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<span style="font-weight: bold">I became stranded after a conman lured me from Britain to Nigeria 45 years ago </span>
By Ayodele Ale
Published: Saturday, 29 Nov 2008
Her accent and physical appearance easily gives her away as a foreigner, but few people know the pathetic story behind the sojourn of 87-year-old Gwendolyn Joseph in Nigeria for the past 45 years.
Gwendolyn Joseph
Even the hordes of people who throng the premises of Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Mushin, Lagos for morning mass and other religious programmes on a daily basis, know no more of Joseph who has spent the past nine years in the old people’s home run by the church than the fact that she comes across as a pleasant woman.
“She is a pleasant old woman,” remarked a reverend sister and matron of the home, Antonia Adebowale. “Like most old people, all she needs is attention. She has a group in the church that she prays with every afternoon. They will soon be here. That is what she has been doing for the past nine years.”
Joseph herself admitted that most people in the church did not know the circumstances in which she abandoned her wealthy family in Barbados in 1963 and came to Nigeria only to be stranded.
“Actually, most people, even the sisters here are not aware of what I am about to tell tell you,” she said as though she was preparing the reporter’s mind against surprises.
Then she told the story of betrayal in which a dubious Nigerian lured her away from London only to rob her of her life savings as well as some of the money left behind by his late father.
The octogenarian, who exhibited traits of senility, said, “I am from Barbados in the West Indies. My parents were very rich. My father, Joseph Hackett, was a Salvador in the West Indies. I tell you, my parents were really wealthy and Barbados is a small but beautiful country. Anytime I want to abuse Nigerians who are my friends, I tell them to visit my country to see how beautiful it is.”
Born in 1921, she grew up with just one dream: to render service to mankind through humanitarian works. “I told my mom that I wanted to be a nurse so that I could care for people. I also said I would not marry because if I did, I would not be able to cater for people,” she said.
After training as a nurse in the United Kingdom, with Community Health as her area of specialisation, she proceeded to a Bible college. “I was well-read as a nurse before I went to Bible college, where I spent five years as a student,” she said.
She said upon completion of her nursing and bible courses, she travelled to Japan and China where she remained for several years doing missionary works. She later returned to London to prepare her self for visits to some developing countries. That was the point at which he met the Nigerian that turned her albatross.
“I actually wanted to go to Kenya because my grand-parents were working there as missionaries,” she said. “The man met me in London and told me that lots of missionary works were going on in Nigeria and that white missionaries were on ground. He said I could join them, but it would require heavy funding. I returned to Barbados to gather more money,” she said.
Besides her personal savings, she also mustered what she could from the fortune her late father left behind and handed everything over to the man. “I did not know that he was looking for money to build a family house in Ibadan,” she said.
Joseph therefore left her family, friends and acquaintances in Barbados and Britain in 1963 and came to Nigeria. But what she thought was dream come true became a nightmare.
“I was so disappointed when I got to Ibadan and discovered that there were no missionaries on ground. The man was a rogue. What surprised me was that he pretended that he was a Christian.”
She said she became cash strapped and had no means means of going back to Britain or proceeding to Kenya to meet her grandparents. In her predicament, she met some people who told her that some missionaries were in Abeokuta. She proceeded to Abeokuta to meet the missionaries who took pity on her and housed her.
She said when General Yakubu Gowon became the head of state, she was opportuned to meet him and narrate her ordeal to him. “He promised to investigate the matter. He also said he was investigating the case of another young man who committed suicide after a similar experience. I learnt the boy found his way back to Britain, threw a party for his friends and thereafter committed suicide. Gowon said he did not want me to do what the boy did. He is a very nice man,” she said, seeking to know the whereabouts of the former head of state.
She recalled that Gen. Gowon later handed her over to the Ogunlesi family, who took adequate care of her and employed her in their private school. “Then, they had a very big private school. The Ogunlesi’s were very nice people. I also met the Tejuosho’s who showed me love,” she recalled.
The octogenarian said although she later visited London several times with the assistance of the Ogunlesi family, she made up her mind to remain in Nigeria, particularly because she was able to associate with prominent people in the country, including the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. “I met Awolowo in Ikenne,” she said.
She said she later learnt that the man who duped him was later involved in a road accident in London and died.
According to her, in the course of her sojourn in Nigeria, several men proposed marriage to her, but besides the fact that she had made up her mind not to get married, her experience with the Yorubaman who swindled her in London affected her attitude towards men.
“Why are they like that? I have also discovered that Nigerians like money a lot. Where are they carrying it to? Tell me,” she queried.
Adebowale told Saturday Punch that Joseph was playing an active role in the church until age set in and she had to be brought to the old people’s home in 2000.
Joseph said although her other siblings had died in Barbados, their children still call once in a while to greet her on the phone.
She said she had already accepted her fate. “I don’t worry about anything. I am happy here,” she said.
Asked where she would like to be buried when she passes on, she replied, “Only God knows.”
