A sickle cell advocate, Aisha Edwards Maduagwu has withdrew her petition before Ebonyi State police command against a popular bishop in the, Samuel Onyeagoziri Okorie who was accused by a sickle cell patient, Euphemia of sleeping with her for five years as the solution to her health condition.
The bishop has been in police custody since two weeks over the allegation.
Maduagwu who was angry over the allegation, petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Adaku Uche-Anya and Governor Francis Nwifuru, calling for the cleric immediate prosecution.
But the sickle cell advocate has made a U-turn on the petition, citing insincerity, deceit and blackmail in the sexual scandal.
She alleged that the girl was being sponsored by a popular businessman and politician in the state and another cleric and that she was using sickle cell name to curry sympathy.
“As the National Coordinator of the Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder, ( APLSCD ) with memberships of about 400 sickle cell persons, I am issuing this public statement to address my findings regarding the case between Bishop Sam Ndubueze Okorie and the Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD) person (Names withheld) who had alleged sexual abuse, among other things against the Bishop.
“After my investigations with the testimonies from different quarters tied to the case, I am withdrawing my initial report against the Bishop and providing clarity to promote understanding and healing. Below is a detailed account of my findings and conclusions.
“Firstly, Bishop Sam Ndubueze Okorie personally apologized to me in the presence of his lawyer and police officers at the Ebonyi State Police Headquarters on some past grievous encounters with him. I have accepted his apology, forgiven him, and wished him well.
“Consequently, I am formally withdrawing my initial report, believing this matter can be resolved amicably. I will state that as a sickle cell advocate for over a decades and still counting, I have fought for justice for vulnerable sickle cell persons on many occasions, and also championed the Anambra State Sickle Cell Disease ( Control and Eradication) Law, 2019, which I have also made written suggestions to the government authorities in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, to initiate same legislative procedures for the benefits of State.
“My investigation revealed that Bishop Sam Ndubueze entered into a consensual relationship with the SCD patient in 2022, after she was brought to him in 2021 by her father, mother, and sister. The sexual relationship with her was at the explicit approval of her father, who due to her being the only surviving SCD person in their family, was eager for offsprings from her, pressured the Bishop to impregnate her so he can still have grandchildren at his old age. This context according to common sense indicates the relationship was mutually agreed upon and not coercive.
“Since 2022, when their relationship began, the Bishop provided extensive support to the her, including purchasing a mini bus for her school runs, funding her educational pursuits through exam preparation tutorials (JUPEB Programme) placing her on a monthly salary from his church’s proceeds, appointing her as second-in-command cum Secretary in his ministry, and granting her decision-making authority.
” These efforts reflect his commitment to her well-being despite her health challenges. At some point, she suffered from chronic leg ulcer, and was taken to the hospital by Bishop Sam Ndubueze, where she was fully nursed back to health and the leg ulcer cured.
” Bishop Sam has at times donated blood to her when she needed transfusion. As a sickle cell person myself, and also managing the health of many others, I know the difficulties and challenges encountered to have people coming forward to donate blood in times of need.
“However, her significant influence over the Bishop’s life and ministry strained his family dynamics, with his wife and children requiring her approval for access to him. She also relocated from assigned staff quarters to the Bishop’s court, deepening her role in his personal and professional life.
“The patient was not a minor when they met and was already sexually active. She was 22 years old in 2021. Reports suggest she coerced the Bishop into certain behaviors, including introducing him to pornography to enhance his libido, often teasing him as an “old man” to perform better sexually. This also challenge the narrative of one-sided abuse and points to mutual participation.
“No evidence supports her claims that the Bishop threatened her with weapons like guns or knives, as alleged in a podcast interview. All sexual acts were consensual, and there were no threats to release her nudes publicly. Their practice of capturing nude photos on the Bishop’s phone during private moments was consensual, initiated by her suggestion that he view them to increase arousal and satisfy her desires.
“The Bishop’s phone was stolen in his court on 1st September of which he reported the theft to the police on the 2nd. To his rude shock, their romantic pictures together started circulating after 19 days later, and he called her about the development of which she denied ever leaking the pictures to the public. When the Bishop was invited by the police, both he and she went to the station together with one accord, only for her to turn against him after meeting one man that identified himself as an Apostle who briefly spoke with her privately at the station.
“I want to use this opportunity to address a critical issue where podcasters, media outlets, and content creators rush one-sided narratives for the sake of gaining attention, clicks, or traffic, without seeking balanced perspectives from all parties involved. Responsible journalism and content creation requires due diligence in reaching out to all parties concerned to verify claims and provide a fuller picture”, she said.
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