Mrs. Joy Nneka Obi is 67 years old widow, mother of 10 children from Uga town, Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria. She is aunt to very influential and powerful people in Nigeria, one of whom is multi-billionaire Senator Andy Uba, former Special Aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Domestic Affairs throughout 8 years of Obasanjo’s presidency, from 1999 to 2007.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo ruled Nigeria twice, first as army General, Head-of-state and Commander-in-chief of Nigerian Armed Forces from 1975 to 1979 and second as civilians President from 1999 to 2007.

Apart from multi-billionaire Senator Andy Uba, who was also ‘very brief former governor' of Anambra State, Mrs. Joy Nneka Obi has other very famous people in her family among them: Senator Ugochukwu Uba and the ‘godfather himself’, the quintessential godfather of Anambra politics, ‘the never-to-be-easily-forgotten’ Chief Christian Uba (Eselu Uga).

Information reveal the Uba brothers and former President Mathew Okikiola Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo have very close ties. While many speculate that Senator Andy Uba’s wife and former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s wife (Stella) may be related, information indicate they were actually from the same area and were very close until Stella died in October 2005, according to investigation.

Nigeria and the world became aware of the overwhelming power, might and influence of the Uba brothers (especially, Andy Uba and Christian Uba) following the abduction and kidnapping of Anambra State Governor Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige from his office in broad day light in 2003.

The acclaimed and self-proclaimed ‘godfather’ himself, Chief Chris Uba (The Eselu-Uga of Uga). The godfather of Anambra State politics.

When the governor was eventually released from toilet of Choice Hotel in Awka, Anambra State, where he had been locked-up after he was kidnapped, he reportedly fingered Christian Uba (younger brother of Senator Andy Uba, the Special Aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Domestic Affairs (Police) at that time) and his group as the mastermind of his kidnapping for his failure to ‘sign-away’ state government fund as secretly agreed.

Christian Uba and his group fired back and told the press that Gov. Ngige signed agreement and swore secret oath of obedience and royalty to his group of sponsors of political candidates, even at deadly fetish evil forest and shrines in Okija in order to be made the Governor of Anambra State. Christian Uba and his associates also reportedly stated that following the oath rituals which governorship candidate Dr. Ngige performed at the shrine during their midnight visit, they then rigged him into office even though he did not win election. Chief Uba produced written agreements signed by Dr. Chris Ngige.

Even as the world was dumbfounded as both sides reveal the very secret and illegal deals, Hon. Chuma Nzeribe, who was a member of Federal House of Representative at that time as well as an associate of Chief Chris Uba gave a press conference asking the police to quiz Governor Ngige about dead bodies discovered at Okija fetish deadly shrines. Hon. Nzeribe stated that Governor Ngige was a regular visitor to the satanic shrines and that he actually drove the group to the shrine in the middle of the night to perform the secret oath-swearing rituals.

Then Governor Chris Ngige responded by addressing the press stating he drove the group to the fetish shrines at Okija, performed the secret oath-swearing rituals and signed agreements at gun-point.

Following the uproar generated by the revelations, Chief Christian Uba reportedly gave a large press conference and apologized for rigging Anambra State governorship election that declared Ngige winner.

The fight between political ‘godfather’ Christian Uba and his group of political sponsors on one side and governor Dr. Chris Ngige on the other side exposed the dirty and deadly under-belly of politics in Anambra State and some other parts of Nigeria. It also exposed former President Obasanjo’s involvement in fraudulent mis-management of Anambra State government funds which had left the state in very bad shape, economically and infrastructure developments. People at that point became aware the reason Ngige’s predecessor Governor Clement Odera Chinwoke Mbadinuju was unable to function.

Most remarkably in these whole episode is the fact that despite these revelations and horrors, public finger-pointing and admissions by governor Dr. Chris Ngige, his political ‘godfather’ Christian Uba and his group, no one was ever arrested for either election frauds, crimes of kidnapping, illegal arrest and detention inside a hotel toilet, dead bodies discovered at Okija fetish shrines, arson, destruction of public properties and mismanagement of public funds in Anambra State throughout the 8 years former president Obasanjo ruled Nigeria.

Back to the Victim of Abuse and Violent Assault Leading to Loss of 2 Teeth

The 67 years old victim, Mrs. Joy Nneka Obi was lured to come to United States to work for her US-based family as domestic house-help (house maid) with promises of a better life and good pay. She stated she had better life when she worked in Houston, Texas and other places in United States, but her life turned from American dream to American nightmare when she arrived New York in 2009.

The New York-based family has 4 children. The victim left her own 10 children in Nigeria and came to United States to work with hope of making money and sending it to them. Her work upon arrival in New York include cleaning inside of a 6 bedroom mansion and outside of the house, does the laundry, cooks and cleans, as well as doing shopping without pay.

Rather than having a good life, the elderly woman stated she suffered horrendous verbal, emotional, unimaginable physical abuse and exploitation.