<span style="font-style: italic">Punch in Nigeria</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">I became stranded after a conman lured me from Britain to Nigeria 45 years ago </span>
By Ayodele Ale
Published: Saturday, 29 Nov 2008
Her accent and physical appearance easily gives her away as a foreigner, but few people know the pathetic story behind the sojourn of 87-year-old Gwendolyn Joseph in Nigeria for the past 45 years.
Gwendolyn Joseph
Even the hordes of people who throng the premises of Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Mushin, Lagos for morning mass and other religious programmes on a daily basis, know no more of Joseph who has spent the past nine years in the old people’s home run by the church than the fact that she comes across as a pleasant woman.
“She is a pleasant old woman,” remarked a reverend sister and matron of the home, Antonia Adebowale. “Like most old people, all she needs is attention. She has a group in the church that she prays with every afternoon. They will soon be here. That is what she has been doing for the past nine years.”
Joseph herself admitted that most people in the church did not know the circumstances in which she abandoned her wealthy family in Barbados in 1963 and came to Nigeria only to be stranded.
“Actually, most people, even the sisters here are not aware of what I am about to tell tell you,” she said as though she was preparing the reporter’s mind against surprises.
Then she told the story of betrayal in which a dubious Nigerian lured her away from London only to rob her of her life savings as well as some of the money left behind by his late father.
The octogenarian, who exhibited traits of senility, said, “I am from Barbados in the West Indies. My parents were very rich. My father, Joseph Hackett, was a Salvador in the West Indies. I tell you, my parents were really wealthy and Barbados is a small but beautiful country. Anytime I want to abuse Nigerians who are my friends, I tell them to visit my country to see how beautiful it is.”
Born in 1921, she grew up with just one dream: to render service to mankind through humanitarian works. “I told my mom that I wanted to be a nurse so that I could care for people. I also said I would not marry because if I did, I would not be able to cater for people,” she said.
After training as a nurse in the United Kingdom, with Community Health as her area of specialisation, she proceeded to a Bible college. “I was well-read as a nurse before I went to Bible college, where I spent five years as a student,” she said.
She said upon completion of her nursing and bible courses, she travelled to Japan and China where she remained for several years doing missionary works. She later returned to London to prepare her self for visits to some developing countries. That was the point at which he met the Nigerian that turned her albatross.
“I actually wanted to go to Kenya because my grand-parents were working there as missionaries,” she said. “The man met me in London and told me that lots of missionary works were going on in Nigeria and that white missionaries were on ground. He said I could join them, but it would require heavy funding. I returned to Barbados to gather more money,” she said.
Besides her personal savings, she also mustered what she could from the fortune her late father left behind and handed everything over to the man. “I did not know that he was looking for money to build a family house in Ibadan,” she said.
Joseph therefore left her family, friends and acquaintances in Barbados and Britain in 1963 and came to Nigeria. But what she thought was dream come true became a nightmare.
“I was so disappointed when I got to Ibadan and discovered that there were no missionaries on ground. The man was a rogue. What surprised me was that he pretended that he was a Christian.”
She said she became cash strapped and had no means means of going back to Britain or proceeding to Kenya to meet her grandparents. In her predicament, she met some people who told her that some missionaries were in Abeokuta. She proceeded to Abeokuta to meet the missionaries who took pity on her and housed her.
She said when General Yakubu Gowon became the head of state, she was opportuned to meet him and narrate her ordeal to him. “He promised to investigate the matter. He also said he was investigating the case of another young man who committed suicide after a similar experience. I learnt the boy found his way back to Britain, threw a party for his friends and thereafter committed suicide. Gowon said he did not want me to do what the boy did. He is a very nice man,” she said, seeking to know the whereabouts of the former head of state.
She recalled that Gen. Gowon later handed her over to the Ogunlesi family, who took adequate care of her and employed her in their private school. “Then, they had a very big private school. The Ogunlesi’s were very nice people. I also met the Tejuosho’s who showed me love,” she recalled.
The octogenarian said although she later visited London several times with the assistance of the Ogunlesi family, she made up her mind to remain in Nigeria, particularly because she was able to associate with prominent people in the country, including the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. “I met Awolowo in Ikenne,” she said.
She said she later learnt that the man who duped him was later involved in a road accident in London and died.
According to her, in the course of her sojourn in Nigeria, several men proposed marriage to her, but besides the fact that she had made up her mind not to get married, her experience with the Yorubaman who swindled her in London affected her attitude towards men.
“Why are they like that? I have also discovered that Nigerians like money a lot. Where are they carrying it to? Tell me,” she queried.
Adebowale told Saturday Punch that Joseph was playing an active role in the church until age set in and she had to be brought to the old people’s home in 2000.
Joseph said although her other siblings had died in Barbados, their children still call once in a while to greet her on the phone.
She said she had already accepted her fate. “I don’t worry about anything. I am happy here,” she said.
Asked where she would like to be buried when she passes on, she replied, “Only God knows.”
<span style="font-style: italic">Punch in Nigeria</span>