Chima Ubani’s widow recalls his fearless activism, family devotion and the dangers he faced, urging Nigeria to honour his legacy.
Mrs. Ochuwa Ubani, widow of late human rights activist Chima Ubani, has relived the fears and devotion that marked their marriage. Speaking with New Telegraph in Lagos, she recalled how General Sani Abacha once placed a N50 million bounty on her husband, forcing him to adopt the alias “Aboki” and go underground. “I got so scared that I told him to abandon activism for another job,” she said, describing the violent protests of the June 12 era. Chima, who died in a 2005 road crash during anti-fuel subsidy demonstrations, was “a brother, a friend and my husband, all rolled into one,” she added. She portrayed him as a disciplined family man who loved his daughters and never tolerated gossip or injustice. Mrs. Ubani urged government to immortalise him, noting that schools in Nsukka already study his contributions to democracy. “If they can do that, I’ll be very, very happy,” she stated.