Nigeria: Osinachi’s husband sentenced to death, three years after her death
An exceptional verdict for a marital tragedy
Three years after the death of Osinachi Nwachukwu, the famous Nigerian gospel singer, the courts have ruled. On Monday, the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced her husband, Peter Nwachukwu, to death by hanging. A decision as rare as it is symbolic in a country where death sentences are often commuted to life imprisonment.
Gospel star victim of domestic violence
Osinachi, known internationally for her song ” Ekuweme “, died in April 2022 at the age of 42. The investigation into her death quickly revealed a history of domestic violence. Seventeen witnesses were heard, including two of her children. Peter Nwachukwu was facing more than twenty charges, including manslaughter, abuse, and psychological and physical violence.
Feminicide in disguise: a call for recognition of the crime
The voice of NGOs for women’s justice
For Ololade Ajayi, of the DOHS Cares Foundation, the ruling is a step forward, but not enough: the crime should have been recognized as feminicide. She denounces a dynamic of prolonged control and abuse, symbols of systemic misogyny. Despite her fame and central economic role in the household, Osinachi was deprived of autonomy and subjected to multiple abuses: physical, sexual, psychological and economic.
A historic decision with hoped-for repercussions
Joy Ezeilo, lawyer and director of the Women Aid Collective (WACOL), describes the decision as “historic”. In her view, this verdict could become a turning point in the fight against violence against women in Nigeria, sending a strong message to aggressors and encouraging victims to break the silence.
Conclusion: An emblematic case of broken impunity
The trial of Peter Nwachukwu goes beyond the judicial framework: it embodies the fight against impunity for domestic violence in Nigeria. Osinachi, despite her notoriety, did not escape a tragic death in a climate of patriarchal domination. Her husband’s conviction marks a symbolic step in the recognition of feminicide, and offers hope of justice for all those whose voices are still silenced.
