Nigerians Lambast Wife-Beater Ambassador

Nigerians have excoriated the country’s High Commissioner in Kenyan and the Seychelles, Dr. Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe, for battering his wife.

They called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack him immediately for embarrassing Nigeria in a foreign land, saying that he can no longer be trusted with sound judgment.

His wife of 32 years and mother of their five children, Mrs. Tess Iyi Wigwe, had petitioned the Kenyan police urging them to promptly arrest the diplomat before he beats her to death.

In a letter she sent to Mr. Mathew Iteere, the commissioner of police, the distraught wife accused her husband of battering her and causing her serious bodily harm which has sent her to hospital many times, often between life and death.

Nigerians who posted their comments on www.pmnewsnigeria.com were dismayed at the wife’s battered face after she was beaten on 11 May by the husband.

“Firstly, Kenya Police can do nothing because of his diplomatic immunity. The Federal Government needs to recall him home and instantly strip him of his immunity, and let the police prosecute him. Why make this goon a diplomat when he is not diplomatic. Spousal abuse should not be tolerated,” Omo Eko said.

Jerome queried: “Is this picture that of a masquerade or product of severe battering? If it is battering, then this is really a show of shame. Is this a model for their adult children or the country they are representing abroad?”

According to Awayeme, “marriage is not by force. He should have set the lady free from this miserable union and go ahead with his other women who undoubtedly would be getting the same treatment. No woman deserves this kind of treatment. A grandmother’s physical health cannot endure this. He could have killed her. The man has no respect for their children and grandchildren. A man beating up his wife or any woman is not a man in the true sense of the word. If he is so sure of his boxing prowess, he should try men like himself.”

Rahman said: “One wonders what the bull is still doing in Kenya. A responsible nation would have recalled him home to face the music but definitely not my dear country, Nigeria.

According to Ayo, the diplomat’s disgraceful behaviour is the true picture of Nigerian representatives. “I can see that he is a black sheep of the family. I believe GEJ will bring him back home for treatment,” he said.

Echoing the feelings of most readers,Matthew Bankole Sule simply said: “Jonathan should drop Wigwe as a diplomat, please.”

According to Henshaw, the embattled ambassador should not have been appointed in the first place and must be promptly recalled.

He said: “I am amazed as to how such a man was made an ambassador in the first place. When everything is politicised in a country, this is what you get. Even when this man is recalled, another PDP man will replace him. When will Nigerians truly rid themselves of PDP? I wonder how the children tolerated the battering of their mother for so long without advising their father to put a stop to such a disgraceful act.”

—Simon Ateba