pathetic story of a young Nigerian man and his fiancee who ended up in a deadly romance.
36-year-old John Emeka Obodoechina was recently burnt to death in Lagos, by her 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.
