. As governor’s wife threatens NHRC
There was a sudden twist in the recent story about Mrs. Clara Chime, wife of the Enugu State governor, Sullivan Chime, as members of her community, Amuda, in Umunneocha Local Government Area of Abia State, insisted that their daughter is not mentally deranged.
“It is quite strange to us. Madness does not run in her family and lineage,’’ they said.
Speaking to Sunday Trust in his palace over the weekend, traditional ruler of the community, His Royal Highness, Eze Bob I.A. Ogbenna (Nagha 1 of Ozuluogbu), who officially handed Clara over to Chime during their well celebrated traditional wedding at Isuochi said, “We learnt from the papers that she has a mental problem. I don’t know what that means. I have not seen her. I have never heard anything like that in their lineage. Her father was my best friend. I am directly involved in that family; even when they were young I was indirectly taking care of them. When her father was dying, they drove him to this place and he told me to take care of his family. So I am indirectly involved, and whatever it happens to the family, by implication, happens to me. Her mother always comes here to brief me.”
The traditional ruler, who was apparently shocked, said he was surprised at the story he read in the newspapers. “If she is mad, is locking her inside the house the best thing to be done? Why don’t you send her somewhere to get treatment? When the governor himself was sick he went abroad for treatment. How can you lock her up in the guise that she is being treated privately? It does not make sense. I was told that they don’t even allow her son to see her. I shed tears when I read the story because I know her. They are just denying her the right to freedom; and that is not fair. They should give her freedom,” he said.
The royal father also expressed shock that the governor’s wife did not honour an invitation to his 10th anniversary on the throne. “I did my 10th anniversary last Saturday; a lot of people came, including former minister, Dr Ihechukwu Madubuike, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, a member of the House of Representatives, Nkeriuka Onyeagocha, among other dignitaries, but Clara did not come. We went to Enugu and invited her for the occasion, but she didn’t come. So we started asking why, until we read her story in the papers,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Enugu First Lady has threatened not to grant further audience to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). She stated this in a letter to the commission, a copy of which was made available to Sunday Trust.
Part of the letter reads: “You have published medical information which is sensitive and not true. I hereby request you to retract same immediately. I regret that failure to do so will result in not granting you further audience.
“I am very disappointed to read what has been narrated by the Human Rights Commission. Apart from the fact that the information was largely false, it showed lack of sensitivity in publishing sensitive medical details. This has the effect of tarnishing and damaging my reputation. It is as though the commission set out to ridicule me.
“I made it clear to them that I had a nervous breakdown and found it inexplicable as to how hallucinations featured as part of my symptoms. It is important to make this clear so that the public should be made aware of this, and that the commission should recognise part of her ethos in protecting human dignity.
“It has been suggested in some quarters that the commission appears biased already because of the profile of the person whose reputation is at stake. I want to believe that the commission would approach my case with open mind, and in particular, recognise me as a victim of crime. I hope that common sense would prevail and the commission would retract the damaging publication and stop stigmatising me,” Clara said.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Executive Secretary of the Commission, Professor Bem Angwe, who led other four members of the investigative team, said they had a four-hour meeting with Governor Sullivan Chime, his wife, two members of their extended family and physicians treating the complainant.
Angwe said, “We have confirmed that for the last two weeks, Mrs. Chime had been confined to her apartment on medical advice for purposes of medical maintenance and security. But she confirmed having possession and control of keys to her apartment, which the team also inspected. We further confirmed that access to her is not denied after school and lesson hours.
“Both parties have agreed that Mrs. Chime had a medical condition. The complainant told the commission that she had lost confidence in the physician presently handling her condition and no longer wanted him to treat her. She further requested to have medical opinion of other medical doctors acceptable to her.
“We want to assure all parties and Nigerians that the commission will continue with investigation of this matter and take appropriate decision that will be in the interest of all parties; and the commission will not hesitate to invoke its further mandate between the parties, with a view to reconciling them.”
Source: Daily Trust
