Torrents of tears flows as Mr. Chima Anolue, a staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who was brutally murdered by his house help on July 15, 2023, was buried in his home town, Ukwu Community in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State.
The deceased, who lectured at Psychology Department, Faculty of Social Sciences of the institution, had reportedly scolded his killer for not cooking the rice he asked him to cook and for failing to wash dishes, unknown to him that the incident would lead to his untimely end.
Mr. Chima Anolue, a technologist, a vocalist and choir master at the Anglican Church was buried Tuesday amidst tears and wailing from members of the university community who described him as a cool headed fellow.
Anolue 35, was attacked with a pestle after a domestic argument with his house help whose name was given as Ifesinachi, an indigene of Ebonyi State, who was brought in by Anolue’s parents for domestic chores.
Meanwhile, the mother of the deceased, Dr. Ifeyinwa Anolue, who is the Secretary, College of Postgraduate Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has lamented the death of Anolue, who, she said, was her last son.
‘It was not the first time the house help had done something wrong, but we always forgave him. He had once been apprehended stealing rods and was beaten by security guards, but we intervened.
‘He had also stolen in our house, but he wrote an undertaking never to do so and begged us. My son, Chima (the deceased) once urged us to send the boy away before he got us into trouble,’ Dr Anolue recalled.
Speaking about what happened on the fateful day, Dr Anolue said: ‘We went for burial on Thursday. Then on Friday night I got a call from my second son, saying there was a crisis. He asked us to start praying as the news he got from Awka was that Chima was in critical condition and had been rushed to the hospital.
‘It turned out my son was attacked and killed by our house help. I later visited the police station and requested to see Ifesi (culprit) to know why he killed my son.
‘He said what happened was that Chima told him to boil rice for him and slapped him. I told him it was a lie. Chima cannot tell him to boil rice. He has never cooked for Chima since he came to our house. Chima can only send him to buy Coca-Cola across the street on rare occasions.
‘My only sadness was that my son died hungry. The rice he was boiling before he was killed was never touched,’ she lamented.