Veteran actor Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia, has opened up about the execution of his older brother, Bartholomew Owoh, under the military regime of Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as one of the most painful experiences of his life.
Bartholomew was one of three young Nigerians executed by firing squad on April 10, 1985, for drug-related offences.
The other two were Lawal Ojuolape and Bernard Ogedengbe. Their execution sparked outrage at the time, as the crimes they were convicted of were not punishable by death when they were committed.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News Channel’s The Interview, which aired on Thursday, Nkem Owoh recounted the trauma the incident caused him and the deep questions it raised about justice under Nigeria’s military rule.
“I was working with the Anambra Television that time and I was so furious that I was shedding tears along the corridors,” he recalled.
The actor criticised the military government’s decision to retroactively apply the death penalty to the offences.
“In fact, the thing that touched me most is that they had to shift the effective date of that decree,” he said.
“You know, during the military era, they can just get out one decree and the next minute, it’s in operation.”
“So for them to backdate it to involve or include people who did not commit the offence within their own regime, but years back, I was very bitter.”
Nkem Owoh questioned the legal and moral justification of such a move.
“Why would it be shifted back to include people who didn’t commit the offence before the decree?” he asked.
