Fidelia Ezinwanne Chigbogu, the immediate elder sister of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, has died at the age of 61.

Mrs Chigbogu, fondly called “Darling” by her husband, reportedly slumped and died on Sunday morning in Lagos while preparing to attend church.

Her husband, Chudi Chidinma Chigbogu, a native of Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, described her death as a devastating shock, saying she had shown no signs of illness before the incident.

“It was like a shock to me because, even as I am talking to you now, I never believed it,” he said.

Narrating the circumstances surrounding her death, Mr Chigbogu said the family had experienced an electrical incident the previous Thursday when their electricity meter exploded and burnt their changeover room.

He said they had contacted officials of the electricity distribution company, who promised to visit on Monday to replace and relocate the meter.

“We were busy waiting for them. My wife said she would give testimony in church on Sunday, and we were preparing for that,” he said.

According to him, his wife woke up on Sunday morning without any apparent health complaints and was preparing to leave for church when the incident occurred.

“That Sunday morning, she woke up. There was nothing like a headache, nothing like fever, nothing. She finished bathing and was preparing to go to church. She usually leaves home between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. because of the roles she plays in the church,” he said.

Mr Chigbogu explained that he was washing his car because of dust when he became concerned that his wife had not come downstairs.

“I went to wash the car because of dust. Around 8 a.m., I called my son and said, ‘Why has mummy not come down? Go and check.’

“Only for the boy to go and start screaming that he called his mummy and she did not answer. He lifted her hand, and her hand dropped,” he recounted.

He said he immediately rushed upstairs and found his wife lying unresponsive on the bed.

“I called her names, no way. I alerted neighbours, and we carried her to six hospitals. Anywhere we went, they would take me aside and say I didn’t bring her on time, that she had passed on.

“I said no, it was not possible, until we got to Navy Hospital, where they refused to admit her,” he said.

Mr Chigbogu said prayers continued at their home for several hours as the family struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.

He recalled that around 4 p.m., someone told him she had seen his wife in a vision, moving swiftly without looking back, which she interpreted as a sign that the deceased had made it to heaven.

“That was when I changed my mind and allowed an ambulance to come. She left here after 6 p.m. and got to the village around 7 a.m. the next day,” he said.

Describing his late wife, Mr Chigbogu said she was a natural leader, peacemaker and philanthropist who played a significant role in her family, church and community.

“Aside from calling her Darling, I called her many names because she was a leader. No matter the case in the family, she would settle it.

“She is the founder of a women’s group, played a very big role in the church and was known for her charitable work. Before her passing, she was working on her orphanage.

“Even though she is no more, I will not let her down. I will make sure that project comes to pass,” he said.

On her family background, Mr Chigbogu said her parents had seven children—three boys and four girls—and that his late wife was the second daughter.

He added that she was also one of the trustees of the Ubah family.

By Tony Edike

Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has pledged to sign into law a proposed amendment to the state’s Landlord and Tenant Law aimed at curbing excessive agency and legal fees imposed on prospective tenants.

Mbah gave the assurance while speaking at a recent town hall meeting, where he outlined his administration’s plans to address housing challenges in the state through legislative reforms and increased housing supply.

Enugu Housing scheme

The governor said his administration was working with the Enugu State House of Assembly to ensure the proposed legislation was passed within four weeks, promising to sign it as soon as it was transmitted to him.

He said the government could effectively regulate charges imposed by property agents and lawyers but warned against imposing rent controls that could discourage investment in the housing sector and worsen accommodation shortages.

“One thing that government can regulate effectively is controlling the cost an agent charges as commission, controlling the legal fees. You can clearly make laws to guide that,” Mbah said.

The  Enugu Smart City

He explained that fixing a ceiling on the rent landlords could charge might discourage people from investing in residential property, potentially reducing housing supply and pushing rental prices even higher.

“It is extremely difficult to make laws to cap the fee the rent a landlord charges because once you do that, what you’re going to see is scarcity,” he said.

The governor added that his administration was adopting a supply-driven approach to addressing the housing crisis by expanding the city, developing new residential areas and increasing the availability of housing units.

Proposed structures at the Enugu Smart City

“So what we do as government is to try and push supplies in the market to see that we build new houses to ensure that there are enough homes so that that supply would drive down the rent,” he stated.

Mbah said his administration was working with the legislature to regulate tenancy-related fees while protecting residents from excessive charges.

“I’m committing to you that we’re going to work with the House of Assembly to ensure that within the next four weeks we’ll ensure that bill is passed into law, and I’ll be in a hurry to sign it so that we can protect Ndi Enugu,” the governor added.

Housing units ready for relocation of slum residents

The proposed amendment to the Landlord and Tenant Law, Cap. 101, Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004, was disclosed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu, in a Facebook post on Monday, October 26, 2026.

According to Ugwu, the executive bill seeks to establish clearer rules for tenancy transactions, regulate estate agents, limit agency and legal fees, and provide a structured mechanism for handling caution fees and refunds.

