves to follow
the processes of investigation.
“After some logistics and protocols at the police station, the corpse
was taken to the Badagry General Hospital for preservation in the
morgue. All our efforts to get to see Blessing to know how she was
affected and find out what happened were rebuffed by Blessing’s uncle
who was rather threatening us.'
“A few days after John’s interment, we got a call from the same Blessing’s uncle, telling us that Blessing had also died.”
“She had her chance on August 1, by 7:45am, while John was sleeping,
That was when Blessing, who already had her plans worked out, poured
fuel on John and lit the match. Unfortunately, because fuel is
inflammable, she was also affected,” Angela lamented.