Kelvin Ukworu, popularly known as ‘Ibinabo,’ a popular High Life musician, has narrated how he was almost beaten to death for refusing to sing political songs during a burial ceremony in Ohaozara Local Government Area in Ebonyi State.
The Ebonyi born musician said he was beaten to coma by one Tochukwu Uzor known as ‘Machiaveli’ and his thugs when he discontinued singing for the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the end of the burial.
Ukworu, who is still battling for his life at the hospital, thanked God for saving his life. According to him, his attacker’s plan was to beat him to death.
His words “I was booked by the Ohaozara local government area Chairman, Consider Ajah to perform at the burial event of his mother in-law in the local government last week Saturday so when it was nightfall, I ordered my crew to pack up and call it a day.
“It was at that point that the Ohaozara Development Centre Coordinator, Tochukwu Uzor ‘Machiaveli’ emerged from nowhere and ordered me to play a campaign song of Mr Francis Nwifuru, the APC governorship candidate in Ebonyi State. I told him that it was nightfall and we should be leaving for Abakaliki, and that the event we came to perform was not a political event.
He added “But the Coordinator threatened to attack me with his boys if I, didn’t do what he ordered me to do. At that point I, had no choice and for the sake of peace, I, picked microphone and started playing the song for him. After about 20 minutes, I, dropped the microphone but Mr Uzo again ordered me to pick the microphone again and play until he would be satisfied.
“This time, I, refused to sing and instead ordered my crew to pack up so we could leave the scene.The next thing, the Coordinator and his thugs descended on me and beat me with different weapons and after beating me to almost a comatose state, they whisked me into a room in the compound and locked me up”.
“Thank God Police in Ohaozara later arrived and rescued me from the room and took me to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki for treatment”.
He noted that the Chairman, Chinoso Ajah also known as ‘Consider’ was not around when the incident happened as he had left for Abakaliki to attend a meeting.
He then exonerated the Chairman from the incident adding that the Chairman has been good to him in the past.
