L
LequteMan
Guest
Mr. Stephen Onwuamadike, the father of the recently arrested billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudi "Evans" Dumeme Onwuamadike, has opened up on his relationship with his son.
The septuagenarian says he lives in poverty and had no idea his son had come into wealth acquired illegally. According to him, the last time he saw his son was in 2008 when he advised him to desist from illegal means of acquiring wealth.
He blamed was Evans' mother for misleading him, saying she had been manipulating him since he was three-years-old.
"My son is a good boy but his mother misled him," he said.
“I was devastated when I heard the news through a telephone call; since that call, I had not been able to sleep. I believe in a straight forward and honest life. If I noticed someone is not honest, I run away from the person. When my business was thriving, I did business with white people. I was one of the early millionaires that emerged from this town until things went wrong courtesy of my first wife in 1985. She caused me so many problems and eventually caused my financial ruins. In fact, she brought me down to where I am today. I’m suffering and I can barely put food on my table.”
He lives in his country home at Akammili, Umudim, Nnewi, Anambra State. He said he tried his best to raise Evans by sending him to the best schools around but his wife would not let him be.
“My estranged wife kept interfering in his academics," he said. "You won’t believe that my son, Chukwudumeje (Evans) has not visited home since 2008. The last time I saw him was 10 years ago. I asked him the sort of business he was into. He said he was into drug trafficking. I advised him to desist because it was an illicit business and the law was against it. I told him plainly that it was better to be involved in a legitimate business and wait for God’s blessings. I did good business and it thrived; I was very successful. I have travelled to so many countries of the world in the course of my business,” Stephen said.
“His mother started manipulating him when he was only three years old; look at where it has got him. I don’t even have his phone number. I’m pleading with the Nigerian authorities to have mercy on him and give him a second chance. He was misdirected and misled by his mother. I heard about all the millions, and I said to myself, do I have such manner of rich son and the roof over my house is leaking. I now survive by selling pigs.”
Evans’ stepbrother, Chidolie Onwuamadike, corroborated his father's words. He said if Evans had followed their father’s advice, he wouldn’t have become a criminal.
“As brothers, we don’t even interact at all. I don’t have his number and my heart is pained because he is such a loving, nice guy from the little I know of him.”
In tears, Mrs Etty Onwuamadike, Evans' step mother said:
“Chukwudumeje is a nice boy when he lived with me. The only gift I gave him years back was the Holy Bible. I don’t want my son to die. I’m still convinced he will serve God.”
The septuagenarian says he lives in poverty and had no idea his son had come into wealth acquired illegally. According to him, the last time he saw his son was in 2008 when he advised him to desist from illegal means of acquiring wealth.
He blamed was Evans' mother for misleading him, saying she had been manipulating him since he was three-years-old.
"My son is a good boy but his mother misled him," he said.
“I was devastated when I heard the news through a telephone call; since that call, I had not been able to sleep. I believe in a straight forward and honest life. If I noticed someone is not honest, I run away from the person. When my business was thriving, I did business with white people. I was one of the early millionaires that emerged from this town until things went wrong courtesy of my first wife in 1985. She caused me so many problems and eventually caused my financial ruins. In fact, she brought me down to where I am today. I’m suffering and I can barely put food on my table.”
He lives in his country home at Akammili, Umudim, Nnewi, Anambra State. He said he tried his best to raise Evans by sending him to the best schools around but his wife would not let him be.
“My estranged wife kept interfering in his academics," he said. "You won’t believe that my son, Chukwudumeje (Evans) has not visited home since 2008. The last time I saw him was 10 years ago. I asked him the sort of business he was into. He said he was into drug trafficking. I advised him to desist because it was an illicit business and the law was against it. I told him plainly that it was better to be involved in a legitimate business and wait for God’s blessings. I did good business and it thrived; I was very successful. I have travelled to so many countries of the world in the course of my business,” Stephen said.
“His mother started manipulating him when he was only three years old; look at where it has got him. I don’t even have his phone number. I’m pleading with the Nigerian authorities to have mercy on him and give him a second chance. He was misdirected and misled by his mother. I heard about all the millions, and I said to myself, do I have such manner of rich son and the roof over my house is leaking. I now survive by selling pigs.”
Evans’ stepbrother, Chidolie Onwuamadike, corroborated his father's words. He said if Evans had followed their father’s advice, he wouldn’t have become a criminal.
“As brothers, we don’t even interact at all. I don’t have his number and my heart is pained because he is such a loving, nice guy from the little I know of him.”
In tears, Mrs Etty Onwuamadike, Evans' step mother said:
“Chukwudumeje is a nice boy when he lived with me. The only gift I gave him years back was the Holy Bible. I don’t want my son to die. I’m still convinced he will serve God.”
