By Jeffrey Agbo
Renowned novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, has denied being related to a woman, Nkiru Okoye, who was murdered in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to some news outlets, Emenike Okoye, husband of the deceased, said he was preparing for work while Nkiru, 40, was preparing to travel to Aba for a meeting of Umuada (daughters of her kindred) when her assailants stormed their house.
“We did not do anything. They overpowered us, beat us to stupor and left. Later when my children have gone to school, they returned with some persons and dangerous weapons, including axe.
“They dragged my wife outside the house, hit and killed her with axe and chair. She fell and died. When I resisted their move to drag me outside too, they broke my hand with an axe, dragged me outside; hitting me with the axe all over my body until I passed out.
“You can see the cut on my eyes. They left me thinking that I was also dead. But God helped me to wake up later. I reported the incident to our local vigilante and they drove me to hospital,” he was quoted to have said.
The assailants were linked to Emenike’s brother George who is in contention with the couple over landed property.
However, Chimamanda said in a statement by her spokesperson Omawumi Ogbe on Sunday evening that the “lady in the story is neither Chimamanda’s sister nor a relative”.
“Chimamanda is very shaken by this incorrect news and is disappointed at the unprofessionalism displayed by The Frontier, both with the first false post and the inaccurate rejoinder.
“We send our sympathy to the family of the murdered lady,” Ogbe added.
