Many can’t get a handle on her. Though born Imu Yunusa, she is hardly known with those name multiplicities. Rather, she is simply known as Ovaioza, the name she is not only famous for but has also made notorious as a swindler.
Ovaioza is now a metaphor for fraud for swindle, for giving people false hope under false pretext like water in a wicker basket. An oxymoron, sh e was just a simple girl who later became complex and in the end made life complex for many.
Still, underneath that simplicity is the complexity of this Kogi-state born lady who succeeded in blindfolding millions of Nigerians and defrauding them of billions of naira under spurious guises.
But her bubble bust when those she had swindled, those whose lives she had turned upside down, those whose lives she almost ended after promising them paradise on earth, and convincing them to invest in her business raised the alarm and cried blue murder.
Ovaoiza’s who got married in January this year was a smart alec. Perhaps that why she was able to hoodwinked millions of Nigerian to invest in her farm storage business arrested as she was trying to escape out of the country with her husband, perhaps to lead another life unbeknown to others and change her identity as she had earlier done.
The questions begging for answers are: Who is this lady who, it seems came out of nowhere and stole not just the minds of gullible Nigerians but also their money? Who is this lady that operated under a nom de guerre and exacted the confidence of Nigerians? Who is this lady that has become a celebrity for the wrong reasons? What lives had she led in the past? What is her back story?
The truth is, Ovaioza is an enigma, a paradox, a character out of Edgar Allan Poe’s mystery stories. She is not just a cat with nine lives but has also allegedly led many lives.
Ovaioza’s brief but rich bio reads she was born on 30 December, 1993, the very year the June 12 Presidential election adjudged to be the freest and fairest election in Nigeria was annulled. But 29 years on she has led many lives
Her profile also reads she started her academic journey at the College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Okene, Kogi State and furthered her education at the School of Nursing And Midwifery, Nasarawa State, and the Bayero University, Kano, where she bagged a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology Education.
However, many had dug into her past and unearthed the many lives she had led, lives she never wanted to touch with a pole, lives she would rather love to be forgotten and erased from memory.
For instance Ekonyohe Daniels, unearthing Ovaioza’s hidden past on her Facebook page, said not only did she work in her aunt’s husband’s hospital in Jos but was light-fingered and an expert in aborting pregnancies.
“She was notorious for bringing in girls to do abortions when other staff has closed or when she is on shift alone.
“She was also notorious for stealing from the hospital’s account as she’s been caught at different times but always apologising and of course pardoned because of the way she presented herself as poor and all.
“The last abortion she did went bad and that was how the management got to know of the atrocities going on unknown to them. Her mother came begging and all. She was sacked anyway,” Ekonyohe said.
However, Ekonyohe debunked Ovaioza’s claim that she is a qualified midwife. Still, how did she get a handle on her elusive acts? She averred she got the convincing information from her aunt and opined why she had been in the shadows.
“My aunt initially couldn’t place her name (Ovaioza, as this isn’t her real name) when she was trending and all until recently when someone sent her this her picture and links to the story.
“You know how she was able to pull this stunt on us? She blocked everybody who knew her from way back.
“My aunt called the former administrator of the hospital this morning to truly confirm this gist and all the present and former staffs who she had worked with said she blocked all of them on all social media platforms.
Ekonyohe is convinced about her investigations. “Ask yourself this, how come no one knew her from way back? How come all her circle or tribe were carefully chosen from Facebook. How come there is no one who could say they knew her from way back, secondary school and all?
“Ovaioza truly rebranded. She is a smooth and smart criminal and ofcourse, her story will definitely never be complete without her mother. Hold her mother anywhere you see her. She is a partner to this huge heist!.
Chioma Chukwunekeh, confirming Ekonyohe findings reposted Ada Chinyere Chukwujekwu’s comment. “You are right. Ummi lived with my parents at some point. Her mum used to sell roasted plantain. She came to Jos to stay with my mum. She would steal from my mum while dressing her room and would bold boldly deny. We had to set a trap for her, she still took the money. She was working at at a clinic and was running a smll syndicate for D&C, gave people appointment once the doctor was away or off duty. She was exposed when someone had bleeding issues and almost died. That was when the doctor knew.”
Still, Ogechukwu Chinakwe, defending Ovaoiza through her comment said: How come you you’re talking about it now. I’m not a fan of hers, but it’s crazy how everyone has a story to tell about her at this time.
And Ndukwe Happiness, supporting Ekonyohe’s claims, said: “She (Ovaoiza} said in one of her write-ups that she ‘blocked everyone that her in real life to achieve her aim.’”
Still, in spite of what many have said about her, her name which is rightly spelt Ovayoza in Ebirra, her language, means one who puts others into consideration in his or her dealings. If really she put her investors into consideration and meant well but was only unlucky with her business will be decided in the court of law. But for now, as the law say she is innocent of all charges until proven guilty.
Source: TheNEWS