Friends of late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu have alleged that the "Ekwueme" singer died from domestic violence, and not throat cancer as earlier reported.
On Friday, April 8, news of Osinachi's death in an Abuja private hospital sent shockwaves across Nigeria.
Friends said the victim died as a result of a kick in the chest by her husband, Peter Nwachukwu, who put her on life support for five days before she died.
The singer had been a long-time victim of domestic violence, according to a series of Facebook posts and WhatsApp status messages.
Amanda Chisom, a lifestyle blogger, accused her husband Peter of being a "control freak whose only interest is to maximise profit from her voice," according to one of the friends.
Another close friend said the victim's husband, who also served as her personal manager, was in charge of her phones, social media accounts, bank accounts, and payments for the singer's misdeeds.
According to gospel singer Gold Martins, who shared screenshots of people who knew Osinachi confirming the domestic violence story, Osinachi personally confided in a mutual friend, explaining her experience and 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."
"He would lock her up in the house even on days when she had important concerts and programmes that she had already been paid for," according to a friend.
"In 2019, I had her on one of my shows, The INVASION." It had been a horrible experience on the phone with the husband, and when she arrived, she revealed frightening marital issues.
"To honour the invitation, she had to sneak out of the house." On the phone, the husband threatened me and assured me that if the wife attends the event, she will not return to his house."
The Dunamis chorister and mother of four had previously left her abusive marriage, but was able to reconcile with her husband thanks to Pastor Paul Eneche, the founder and senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Center.
Meanwhile, Source said that her husband has been arrested by the Nigerian Police.
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