Herbalist’s wife bathes co-wife with hot water

OGOJA — A woman, identified as Blessing, said to be the wife of a herbalist known as Dr. Respect Ogar, allegedly bathed her husband’s second wife, Mary, with hot water, at the weekend.

The incident occurred on Saturday morning in Wodah village, Yala Local Government Area of Northern Cross River State.

According to a village source, the first wife became angry after her husband allegedly paid the bride price and conducted the traditional marriage rites for the second wife, while she, despite being married to him for many years and bearing five male children, had not had her bride price paid or undergone formal traditional rites.

“The second wife, Mary, is always mocking Blessing because the man has completed her bride price and traditional marriage rites, even though she has no child for him, while the first wife, who has been with him for years and has five sons, has not been formally married,” a source, Ochuole, said.

The source added that Mary’s persistent taunting allegedly angered Blessing, who on Saturday morning poured a pot of boiling water on her co-wife, leaving her with severe burns on her chest and stomach.

“She often tells her senior  mate that the husband bought her a plot of land and rented an apartment for her in town, while the first wife has nothing. All these made Blessing angry, and when Mary again began to taunt her on Saturday morning, she poured hot water on her,” the source added.

Mary is currently receiving treatment at the Ogoja General Hospital and is expected to be transferred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar.

“She was first taken to Life First Clinic in Abachor, and arrangements have been made to move her to the Teaching Hospital in Calabar on Monday,” the source said.

It was further gathered that Blessing was arrested and taken to the Okuku Police Station. However, following threats by Mary’s family to retaliate, she was later transferred to the Divisional Police Station in Okpoma for her safety and further investigation.