Most notable among the physical abuse the victim suffered was violent assault and knocking out of her 2 teeth which took place on about March 13, 2011. As blood was rushing out of her mouth, someone called 911 and police officers from NYPD promptly arrived, arrested, handcuffed and put the abusive Madame into a police vehicle to take her to the precinct for criminal processing. But to save her family, the victim pleaded with police to release her assaulter. The police had no choice than to let the assaulter go.

The elderly victim stated that she have been complaining to people and waiting in vain for one full year hoping that her abuser will have conscience to remedy the wrongs done to her. And since no one cared to come to her aide, she has decided to cry even louder.

However, our investigation has revealed the old woman (the victim) may have some complicated immigration matters that may also have compelled her to plead with police to release her abuser.

The alleged assaulter is much younger 46 years old woman while the victim is an elder 67 years old woman.

It is unknown though whether former Senior Special Aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Domestic Affairs and ‘very brief former governor' of Anambra State, multi-billionaire Senator Andy Uba, former Senator Ugochukwu Uba and the ‘godfather’ of Nigerian politics, Chief Christian Uba are aware of the assault incident, and that their auntie is stranded in New York, or, detail of her ordeal.

Senator Andy Uba, former Special Aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Domestic Affairs as well as Governor of Anambra State for one week.

“I saved Nnamdi’s Life from Electrocution in 1961/62”

Asked whether Senator Andy Uba, Senator Ugochukwu Uba and ‘the godfather himself’ know her in person and know about her ordeal; the elderly victim beamed in affirmation and narrated a 1961/1962 emotional incident Senator Andy Uba will never forget:

“They are all my family. I saved Nnamdi’s life in 1961/62 when he nearly died from electrocution at Egede/Anyansi Lane, Ogui, Enugu. Nnamdi and his siblings visited our house during holiday and he and other kids were playing football (soccer) on the street. The ball fell on the backyard of one of the neighbors. Nnamdi, about 9 years old then, pursued the ball to retrieve it. Unfortunately he got entangled in exposed electric wire which shocked, held him in place as he was shaking violently, uncontrollably, struggling in vain and became unconscious.”

“Neighbors and passers-by gathered watching the spectacle as one of the neighbors ran to our house and alerted me that the small boy that came to our house was entangled by exposed electric wire and was dying. I ran out, saw the crowd watching and shouting and I saw Nnamdi shaking and struggling in vain. I picked up a dry wood and the crowd were shouting and holding me from going near Nnamdi and the electric wire. But I told them to leave me. I went there and hit the electric wire with full force because I was very strong at that time and Nnamdi fell down and fainted. I stopped a taxi and rushed Nnamdi to UNTH where the doctors and nurses revived him. I stayed with him at the UNTH hospital for 2 complete days until he was discharged. His father never forgot me until he died. He called me his wife anytime he sees me until he died.”

“So to answer your question, Nnamdi (Senator Andy Uba, that is) and his brothers, sisters and mother who we call ‘Mama’ know me well, well. But, I don’t if someone told them what happened to me here in New York. Since Nnamdi and his brothers joined government, we cannot reach them anymore”, said Mrs. Joy Nneka Obi.

Pressed further on why she will be in such a miserable condition if she has such a direct personal connection with one of the richest and most powerful men in Nigeria, the elderly woman started to speak in subdued voice and suddenly looked up to the sky, and bust into emotional cry. At that moment the interview was stopped.

Questions and Challenge before African immigrant communities in United States:

Remarkable note: Notice we made effort to avoid naming the alleged perpetrators while clearly highlighting the victim’s ordeal. Even though this elderly woman is from a mega very prominent family in Nigeria, she is in very serious trouble here in United States, and she is crying for help.

Man/woman’s inhumanity to man/woman in some cases starts in the family.

• Since this matter has been brought to our attention here at Africans In America, Inc., what should African community in US do about this?
• Does this old woman deserve help?
• Several attempts had been made to get in contact with the alleged assaulter but she refused to respond to overtures. ALL continental African immigrants in United States are here in search for better life, in search for ‘American Dream’. Is this elderly woman also entitled to that better life and American Dream?

This is a ‘Call to Action’

We want to present and yield this opportunity to ALL continental African immigrants, organizations, associations and churches in United States to come up with a solution to this matter.

This is a ‘Call to Action’ on all continental African immigrants: individuals, organizations, associations and churches in United States to help others in need.

Since Africans In America, Inc. has moved on to raising awareness and addressing issues of larger African immigrant communities in United States, we are presenting and yielding this opportunity to all continental African immigrants: individuals, organizations, associations and churches in United States to step forward and assist this clearly victimized elderly woman in our midst in resolving her complex issues.

She will need assistance in networking and navigating the justice and social support services system in United States as well as some other complex issues that may arise. Those are part of key signature skills Africans In America, Inc.. Though we have moved on to high-level system advocacy, we could be available to offer consulting services to anybody that wish to answer this call, and take this case.

This is also clearly an opportunity for anybody that believe and had expressed they will do better job in this sort of situation than Africans In America, Inc. had done: this one is for you!!!

Should you want to participate in any supportive role, contact:

Africans In America, Inc.
P. O. Box 812, New York, New York 10039
Telephone: 1-718-328-9170
Email: info@africansinamericainc.org
Website: www.africansinamericainc.org