Posted by By Henry Chukwurah, Port Harcourt on
Initially, it seemed theirs was a marriage made in heaven. More so, both were workers in the Lord's vineyard, preaching the gospel.
Initially, it seemed theirs was a marriage made in heaven. More so, both were workers in the Lord's vineyard, preaching the gospel. But Mrs. Maritha Onwuka would tell whoever cares to listen that she was anything lucky to have married Pastor Lucky Onwuka about three years ago.
She alleged that the, 'man of God" she once adored as her better half attempted to poison her and later cut her hair, apparently for diabolic motive, before allegedly abandoning her.
Now grappling with a debilitating sickness that has rendered her a pitiable shadow of her once bubbling self, Mrs. Onwuka wants her Pastor husband who abandoned her on her sick bed less than one year into their marriage, to return her hair he alleged cut. She also wants her property in his possession, including money, a GSM handset and a set of musical instruments she bought for their church.
Also, she would want Pastor Onwuka who later told Sunday Sun on telephone that he was through with the marriage, to pay back N120, 000 loan she guaranteed him before he fled their matrimonial home about three years ago.
Mrs. Onwuka, a native of Abajah in Imo State, said the marriage that broke down less than one year after it was contracted, brought her so much pain, pointing out that her woes started barely six months after she signed the dotted lines with Pastor Onwuka who she had approached initially for prayers.
'A Prophetess I met about four years ago while schooling at the Rivers University of Science and Technology, and discussed my desire to get married, had referred me to him for prayers. After the prayers, the Pastor announced to me that the husband I was looking for had emerged. I asked him who the man was, and he told me he was the one meant for me.
'At that time, I was comfortable because I was into big time trading in stockfish and clothes. Besides, I owned a salon and a restaurant.
'I readily accepted him and we began the marriage arrangements, most of which I funded. During this period, Lucky told me he had problem raising funds to execute a N3 million supplies contract and I took him to one Mr. Marcel, a family friend who gave him a loan of about N120, 000, which I guaranteed.
'Also, I bought musical instruments worth N170, 000 and chairs for the church we jointly opened in Diobu."
Mrs. Onwuka said cracks started appearing in the marriage when her husband allegedly attempted to poison her and later, cut her hairs while she was asleep.
'One day while we were eating, Lucky sent me to bring drinking water. When I returned with the water and took part of the food in my mouth, I had a strange feeling. I noticed that the taste of the food had suddenly changed. Beside, Lucky said he was no longer eating.
'Suspecting foul play, I asked him what he put in my food while I was away. I insisted that he ate from the food but he refused.
'That same night when I dozed off, I sensed some movement over my head and later discovered that he had cut my hair. Later, I reported the two incidents to my family and a delegation was sent to Lucky's people at Olokoro near Umuahia in Abia State.
'The delegation met with the traditional ruler of Olokoro who sent for Lucky's family but they failed to honour the invitation on that day, and on two other occasions. This made the Eze to wash his hands off the matter."
Mrs. Onwuka who claimed that she picked most of the bills of the family including the house rent while the marriage lasted, said she later suffered a strange sickness and was taken to a hospital in Rumuola, Port Harcourt.
'While I was in the hospital about three years ago, he came to me and asked for my bank Passbook and documents relating to the house I was building in Oyigbo. Of course, I refuse to give him. He got angry and walked away.
'It was later I found out that he had disappeared with the musical instruments, my Siemens handset that he is using up till now, my money and other items. He attempted to take away my car from where I parked it at the Mile 1 Police Station in Diobu but a policeman stopped him."
The embattled housewife said the strange sickness has made her visit several hospitals and prayer houses, adding that it was after her recent trip to a church in Lagos that her swollen stomach normalised.
Alleging that her estranged husband wants her dead, so that he could inherit her property, Mrs. Onwuka said that the Pastor threatened to kill her recently.
'On Thursday, July 10, he called me and threatened that he would use occultic power to kill me and my brother. Before our marriage, he once suggested the idea of going to the (Lagos) Bar Beach to acquire powers but I refused and warned him of the consequences. Of course, he did not like my stand on the matter.
'Later, he told me that his family, particularly a brother whose name he mentioned, would kill me if I failed to follow his instruction.
Pastor reacts
'I am not afraid of publishing my name. Maybe God wants me to make money because we have a good lawyer. If what she is saying is true, let me die in accident. But if what she is saying is a lie, anywhere I call her, she will appear. Since I married her, there has been problem all the time.
On his family's alleged refusal to honour the summon by their village head, Pastor Onwuka said: 'My family said she should go to court instead of going to Eze. I am not even interested in the marriage. I am divorcing her and I am suing her.
'As for the loan I got from Marcel, I have repaid a part, about N17, 000 to N95, 000.
'All this her talk about property is somewhere, she is having my foam, pot, stove, and plates, which I took to her house. From now to two, three weeks, I will serve her a divorce letter. But if she is talking about marriage, let her forget it. As for the property, it is our property and it is the government that will share it for us. Any step she takes, she will see."
On the allegation that he cut his wife's hair, Pastor Onwuka said, 'it is the spirit that judges, not man."
About one hour after the interview, Mrs. Onwuka came to The Sun office in Port Harcourt to report that her husband sent her two threatening text messages.
The texts read: 'Go to TV now. Your time is up" and 'Go to juju for me just as you go to Lagos. Do what you want to do and you will see how it will be with you."
When Sunday Sun reporter took him up on the alleged texts, Pastor Onwuka merely replied, 'No problem."
The next day, Onwuka called on phone to say that he had decided against his earlier intention to sue for divorce even though he was not returning to the woman.
And on Tuesday, July 15, he telephoned this reporter again to announce that he had returned the musical set to a certain address in Port Harcourt, adding that he also intends to repay the loan.
As at press time weekend, Sunday Sun was yet to establish whether he had done all that.