But with the success came uncomfortable public attention, with the beam of the klei light came the burden of fame for the teenage actress, and her beauty made her a target of both lustful young male fans and rapacious wealthy old men
In 2007, a girl burst onto the scene in Nollywood. A budding and highly competitive movie industry at the time. Precocious and charming, the teen, chaperoned by her mother, nailed her first role in Marriage of Sorrow with ease and aplomb reserved for experienced and veteran actors. She is Regina Daniel. She would later go on to star in more movies, catapulting her to fame and earning her a place in the mainstream of the Nigerian entertainment industry. But with the success came uncomfortable public attention, with the beam of the klei light came the burden of fame for the teenage actress, and her beauty made her a target of both lustful young male fans and rapacious wealthy old men.
In 2018, 17 years old at the time, rumours began to swirl that Regina’s mother, an actress and film producer herself, was grooming her for marriage to billionaire businessman Ned Nwoko. Regina’s mother was said to have used her daughter’s fame and beauty to betroth her to the business mogul for a lifetime of affluence and comfort. It started as unfounded and baseless gossip on controversial tabloids and blogs, it began as rumours in the dark alleys of social media. By early 2019, what began as hushed chatter of disgust, what started as eerie echoes of abnormality began to carry some air of credence. In April 2019, e-Nigeria!, a news website, reported that Nwoko was the financial sponsor of Daniels. The report of her marriage to Nwoko was confirmed in mid April that year when she was seen dancing with him at an event to mark the honorary doctorate degree awarded to Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun.
She was severely excoriated by Nigerians, especially her fans, over her marriage to Nwoko, who is nearly four decades older than her. It was reported that her father, Jude Ojeogwu, vehemently opposed the marriage but had no power to stop it since Regina was not under his care, making it easy for mother to push through with it. The father had, during the furore that characterised the matrimony, voiced his revulsion at Regina’s marriage to Nwoko. He wrote “Regina Daniel Ojeogwu is my biological daughter. What ever is ongoing is not to my knowledge and without my consent. The fact speaks for itself looking at the picture. Her mother Rita Daniel is threading on a dangerous path and I hope she will retrace her steps. Even the initiation ceremony into otu odu appears completely strange to Regina Daniel Ojeogwu. Regina is from ogwashi uku and not from olor as is rumored. All the opportunities for Mr Ned nwoko to discuss with me proved abortive not realising that we once lived in the same house in awoyokun street, onikpan, Lagos. The implication of all this is that she impregnated herself. The name Regina was my late mother’s name. I tried to exercise restraint but Regina’s mother kept pushing me to the wall.”
Since their marriage over five years ago, no one, especially those on the outside, knows what is going on in their marriage and private life except what they project to the outside world, which is the image of a happy, charming power couple. The task of portraying the marriage as a delightful, refreshing, exemplary and joyous union is largely performed by Regina who usually inundated netizens with curated giddy, mushy and flirtatious pictures of her and Nwoko either taking a leisurely stroll in the tree-lined boulevard of European cities or sunbathing on the beach in Miami. Recently, she shared a short video taken in what appeared to be their bedroom. In the footage, Nwoko was seen stepping out of the toilet while adjusting his trousers. The look on his face in the footage did not exactly fit that of someone happy with being filmed in his private moment for social media engagement and validation.
The cracks on the wall.
In recent days, feelers begin to emerge that, beyond the colourful, enviable and satisfying images of blissful couple and happy marriage, all is not well between the couple. Beneath the glitz on social media lies ruptured union, Behind the facade of happiness lies broken peace and shared resentment. The glamour of wealth and materialism belies simmering tension and mutual distrust.
Domestic violence allegation.
Last week, a video emerged online showing Regina in a distressed and troubled state. The video was said to have been recorded when Nwoko sent thugs to beat Regina and his brother. She was tearful and restless. She and her brother were seen being held back by some persons in the video to bring the situation under control. She accused Nwoko of domestic violence, adding he always beats, assaults and dehumanises her. “The violence is too much, I can’t take it anymore. In Ned’s house I’m nothing, in my house I’m a queen,” she said.
Drug and substance abuse.
Reacting to the allegation of domestic violence against him, Nwoko disclosed that Regina’s action and behaviour are not unconnected to her struggle with drug and alcohol abuse. He also denied allegations that he had been violent towards her. In a statement on Sunday titled “Regina’s unprovoked carnage and rampage in my house and in my absence”, he claimed Regina has become increasingly erratic and violent in her behaviour, adding that she has been destroying property and assaulting staff. He claimed he had allowed her to seek rehabilitation in Nigeria or abroad or risk her safety. She stated that only Regina has accused her of violence among her wives.
The statement reads: “Regina was not always like this. Her current battle with drugs and alcohol abuse is the root of our problem. She must continue her rehabilitation program, or I fear for her life and safety. Now she has moved to a place where she will have unrestricted access to drugs. I have other wives, and none will ever accuse me of violence. Regina is the violent one here, slapping and hitting 3 staff in the past 48 hours and destroying property, including cars and windows, for no just cause.
“The truth is, I have set a clear condition for her to accept rehab in Asokoro or outside Nigeria, especially Jordan where she will not have access to drugs. A clear headed Regina would have taken moon to the hospital but instead she even threatened to kill our resident nurse(for exposing her drug abuse).”
The accusation and counter accusation have divided opinion sharply. Except for those with intimate knowledge of what transpired in the couple’s private lives, no one can make reasonable assertions and profound conclusions on the matter. In this situation, it will be tempting for those who view the marriage of Regina to Ned Nwoko as an aberration to mock her over her current ordeal, we must not succumb to such an urge. Doing that will amount to justifying domestic violence because we don’t like the choice of spouse of the victim, and that will not only be shameful but diabolical. Domestic violence should not be rationalise because the victim married a man old enough to be her grandfather. Until facts point otherwise, let’s not forget who the victim is.
We can’t afford to take these accusations from the parties involved in the scandalous affair at face value. We must probe and ask serious pertinent questions. Did Nwoko send thugs to assault and beat up Regina and his brother as seen in the viral video online? If he truly did, it does not in any way help his case and cast doubt on the authenticity of his drug abuse allegation? From information available to the public there is no evidence that Regina was using illicit substances before her marriage to Nwoko? So if there was no evidence of Regina being a junkie before their marriage, why did she decide to opt for such a destructive life after getting married to a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
Also, Regina is not the first wife that Nwoko will accuse of drug abuse. Leila, the woman she married before Regina, was also accused of drug abuse and they had to part ways. One may be tempted to ask why Regina is speaking out now and why she did not raise the alarm regarding her purported parlous and troubling situation if indeed violence has been meted out to her in her marriage by her husband. This kind of question tends to expose the ignorance of those who hold such a view on matters of domestic violence. According to studies, victims of domestic violence tend to endure and tolerate the heinous behaviour and violent act towards them for as long as they can. Even after they eventually speak out and get help, many tend to return to their abuser.
Furthermore, if truly Regina is taking illicit substances and drinking excessively like Nwoko claimed, how did she get the drugs? How was she able to use these drugs under his nose without him raising alarm until now? He also claimed Regina has moved out of his house to have easy access to drug, this implies that he knows who the supplier is. If that is the case, why has he not got the anti-narcortic involved in the matter?
Finally, these questions and many more are what needed to be asked by dispassionate interlocutors who wish to get the root of the matter and which the parties involved in this unfortunate and regrettable situation need to answer.
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