Two weeks ago, I got links to the story on the death of Bimbo Ogbonna, wife of a popular car dealer, Ikechukwu Ogbonna aka IVD in posh Megamound estate, Lekki, Lagos from domestic violence. She died on Saturday 15th October 2022. Before then, I had never heard nor read about this couple that so many people seem to know about from their flamboyant lifestyle on social media.
Bimbo Ogbonna “set herself ablaze” after yet another violent quarrel with her husband, IVD of 16 years.
Why would a woman set herself on fire, just so her husband would be sorry? That’s cutting off your nose to spite your face.
This isn’t normal.
What also isn’t normal is that this couple are known for frequent domestic altercations by their neighbours in Lekki. Ikechukwu Ogbonna aka IVD, has a history of beating his wife. Their quarrels stem mostly from IVD’s infidelity; his philandering produces results, pregnancies that he claims are “mistakes.”
However, some have said Bimbo herself was no pushover. She is alleged to have been a violent woman, often screaming curses at her husband, wrecking the house. They even say she hits him with objects whenever their quarrels devolved to fisticuffs.
Those who know this volatile couple say they started out early as young lovers in Okoko area of Lagos state. Back in the day, Bimbo was said to have abandoned school to be with IVD against her parents’ wishes. In fact, some said she gave him her school fees to pursue his business interests, trusting that when he “made it,” like we say in Nigeria, she would also enjoy the success.
There’s nothing wrong here. There are hundreds of happy couples today, who sacrificed for one another along the line. But it gets bizarre as you read about the once happy couple. Bimbo is alleged to have carried rituals for IVD to ensure he became successful and remained so. This in turn led to her mental health breakdown, a fact popular microblogging site, Gistlover, swears by.
Na so, I read am, o!
In fact, another blogger wrote that Bimbo lost a pregnancy after one of those beatings she got from IVD. But here’s a couple with five children together; not one or two but five! A couple said to be so much in love that every time they fought and their fights were described as often bloody, they begged each other and found ways to come back together again.
You would think it odd. They loved with the same passion they hated, so maybe, they often came back together again for their children’s sake?
Nah! Some commenters say, it’s because they both swore a blood oath never to leave one another.
Having never taken a blood oath nor do I know anyone who has, I understand from Nollywood movies that blood oaths have nasty consequences. One person goes mad, (according to Nollywood movies, go watch Rituals or Living in Bondage or…). So I’m going to have to stand on one leg on this theory, particularly as the means to their wealth is shrouded in mystery. It’s not straightforward, it drips of lies, cover ups, half truths, juju and everything illicit.
However, I doubt that anyone in such a volatile marriage as people have described these two, is sane. I also doubt that a mother of five children would set herself on fire to make her husband suffer. No my people, unless she was mentally unstable or she was set ablaze!
We may never know what truly went down with Bimbo dying after a domestic altercation in her home. I do know one thing, though, women do not typically take their own lives, Google the stats. In this context, given all that we have heard and read so far- from the deceased family to the husband himself, killing herself was not on the list but mental instability is a huge factor.
So if it’s staring us in the face, the question to ask is, why didn’t IVD seek help for his wife?
He must have seen that her erratic behaviour isn’t normal; there’s a video he posted showing the level of damage his wife is said to have wreaked in their home. Again, this isn’t normal!
He must have noticed; mental sickness doesn’t hide, it is stark!
Why was IVD managing a woman unstable as a wife and mother?
Why didn’t he call her folks to help him get help for her?
Why is he on the run?
Maybe he didn’t seek help because of the clandestine nature of his business; maybe he didn’t seek help because he didn’t care, maybe he didn’t seek help because he didn’t even know how to. One thing is clear, his hands are not clean!