The proposed legislation also seeks to reduce disputes between landlords and tenants over property damage through joint inventories and professional valuations where necessary, check arbitrary rent increases and create a more transparent framework for tenancy-related charges.

Screenshot

The executive bill comes after an earlier bill sponsored by the member representing Nkanu East State Constituency, Hon. Okey Mbah, which had passed its first and second readings, with a public hearing also conducted by the House.

While advocating the earlier bill in March 2025, Okey Mbah raised concerns about the high costs prospective tenants were required to pay, including agency commissions, legal fees, caution fees and other charges.

He argued that the absence of effective regulation had created opportunities for exploitation, with some individuals allegedly posing as property agents to collect money from unsuspecting accommodation seekers without providing the promised services.

The earlier proposal sought to limit agency and legal fees to a maximum of 10 per cent of the rent, prohibit caution fees and introduce safeguards against irregular and fraudulent evictions. However, the final provisions will depend on the version of the legislation passed by the House.

Ugwu said the renewed legislative effort aligned with Mbah’s vision of making Enugu a preferred destination for business, investment, tourism and residential living.

The proposed amendment comes amid persistent complaints about the rising cost of accommodation in Enugu, where prospective tenants often face substantial additional charges beyond the rent demanded by landlords.

If passed and signed into law, the legislation could introduce greater transparency into tenancy transactions and provide a regulatory framework for the activities of property agents, while helping to protect tenants from excessive fees.

However, the effectiveness of the proposed reforms will depend on the final provisions of the law, the establishment of appropriate enforcement mechanisms and compliance by landlords, estate agents and legal practitioners.

Senator Victor Umeh has challenged former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), to publish a truthful account of the Nigerian Civil War and apologise to the Igbo people, accusing him of distorting history and betraying the Aburi Accord.

Umeh, who represents Anambra Central Senatorial District, made the call while speaking with journalists in Awka, Anambra State, in reaction to Gowon’s recent interview on Arise Television, during which the former military leader blamed the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, for the outbreak of the 30-month conflict.

Gowon also maintained that the war was not targeted at the Igbo people, a position Umeh strongly rejected, describing the former leader’s account as false and capable of reopening old wounds.

The senator urged Gowon to emulate former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, by documenting his version of events surrounding the war, insisting that Nigerians deserved an accurate account of the circumstances that led to the conflict.

According to Umeh, the war, which ended in 1970, left deep scars on the Igbo people, making it necessary for those who played key roles in the conflict to acknowledge their actions and contribute to genuine national reconciliation.

“We will not allow Gowon to lie or twist history. All that he said are false. At 91, I will not want to join issues with him, except, of course, if he is suffering from dementia. He has not done what he should be doing at this late stage of his life,” Umeh said.

He urged Gowon to use his remaining years to tell Nigerians the truth about the war and help heal the pain suffered by victims and their families.

“The war ended 51 years ago and we have moved on, but for him to come back at 91 years of age and begin to lie is unfortunate, and it means that he is not thinking about how to leave Nigeria in peace,” he said.

Umeh also questioned Gowon’s claim that the war was fought to preserve Nigeria’s unity, arguing that persistent violence and divisions across the country raised questions about the extent to which that objective had been achieved.

He further accused the former Head of State of contributing to political tensions and mistrust between the Igbo and Yoruba, alleging that decisions taken during his administration deepened divisions that continue to affect national cohesion.

The senator also accused Gowon of betraying the Aburi Accord reached with Ojukwu before the war, arguing that the failure to honour the agreement contributed to the outbreak of the conflict.

“What happened after Aburi was a complete betrayal, and the attempt now to rewrite history is an insult to the memory of those who died,” he said.

Umeh maintained that the consequences of the war could not be separated from the experiences of the Igbo people. He alleged that Igbo soldiers were targeted, businesses destroyed, and communities subjected to starvation and marginalisation during the conflict.

He also questioned Gowon’s account of events surrounding the January 1966 coup and the subsequent killing of then Head of State, Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.

Umeh challenged Gowon to explain what he knew about the events and the roles played by other military officers. He specifically referenced retired General Theophilus Danjuma, whom he said was still alive and could provide further insight into the circumstances surrounding Ironsi’s arrest and assassination.

The senator urged Gowon to refrain from making statements he considered provocative and instead publish a detailed account of the war for Nigerians to examine and assess.

“If he wants to say the truth, let him go and write his own book, so that when he is no more, his book will be circulated and he will be judged. Ojukwu is no more to join issues with him,” Umeh said.

He added that an honest account of the conflict would help Nigerians understand the causes of the war, acknowledge the suffering of those affected and promote genuine reconciliation.

Umeh insisted that confronting the historical controversies surrounding the Civil War remained necessary for national healing, warning that attempts to present an account that disregarded the suffering of victims could deepen existing grievances.