Emeka Odikpo
I love Osinachi’s music. Her thunderous voice wakes up every fibre of my being. Her death last week really spoilt my week. The 1st breaking news was that she died of “throat cancer”. A disease that clearly seems like an occupational hazard. Then the great detectives on social media delivered their conclusion with utmost alacrity: “her husband killed her.” They screamed to the high heavens.
After the conclusion, the influencers went to work to unearth the evidence. Ideally, detective work should start from evidence and then lead to a conclusion. But these our new age Sherlock Holmes work in reverse. The 1st piece of evidence was pounded out by at least a 1000 reposters: “he kicked her on the chest” they bellowed. To date, I am yet to come across a single post stating where and when this kick occurred and even more importantly, who witnessed the kick. The new social media Sherlock Holmes did not stop at this. One musician stated that he once saw her husband slap her. The great evidence of marital violence, but probably useless in proving murder. The late musician’s family weighed in: their major evidence was that she hardly visits them or her mother. I have strained my senses to unearth how this lack of visit suggests murder by the husband.
Also Read: FG to prosecute husband of late ‘Ekwueme’ crooner, Osinachi Nwachukwu
The more brilliant detectives, the Minister for Women Affairs and another detective from her church decided to investigate where the investigation really ought to have started: her innocent children. The investigator from her church has made an “earth-shaking” discovery: according to her one of the children told her that his Dad told him that beating women is good. I can bet my last Naira that the questions to the children must have included “did your Daddy kick your Mummy on the chest?” and “does your Daddy beat your Mummy?”.
The detective definitely did not get the answers she wanted to these questions, so she settled for “Daddy once drove off without Mummy from Church”, and the more ludicrous Daddy told me that it is good to beat women. Pauline Tallen’s detective work clearly also did not yield the narrative that she wants to feed the public, so she settled for “justice must be done to both parties”, then in order to keep to the narrative, she launched a long lecture on marital violence.
The guilt or innocence of Peter Nwachukwu will of course take two very important steps. The 1st is the autopsy report. If it shows that the wife died of throat cancer, then all the hoopla in the world will not enable the social media “crucify him” cheerleaders. If peradventure it is discovered that Osinachi died an unnatural death, then a proper investigation should kick in and statements made by all parties to the Doctors will be of utmost importance. Of course, the evidence of the children will be of great importance.
Domestic violence of all hues is abominable. But social media style of justice is the worst type of public lynching any human can experience. The damage it inflicts is irreversible, even when the victim is innocent.
