It was a bizarre scene in Enugu Monday night when the people of Moore Street in Ogui, Enugu metropolis were thrown into confusion as a woman who was declared dead appeared in her daughter’s shop.
Our Reporter who visited the area said that Mrs Felicia Odo who hails from Eha Amufu in Isi Uzo LGA of Enugu State was said to have died in her village after a brief illness by her daughter, Obioma Odo who owns a food joint known as “Obioma Fast Food” at No 38 Moore Street in Ogui.
We gathered that Obioma, a 26-year-old mother of three who now lives as single mother in Enugu after she broke off with her husband, announced her mother’s death to her unsuspecting Neighbour’s in March 2022, a situation that attracted sympathy and donations that followed it.
The true story got burst when Obioma’s 12-year-old maltreated daughter decided to spill the beans. She reportedly ran to her Neigbour’s house and revealed that her grandmother was not dead as Obioma claimed. The shocking revelation made the neighbours to invite Mrs Felicia to Enugu for confirmation.
However, when the deceitful Obioma cited her mother on the night of Sunday, June 12, 2022, Obioma, reports said denied knowing her and took to her heels thereafter. But luck ran out of her when she came back to her shop by 10pm on Monday to pack some of her belongings and was held by angry Neighbour’s who swiftly invited the police.
A resident of the area, Ifeoma Amaechi described Obioma as a hardworking woman, but expressed shock that the restaurateur would go that far. “We’re still in shock and disappointed on why she lied about her mother’s death.
“Obioma started selling food on wheel barrow three years ago, but as a result of her hard work, one of the Neighbour’s gave her shop to stay and do her business, but in March this year, she told us that her mother fell sick and died in the village and was deposited at Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre, Enugu.
“This attracted sympathy as many of us contributed money and gave to her for the mother’s burial.
“One of her Neighbour’s even gave her a bag of rice for the burial, but we later learnt that she cooked the rice in her shop and sold to customers including the one belonging to the neighbour that donated the rice.
“We are still in shock as we are yet to know why she lied to people that her mother was dead,” another neighbor lamented.
Narrating the incident, Obioma’s mother, Mrs Odo said she is still in shock and yet to believe that her daughter will spread such news while she is still alive, adding that it was an abomination that her daughter could lie to her Neighbour’s that her 12-year-old daughter living with her is also her cousin.
“I am still in the state of confusion as I don’t know why she is rejecting her own family.
“Obioma gave birth to her first daughter in her father’s house and later got married where she gave birth to two girls, but had problem in that marriage. She relocated to Enugu where she’s living and doing her business.
“The last two girls are living with her mother In-law, but the first daughter was living with me until recently that I brought the girl back to her in Enugu because she doesn’t send money home for the upkeep of her daughter,” Obioma’s mother declared.
When asked if she had any misunderstanding with her daughter, Obioma, Mrs Odo said she is not aware of any. “The only thing I can remember is that I told her recently that we want to relocate to Enugu town because of insecurity challenges in our area which she assured to get accommodation for us.
“But she is already at the police station the police are still interrogating her to know the reason behind her mischievous act,” Mrs Odo further said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, denied knowledge of the information, but however added that “I need to verify that information please”.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
