it takes two to tango

It’s said that “it takes two to make a tango” and there is always two sides to a coin. In that respect efforts were made by the Nigerian Embassy Spain for our special correspondent in Spain to have an interview with Kingsley Ojugberu, the alleged suspect by Mabel Mark his wife for acid attack on her in Nigeria. Below is Kingsley’s side of the story in an exhaustive interview held at his base in Las Palmas Spain. [ Click to Read Mabel Mark’s Interview by Our Special Correspondent-Spain ]
Could you please tell me a little about yourself?
My name is Kingsley Ojugberu from Delta state, 38 years, School cert holder and a fashion designer by profession. I have a big fashion house named Kings Fashion with about 22 workers in Egbeda Lagos.
When and how did you know Mabel?
I knew Mabel in 2006 through her friend that came to my house in Lagos whom I helped to go back to Europe. When she saw how gentle and industrious I am, she told me about her best friend and said she would like me to know her. She gave my number to her and we started talking from 2006 till 2008 when she came to meet me in Lagos. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Mabel Mark After Acid Attack by Husband
- CLICK for Enlarged Photo
When did you come to Spain?
We got married in 2008 and I came to Spain in December 2010
Did you have traditional marriage?
No traditional marriage, only court wedding in Lagos. Both families witnessed the wedding and the mother signed the certificate. They never wanted her to get married. Before we got married, Mabel told me that the greatest problem she has is her family. There is nothing she does that pleases them. After our marriage, the two sisters, Blessing and Dorcas called me from Benin and asked why should I go and marry their family investment? When my wife heard that she called her mother and asked why they should be telling her husband such? I tried to settle the case before she travelled back to Spain. Everything I am telling you God is my witness.
What can you tell me about the acid attack incident on Mabel in Nigeria?
Ans. me and my wife we never have problem in our marriage, until Blessing and Dorcas that have been fighting us from Nigeria came. They were living with us in the same house and anything we do they used to tell their sister Florence in Benin. And that is when our problem started. Before I came my wife had an African shop. I am a businessman, an international man. The shop was small. My wife had in her account 350euros when I came to Spain. That is what she showed me she has in her account. I started booming the shop. I bought an industrial sowing machine; God was so good to us. The African shop grew. I sow clothes for Nigerians; we now made it a joint business. We have the same account. We didn’t hide anything from each other. When we make a certain amount of money, we take it to Nigeria to invest for the future. I and my wife we have a love contact.
You mean a love covenant?
Yes a secret between me and her that we will never hurt each other. We travelled to Nigeria in 2011 and bought a property at Ogun State.
Before you bought this property, has she any property before?
She bought two houses in Benin. The first 8 rooms flat were before I married her and the family never allowed her to see the building until I got married to her. I am the one that carried her to see the building. She was disappointed because is not what they told her. The second one, I am married to her.
We went back in 2013 that is when the problem started. Before then these two girls have been calling the sister in Benin telling her that I am the one controlling everything. Gloria works in the same place with Dorcas and she lives in the same house with us. and she told us that Dorcas said our marriage will not work and that she used to call her people in Nigeria telling them are they sleeping, that they should go out, that I am the one controlling everything. My wife got angry and asked Dorcas but she denied. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Mabel Mark Before Acid Attack by Husband
While in Nigeria, Florence called my wife to come to Benin. Her sisters finished our marriage. They were not happy with our marriage because they are not from the same parents with my wife. These girls are evil. But may God fight them… We didn’t know they have set us up with a Babalawo. (Voodoo man) I did not have anything in mind because I and my wife love each other. We have love covenant. We prayed for better for worse. This woman has been praying that even if she dies and come back again she will look for me as a husband. This woman used to tell me sweet words and I used to tell her sweet words. If I talk lie may I not see tomorrow, this woman is a good wife to me…
Florence said that we should come to Benin because Babalawo said my wife is Ogbanje. We went to Benin with another girl that came from Spain and Florence took us to the Babalawo house. This Babalawo name is Clement Okobu. He has two wives. When we were there, I don’t know what they did to me. The next thing my wife did was to sit on the lap of the Babalawo, I thought that was Europe style; the wife opened the curtain and saw them and went back. I don’t know who told the Babalawo that my wife is pregnant. And the Babalawo asked who is pregnant here? And I said that my wife is pregnant and what about it. He said that the pregnancy is a problem.
How long did you stay in the Babalawo’s house?
