SAPELE, Nigeria – In an appalling incident that’s gripped Sapele, a bustling city in Delta State, the popular hotelier Emekeme Joseph, also known as Semikolo, was allegedly beaten to death by his two adult sons. The assault reportedly resulted from a dispute over their father’s reported infidelity.
Semikolo was the chairman of Covenant Suites, a well-known hotel chain in Sapele, and served as a Deacon of Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners Chapel, before his tragic demise last week.
In an exclusive report by Urhobo Today, a grassroots media portal, an anonymous source disclosed that “the man fell gravely ill after his sons assaulted him.”
Semikolo’s sons, both university graduates, apparently discovered their father with a woman referred to as a “side chic.” They allegedly demanded a one million naira bribe to keep quiet or threatened to expose the affair to their mother, vacationing in the United States.
“Unfazed, the man called their bluff,” the report said. “And true to their threat they reported the sleazy affair to their mother, who was incensed.”
The following day, a confrontation ensued when Semikolo visited his wife’s Coca Cola depot. “When the sons saw him, they hounded him out of the place,” the report read.
According to insiders quoted by Urhobo Today, Semikolo then took the keys to his sons’ cars in retaliation. This action reportedly prompted a violent reaction from the sons who “descended on him with blows and kicks.” The situation escalated when the local police arrived, with one officer allegedly having his head broken by the irate siblings.
The sons were subsequently arrested, and the gravely injured father was transported to a local hospital. Due to his critical condition, he was later moved to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in neighbouring Edo State.
“The father was in a coma until he was discharged against doctor’s advice and tragically died at home,” the report revealed.
The grim incident has sent shockwaves through the community, sparking intense debates about familial obligations, patriarchal societal norms, and the rising youth violence in the region.
As investigations continue, the town of Sapele waits with bated breath for justice, hoping for an outcome that will start the healing process for this beleaguered community.
