The death of insurance guru, Obianuju Ndubuisi, in a South African hotel has become a subject of controversy. Ndubuisi, who was Deputy Director-Genera
The death of insurance guru, Obianuju Ndubuisi, in a South African hotel has become a subject of controversy. Ndubuisi, who was Deputy Director-General of Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, had travelled to South Africa to attend the conference of the African Insurance Organisation but was found dead in her room at Emperor’s Palace Casino, Hotel and Convention Centre, Johannesburg on June 13, 2019.
Although her death was at first considered a natural one, but a report dated June 24 showed that her death was consistent with strangulation according to a report dated June 27, 2019 and signed by the Director-General of the Department of Health, Republic of South Africa.
Friends and family members said on a website set up in her memory that she was murdered and even accused the South African government and the hotel management of not doing enough to bring her alleged killers to justice. It was alleged that the hotel had failed to provide CCTV footage to the police which would assist in the investigation.
In a series of tweets, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, said it was unfortunate that the Federal Government and its agencies like the Nigerian Diaspora Commission headed by Abike Dabiri-Erewa had failed to comment on the matter.
Soon afterwards, Dabiri-Erewa issued a statement on Twitter saying. “Update on Ndubuisi. Our CG (Consular-General) in SA (South Africa) along with the deceased’s brother are on the sad incident. CCT showed no one entered the room. Autopsy showed she died of unnatural causes. An officer from the HC (High Commission) detailed on the case, working with SA (South Africa) police. Will keep you updated.”
However, Odinkalu said Dabiri-Erewa’s submission seemed to imply that the deceased committed suicide and therefore called on her to work harder.
“Your message here does two things in my view that are wrong. I say these advisedly. First, you give incomplete information on the autopsy outcome. Look at the record. It’s explicit. Secondly, you imply suicide. That’d have been ‘asphyxiation’ not strangulation. Please work harder.”
Dabiri-Erewa, however, responded, “I’ve given information as received from the high commissioner. Her brother is working with them. I can’t determine what unnatural cause means. The high commissioner is also in touch with her office and they will continue to give an update as investigations progress.”