I won’t lie to you I stayed there for 2-3 days and during these period I never came close to my wife. He told me that he is seeing accident for me as I drive. And he put us in a hole like a grave and bath us with some concoctions. I never knew that it was for us to hate ourselves. He collected from us (N380, 000) cash to do the Ogbanje for my wife. And the other girl from Spain told me she paid almost ( N1,000 000). My wife stayed in the house of this Babalawo for 7 days. And he put her in a room and said that is only him that will be seeing my wife for these 7days for that is the procedure. If I talk lie thunder fire me… This Babalawo has tugs in his compound. Those who bring girls to Europe take the girls to swear juju before him. And he sends the tugs to disturb the parents of the girls if the girls refuse to pay in Europe. Please I want government to fish this man out. Dorcas told me that this man wanted to marry her before she came to Europe but she refused. I want thunder to start firing all of them…
I went back to Lagos without my wife. 3 days later my wife told me that she is coming to Lagos with the Babalawo and Florence. I said for what? She said that there is something that the man is coming to do in the land we bought in Ogun state. My wife paid flight ticket for the Babalawo to come to Lagos. By this time my wife is no longer my wife, she has changed totally. My wife lodged in a hotel with the babalawo and Florence in Lagos. The Babalawo said to me that my wife told him that she wants to die, that he should help her…She has given this woman different concoctions that I cannot understand.
After the Babalawo went back, I tried to make love to my wife and she said I should go for a harlot that there is something the Babalawo put in her that she should not make love to anybody. My wife was behaving like a mad person. I managed to come back to Spain with her. Back to Spain, my wife could not sleep at night. The Babalawo and Florence were calling her for her to come back to Nigeria and finish what she has to do.
I called the Babalawo and told him to stop disturbing my wife. And he told me that I should stop calling that woman my wife because she is not my wife. I collected the voodoo she gave my wife even the one she baths with, I pissed on them and flushed them in the toilet I contacted two pastors to help me and pray for my wife because she has totally changed. Two weeks after we came back, my wife bought ticket to go back to Nigeria. I tried to stop her by hiding her passport but she insisted and left leaving me with our daughter who is to have her birth day in 2 days’ time.
She called me from Lagos and said that I blocked account and she could not collect money. We have a joint account in First Bank and both of us must sign before money is withdrawn. I sent 3000euros from the shop through Dorcas to her. My wife is not a bad woman, we love each other, and it’s the family that finished us with the Babalawo. She sent a me a text message before the incident saying ,my husband I am sorry for everything I have done to you please forgive me I have seen all their plans towards me. I showed this message to a member of Nigerian association when I went to visit my wife at the hospital.
Two days after, Blessing called me from my working place and said that something has happened to my wife, that they poured her acid. Immediately, I called my wife’s number in Nigeria and somebody picked and the person said that she is the sister and that I cannot talk to her, I should call back in 30 minutes. I called after 30 minutes and the phone was switched off. I called the mother and she said I should not call her. Here in Spain, the two sisters were fighting me, saying that the Babalawo said I am the one that sent somebody to pour acid on Mabel. Two days after, my wife was flown back to Spain, she is the one who called me and said I should come to the hospital. Dorcas was there when I reached the hospital. I saw my wife and burst to tears, I could not recognize her. Her face was totally black. She was crying and I was crying too. Let this God that nobody can hide something from bear me witness. You can lie to man but you cannot lie to God…
Did anybody try to prevent you from seeing your wife in the hospital?
How can somebody stop me from seeing my wife that was sick at the hospital? Is the person crazy? I snapped her, it’s in my phone. It was in the presence of Dorcas, she said I should forgive her. Camera recorded it. She told me her family said she should say it’s me but she knows it can never be me.
When and why were you arrested and detained by the Spanish authorities?
On the 8/06/13, I was arrested at home by police. They said I was reported by Dorcas and one retired police officer that used to come to our shop. They showed me the picture of my wife that was poured acid and said I am the suspect.
How were you treated by the police during detention?
They assaulted me, calling me black pig, and all sorts of names, forcing me to write statement, no type of treatment they did not give me which is against their law here. I was taken to court and you know this a developed country. They investigated everything about me here and in Nigeria even my phone conversations and they saw I was innocent of this matter. I was taken to prison for maltreating a woman because my wife lied that I used to beat her.
How did the Nigerian Embassy come in?
I am the one that wrote, that I want to see officials of the Nigerian embassy . I have been put in prison before the Embassy came. And they asked me what they can do for me. I told them the only help they can do for me is to help my wife, because these two girls and the Babalawo are still controlling her.
What efforts have you made towards her treatment and recovery?
I just came out from prison, and by their law here, everything I have has been given to her both our bank account. I don’t have anything; I am just living on friends. And as I came out I learnt my wife has put in for divorce. Because they said she cannot get help here without divorce. That’s what I am facing now.
Have you been served the divorce paper?
They have served me. But for me to know what happened to this woman, I will never sign the divorce. I will give her time because she is not herself yet.
You have spoken at length, lastly what else do you want to say?
I know, you journalist need confirmation, please tell the police to investigate the phone conversion between Mabel and my brother Eddy who is now in Germany between December 23 – 30, 2013. My wife said that the family in Nigeria told her, that the two wives of the Babalawo confessed that it is not her husband that planned the acid attack on her but the first wife of the voodoo man who contacted another Babalawo who arranged with the boy that poured acid on my wife. That even the boys killed somebody in Benin and escaped. And I want the police to act fast and arrest this Babalawo, and Nigerians should help so that this people will not go free. Also please I want T. B. Joshua and Chris Oyakhilome to pray for my wife for deliverance. [ Click to Read Mabel Mark’s Interview by Our Special Correspondent-Spain ]