Osinachi Nwachukwu brutalised by husband before her death — Singer alleges
"One time in a studio, this man slapped her in the studio just because she wanted to record the song in Igbo against his will. She did not do anything on her own."
Famous Nigerian gospel musician Osinachi Nwachukwu’s passing on Friday, which shocked many, has sparked controversies with new claims made about her marriage.
The singer, who shot into the limelight with the hit “Ekwueme“, which has been watched 72 million times on YouTube, died in an Abuja hospital.
She was a lead singer at the Dunamis International Gospel Centre. She was featured in several popular gospel songs like “Nara Ekele” by Pastor Paul Enenche (Dunamis, Abuja) and “You no dey use me play” by Emma.
Her family and husband, Peter Nwachukwu, who doubled as her manager, are yet to issue a statement.
However, close friends and associates have suggested that her violent union led to her untimely death.
On Saturday, her colleague, Frank Edwards, alleged that the late singer had an abusive husband, who regularly brutalised her before she died.
Mr Edwards made the remarks in an Instagram live video.
Allegations
Frank Edwards said on several occasions, the late singer’s husband was in the habit of publicly insulting his wife, and he abused her on several occasions.
Recounting an encounter with the singer, he said, “One time in a studio, this man slapped her in the studio just because she wanted to record the song in Igbo against his will. She does not do anything on her own.”
“She would say, please beg my husband. She was at his mercy. I didn’t know the intensity of what she was going through; I didn’t know how somebody would be jealous of their wife or claim to love.
“There are a lot of stories where people told her this and that, but what I know was that the control was too much. The other time somebody wanted me to get her for an event, and I contacted her, but she said ‘beg my husband.”
The singer also alleged that the late singer’s husband was controlling and would take the money she made from events. He, however, said the singer was secretive about what she was going through in her marriage.
“She couldn’t even tell people what she was going through. I only got to know because Aunty Joy contacted me to promote her song. That was when I got a glimpse into what was happening,” he said.
“It’s crazy,” he lamented.
“People have tried to invite her for their programmes, but she will keep telling them that they must beg my husband first,” he said.
Further narrating his experiences about the late singer’s marital hurdle with her husband, he said a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Joy Nunieh, once gifted the singer a studio in Abuja. Still, her husband never allowed her to use the studio simply because it was built without his permission.
Mr Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments Saturday. A message sent by PREMIUM TIMES to the Dunamis Church was not responded to also.
Demand for Justice
Crying out for Justice, Edward said he would go all out on social media for the first time in his career until justice was served.
“I have never had any reason to have a court case with anyone because I am a child of God, but you see this case, it won’t just go like that because she was a blessing to the world.
“I usually don’t get involved in things like this, I keep my family and personal stuff off social media, but this one hurt me,” he said.
He also said Mrs Nunieh, a lawyer, has promised to take up legal action against Mr Nwanchukwu.
The gospel singer also advised women in abusive marriages to take a long walk.
He said: “My advice is even if you are not a wife, if you are being physically abused, go back to your parent’s house.”
“I am not a married man, but I cannot advise anyone to stay where they have been physically abused. You might not get a divorce immediately. Just leave to save your life.”
Reactions
The circumstances surrounding Osinachi’s death have sparked several reactions from Nigerians. It is, in fact, one of the most trending topics on Twitter at the moment.
Police arrest Osinachi Nwachkwu’s husband after singer’s death
https://guardian.ng/news/police-arrest-osinachi-nwachkwus-husband-after-singers-death/
11 April 2022
The husband of late Nigerian gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu has been arrested days after her death in hospital in Abuja.
Peter Nwachukwu, a lead singer at the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Abuja, rose to fame in 2017 with ‘Ekwueme,’ a song she did with Prospa Ochimana.
Peter Nwachukwu was arrested after her family formally filed a complaint of “culpable homicide against one Mr Peter Nwachukwu who is a husband to the deceased
“He is now in our custody. The younger brother of the deceased reported the matter and we have commenced investigation,” Abuja police command spokeswoman Josephine Adeh said.
The deceased singer’s elder sister, Ms. Favour Made, alleged in an interview with Vanguard that Osinachi was kicked in the chest by her husband Nwachukwu.
Ms Made said in the interview that her family had tried unsuccessfully to make her walk away from the marriage because of domestic violence.
“When the man kicked her on the chest, she fell down and he took her to the hospital but he did not even tell us,” Ms Made told Vanguard. “It was her friend who lives in Ebonyi state that called her twin sister, because Osinachi has a twin sister, to ask, ‘did your sister tell you that Peter hit her on the chest? the sister then told her no.
“It was the hitting on the chest that killed her. My brother had to ask doctor what killed her and doctor said that there were clusters of blood on her chest.”
A few gospel singers who worked with Osinachi Nwachukwu also accused her husband of domestic violence.
“One time in a studio, this man slapped her just because she wanted to record the song in Igbo against his will. She does not do anything on her own,” a gospel Frank Edwards said on Instagram Live.
“She would say, please beg my husband. She was at his mercy. I didn’t know the intensity of what she was going through; I didn’t know how somebody would be jealous of the wife he claimed to love.”
The husband of late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu has denied having a hand in her death.
According to the popular singer’s family, Peter Nwachukwu assaulted her during their marriage.
But in a Vanguard Nigeria report, the pastor, Mr. Nwachukwu denied the allegations of domestic violence and battery levelled against him during police investigations.
Mr Nwachukwu told the police that his wife had been unwell since November 2021.
He claimed they had been moving from one hospital to another since she fell ill, only to pass away at the national hospital over the weekend.
Despite his claims, Mr Nwachukwu was unable to provide evidence to the police to confirm his statement.
Osinachi Nwachukwu, the wife of Pastor Peter Nwachukwu, passed away on Friday, April 8, at a hospital in Abuja.
Following her death, there were reports that she had died of cancer, however, her family quickly went on record to dismiss the claims.
In an interview with Vanguard Nigeria at the time, the elder sister of the late singer said, Osinachi died as a result of a cluster of blood in her chest after she was kicked in that region by her husband, Mr. Peter Nwachukwu.
“The husband, Mr. Peter Nwachukwu hit her with his leg on the chest…she fell down and he took her to the hospital but he did not even tell us. It was her friend who lives in Ebonyi state that called her twin sister.”
Following that interview, Police in Abuja revealed that Osinachi’s husband Peter Nwachukwu has been arrested.
In an interview with Daily Post, they stated that the arrest was made after a family member lodged a complaint.
Meanwhile, Pastor Nwachukwu was reportedly taken to his home in handcuffs in a Police van in the Lugbe district on Tuesday.
This was to search for documents or evidence that will help with the investigations.
However, following preliminary investigations, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence.
