- * Says Ex-Anambra First Lady Came To Her 'Smelling Of Whiskey', Drunk And Rained Abuses On Her
- Awka Royal Father Flays Action Of Obiano's Wife, Says She Insulted Ojukwu, Desecrated Awka Land, Insists She Begs Bianca, Gov Soludo And Igbo People
By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief) and Rose Nwankwu (Anambra State Correspondent)
Widow of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and late leader of Ndigbo, Ambassador (Mrs) Bianca Ojukwu, has explained what actually transpired between her and the former First Lady of Anambra state, Mrs Ebele Obiano (known as Osodieme) at the inauguration of Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo as new governor of Anambra state on Thursday.
Bianca and former governor Willie Obiano's wife, Ebele, engaged each other in an open brawl at the event to the astonishment of the dignitaries present and the entire nation. The physical engagement between the two women however drew nationwide condemnation of their indecent display.
Bianca Ojukwu alleged that Mrs Obiano inelegantly cat-walked towards her and began to taunt her and rain abuses on her as well. Bianca also claimed that the ex-First Lady was oozing of Whiskey brand of alcohol that early morning which irritated her coupled with her alleged abuses which she could no longer endure at some point during their encounter.
She said Mrs Obiano's refusal to stay away from her sufficiently infuriated her which prompted her to issue bouts of slaps on her face that attracted public intervention to separate them from the ensuing fight. Obiano's wife then attempted to fight back, calling Bianca "ashawo kobo kobo".
However, speaking to ARISE TV News on Friday March 18, 2022 to explain her side of the story, Bianca revealed that the Anambra former First Lady walked up to her where she was seated on the front row with a former Anambra governor, Peter Obi, smelling of alcohol, indicating that she was substantially drunk that early morning and immediately began to abuse her which prompted her to react.
The ex-beauty queen, according to her account on ARISE News Tv and also monitored by The Witness newspaper, said, “I didn’t pay any attention to her (Mrs Obiano's) late arrival to the venue of the inauguration. Surprisingly, she then walked towards me and I thought she was coming to greet me. Instead she verbally attacked me with her voice raised, taunting me and asking me what I was there to do, using unprintable, vile language.
“She asked if I had come to celebrate their last day in office but I ignored her completely. Then she kept on aggressively putting her hand on my shoulders and shouting. While I ignored her verbal onslaught as advised by people sitting around me, I requested twice that she refrains from touching me with her hands.
"She proceeded to do so yet again and tried to touch my head and remove my head tie. It was at this point I stood up to defend myself and gave her a dirty slap to stop her from attacking me. As she made towards me, I then pulled away her wig, she then held on to her wig with her two hands and tried to take the wig away from me.
“The former APGA chairman, Victor Umeh, told her to leave me and told everyone to leave. I was stunned by the stench of whisky in her breath at such an early hour of the day. How could the first lady be so drunk at that time? I stayed back to watch the ceremony till the end and left with my dignity intact”, Bianca Ojukwu stated.
Meanwhile, the incident has continued to generate more reactions from Nigerians. The traditional ruler Awka, the Anambra State capital, and the Obi of Awka Ancient Kingdom, Eze Uzu III of Awka, Obi Austin Ndigwe, on Friday flayed the conduct of the former Anambra First Lady, Mrs Ebele Obiano, saying that her attack on the widow of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu by her was a gross insult on the memory of the deceased Ezeigbo Gburugburu.
The Royal father in a press statement Friday, stated that Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano desecrated Awka land. He gave Mrs Obiano seven days to tender a public apology to the entire Igbo people failure of which she would face serious consequences.
Obi Ndigwe also said the actions of former governor Willie Obiano's wife were sacrilegious, and that as the monarch of the town, he will have to appease the gods of Awka land to avoid calamities.
Nwigwe said, “She should also tender an unreserved apology to the new Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo for her disgraceful conduct during his inauguration. The same should go for the chief judge of the state who was conducting the swearing-in when she descended on Bianca.
“This grave sin was committed in the land of Awka which is known for peace and unity. Therefore, as the traditional ruler of the people and chief custodian of our culture, I am under obligation to perform some sacrifices to cleanse our land of this filth and pollution and to appease the gods.”
The Obi of Awka however hinted that Mrs Bianca Ojukwu had already narrated to him how Mrs Obiano walked up to her and used scurrilous words on her including querying her presence at the swearing-in ceremony, which got her angry. The monarch said that a study of the scene showed that Mrs Obiano’s conduct was a pre-meditated plot to disrupt the inauguration event.
The royal father added that Mrs Obiano’s action was not only against Mrs Ojukwu, but against the late Ojukwu, who is the founder of APGA who his widow came to represent.
“It must be pointed out that Bianca was not at that ceremony as Bianca, but as a direct representative of our late father and leader, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, her late husband who pioneered APGA.
“Therefore, Ebele’s action of casting aspersion on her is an affront on the entire Igbo people. It was indeed on Odumegwu Ojukwu and not on Bianca as a person. This is an insult to Igbo and it must not go unpunished.
“It is on record that I took Obiano and this his wife, Ebere to Bianca Ojukwu where they knelt down while seeking the party’s governorship ticket. Bianca endorsed Obiano and called on all APGA members including then Governor Peter Obi to support him.
“Mrs Ebele Obiano has only seven days to apologise as demanded and directed or face serious consequences", Obi Austin Ndigwe said. NNL.
