Blessing Ezeokafor, daughter of kidnapped businessman and Jezco Group chairman, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, has accused her younger brother, Eberechukwu Ezeokafor, popularly known as Jowizaza, of worsening their father’s kidnapping ordeal through his public display of wealth.
Blessing, who is said to be the businessman’s first child, made the allegations in a series of social media posts while appealing for her father’s release.
She claimed Jowizaza’s lifestyle and portrayal of the family’s wealth led the kidnappers to believe the family could afford a huge ransom.
According to her, the ransom was initially put at N700 million but was later raised to N1.5 billion after her brother allegedly indicated that the family could raise N700 million.
Blessing also disputed the perception that the family was wealthy, alleging that the family’s businesses were heavily indebted.
“Why Jowizaza, my brother? You are the cause of this madness. Social media noise, when we don’t have that money. You use audio money to make hoodlums think the money is available,” she wrote.
She alleged that the family owed FCMB about N40 billion and also had outstanding obligations to Union Bank.
Blessing further accused her brother of mismanaging their father’s company, claiming he was eventually removed as a director and placed on a monthly salary of N1 million.
She questioned how Jowizaza could have agreed to pay N700 million in ransom when, according to her, he did not have N100 million in liquid cash.
“Imagine, N1 billion? If anything happens to my dad, I will hold you responsible. Making noise when we are owing bank N40 billion. And these people think the money is there,” she said.
Blessing also appealed directly to the kidnappers, insisting that the family did not have the money they believed was available.
“Kidnappers, they don’t have money, it is audio money. Please leave my dad alone. Please release him, they are swimming in debt,” she said.
Responding to criticism over her decision to discuss the family’s financial situation publicly, Blessing said she was speaking out because she feared that the kidnappers could assume the family was deliberately withholding money.
“So you want those kidnappers to think we have money and refused to give them and kill him there? I will now become fatherless,” she wrote.
She added that her father needed his medication and urged that nothing should happen to him while negotiations over his release continued.
Blessing described her brother’s social media presence as a major mistake, saying the family lived a relatively simple life despite the image of wealth portrayed online.
“See, coming to Facebook was the biggest mistake my brother made. We have simple life, not exaggerating wealth,” she said.
She also warned bloggers against exaggerating the family’s financial standing, saying she would challenge any further reports that portrayed them as having more money than they actually did.
The allegations come amid the reported abduction of Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, with his family seeking his safe release.
