It has become obvious that all is not well within the Enugu State Government House. At first, the story was just about an imminent break up in the marriage of the first family over some very private family matters.
But the last few days have seen the story growing into something more serious; something as serious as the Governor allegedly holding his wife Clara hostage against her will; something as grave as the First Lady suffering depression.
Already, the state, as well as the nation, is agog with tales of how two families, the Governor’s and his wife’s have been at loggerheads over the state of the union between their son, the Governor and their daughter, the First Lady, respectively.
According to sources, for months, the Igwe family has been spending sleepless nights following the sudden twist in the fortune of their daughter, Clara Chime nee Igwe.
Clara, according to reports and recent confirmations by her family members, including the Governor, is suffering from what may be acute depression.
Before now, Clara, who, married Chime about five years ago, was the family’s greatest source of joy, having brought fame and fortune their ways with his alliance with the Governor.
But when news started filtering into their ears that she may be battling some very serious medical challenges, the Igwes were thrown into confusion as they struggled to come to terms with the unfortunate development.
But if they thought they would have to worry about just the deteriorating health of their daughter, the family was mistaken as they were soon to find out that politics would play a key role in the unfolding drama.
As it appears now, not only has the Igwes been battling with a strange ailment that suddenly came upon their hitherto hale and hearty daughter, the First Lady’s relatives, especially her mother it was gathered, had been up in arms against the Governor, who allegedly was bent on keeping the sickness of his wife a secret at all cost.
Many will recollect that Chime, who was single when he became governor in 2007, having divorced his first wife few years earlier while he was serving as the State’s Commissioner for Health, got married to Clara in 2008.
Sources close to the family claimed that trouble started for the First Lady immediately after the birth of her son about four years ago.
“Not long after the birth of her son about a year into her marriage, Clara suffered a bout of depression. Doctors felt these were occasioned by childbirth and treated her accordingly. After a while, she came out of it and continued with her life,” a source who sought anonymity, revealed.
It appears Clara had months of respite from her illness as her activities as First Lady after the period she allegedly got treated for post-natal depression suggested.
“If you go back and check her activities as First Lady, it will not be difficult for you to know the time she first came down with the ailment, the period she enjoyed sound health and the time she relapsed again.
“Her current situation, if I can recollect vividly, started shortly before the Governor left the country to undergo treatment for nose cancer abroad.
It was around the time the Governor’s cancer problem first became known to the family that her current travail started. Perhaps the pressure of seeing her husband battling something as serious as cancer caused her to relapse.
“You will recall that the Chimes came under a lot of criticism and political opposition at that time due to the uncertainties that trailed the Governor’s sudden disappearance from public glare.
“What I know is that by the time the Governor left the country for treatment, Clara too was being managed by medics for depression. Although she was with him in the United Kingdom while he was undergoing treatment for nose cancer, it was a trying period for her as she also had to go through regular treatment for her own medical problem,” Our source, a former woman leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State said.
The couple returned to the country on February 8, 2013 after spending 140 abroad. But while the Governor’s health continued to improve on a daily basis, the wife’s condition deteriorated at the same pace forcing her out of limelight and nothing was heard of her in the state or outside.
That was when the Igwes got a full understanding of the things to come as all efforts to get the Governor to allow Clara seek medical help either within or outside the country were allegedly rebuffed by the Governor.
A relative of the First Lady told our correspondent in Enugu on condition of anonymity.“At first we thought it was in the interest of our sister as he claimed to have arranged for the best doctors to attend to her at home. But when doctors started advising us to ensure she is flown abroad for adequate attention, we became worried.
Particularly, Clara’s mother has been fighting for her to be taken abroad for treatment. The family is even ready to bear the cost. But it has not been easy getting that to happen. Some people say it is because of politics but we don’t understand what politics has to do with our sister’s health,”
This was the situation when the bubble burst as Clara reportedly advanced her quest for freedom from what she termed illegal house arrest, by petitioning the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) through Lagos lawyer and human rights activist Femi Falana.
Although the First Lady has turned around to deny contacting the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Falana insists he was fully and duly briefed by the troubled Governor’s wife to act on her behalf.
In Falana’s petition to the NHRC, Mrs. Chime describes an abusive relationship which has led her into depression. While they have been married for five years, she says the relationship has broken down irretrievably in the past couple of years.
“We do not have a relationship anymore and the situation inevitably led to my nervous breakdown. I have been diagnosed with severe depression and at some point was quite suicidal.”
Saying she has been subjected “to the most horrific and intolerable of conditions to cause my demise,” she enumerated the major issues to include: lack of sexual relationship with her husband for four years; being deprived of responsibilities as a wife; being prevented from bonding with her four-year-old son; and being barred me from receiving visitors, whether family or friends.
She noted that three weeks ago, a lady friend who visited her was stopped from seeing her and the result is now complete incarceration from the outside world.
“In effect, I am locked up in my bedroom, without access to anybody,” she pleaded.
According to the letter, “I am only allowed food but no access to fresh air; I have been locked up because I demanded to leave, even without my son. Governor Chime recently revoked my land allocation; the governor is doing everything possible to break my will.”
She told the commission that her desire is simply to be allowed to leave.
“If I have committed any crime, I request that due process should be followed. I was also recently attacked by my husband before the visitor mentioned above who is a living witness and will be prepared to testify.”
She also accused Governor Chime of paying a doctor to inject her with all sorts of drugs, and that she is sometimes restrained and forced to take the drugs.
“I would also wish the Nigerian Medical Council be informed of the activity of this doctor who is only interested in my husband’s wishes and does not care about my suffering. Medical confidentiality is not part of this doctor’s tool,” she wrote.
Stressing that she has no intention of taking her own life, she warned that should she die, it must be clear that it must have been brought about her husband.
“The possibility of the doctor injecting me with a lethal substance must never be underestimated,” she wrote. “I have a friend who is a good friend of the family and would collaborate a lot in the event of any mishap to me and wish not to mention the name but he would contact you ultimately.”
The petitioned elicited widespread condemnation and calls for the immediate “release” of the First Lady from house arrest. The Igwes must have been overjoyed by what appears an imminent end to their agony. But all that soon changed as Clara appeared, flanked by her husband and a sibling, to put a lie to Falana’s petition.
But while denying sending Falana on any ‘Save-My-Soul’ appeal, Mrs. Chime and her husband confirmed the fact that she has serious medical challenges as well as the gory tales of how she has been confined indoor for months.
The troubled woman didn’t also fail to tell the world that it is not her wish to be so held. The absence of her mother at the briefing also suggests that the old woman is still determined to see her daughter out there in search of good health.
For now, Governor Chime has promised to take a decision that will be in the interest of all concerned, especially Clara Chime.
“I’m forever grateful to her doctors who have done a great job. Both families will are billed to meet very soon and after that, I’ll take a decision which will be in the interest of both parties,” the Governor said.
Until then, the travails of the First Lady continues. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Sometimes does smells fishy in that family
ReplyDeleteChime is hiding something... if hencan be treated abroad why not her?. Has his Dibia warned him not to let her out of his sight becos of the juju he used her to do for power?....just asking.
ReplyDelete