The Guardian gathered that the Lagos-based socialite had minor disagreement with her in-laws when she visited them in Imo State recently over an issue bordering on the circumcision of her two daughters.
Sources said, Lucia, who suffered untold trauma over same issue when she was 12, vowed that when she grows old, gets married, and had female children, none would undergo similar crude uncouth tradition called Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
A source from her hometown, said her parents and siblings, including extended family members are confused over her sudden disappearance, adding that none of her telephone lines are going through.
It was also learnt that a delegation sent to their Lagos home where she, her children and husband live, said those at the compound said Lucia and her family vacated the premises since May this year to unknown destination.
This sudden disappearance, it was gathered, had been reported to the Imo State Police Command as missing persons and the police are already working on leads that unravel their whereabouts.
“We are shocked that Chinwe could just disappear like that with her children to an unknown destination without a clue as to where she is. We didn’t have any quarrel, during last Christmas, she was here with her children and husband, and we celebrated Christmas together as a family.
“That she can just go missing and all her lines switched off is frightening. We have sent messages to the family of her husband and they too are saying the same thing. They even said they can’t reach their own son. So, we have reported to the police to assist us. Were they kidnapped, have they been killed? we are confused,” the source added.
However, a senior uncle to the husband, Christopher Ewere Izevbigie, who simply gave his name as Elder Bennard Izevbigie, said when Lucia and her two daughters visited last Easter holidays, they discussed the issue of having her daughters circumcised, adding that she vehemently opposed it.
Izevbigie added that she may have fled Lagos State or even the country to evade the rite of circumcision which he claimed was sacrosanct in their family.
He said: “We are as confused as her family because even our own son, we cannot reach him. We don’t know where they are. Some of our in-laws came here to tell us that they cannot reach their daughter and we told them the same that we too cannot reach our son. Everybody is confused. But one thing keeps coming to my mind and that is, the little misunderstanding we had when they all visited during Easter; and that is the issue of circumcision.
“You know, in our family and as a matter of fact, the entire community, circumcision of both males and females is a rite that must be performed on the children otherwise, terrible omen would befall us. The females, especially, must undergo such rites otherwise they cannot be married out. In short, a female child is deemed incomplete and cannot be referred to as such except she is circumcised.
“So, that is what we discussed with our wife when she visited with her children. I think one is 16 the other 14 and both had yet to be circumcised. Our wife was very mad when we brought out the issue, maintaining that she would not allow her children to go through what she went through in her own community. Don’t forget that circumcision is an African culture, it is done everywhere especially, among us, the Edos and perhaps, the Igbos.
“But you see children of these days, because of too much education and learnings, they now call circumcision Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). To them our age-long tradition and culture of circumcision is crude and outdated.”
“We cannot abandon what we inherited from our forefathers. There are reasons why they circumcise female children. Apart from promiscuity, a circumcised girl child is deemed complete and fit for marriage, and would bring happiness both to her immediate family and her husband’s family.
“So, I am thinking, I may be wrong; that Lucia and her children and her husband, our son, have relocated from Lagos to another state and have changed their numbers because Lucia doesn’t want her daughters to pass through that rite. Who knows, they may have even relocated out of the country because of that singular issue of circumcision. But to be on the safe side, we have reported their disappearance to the police while we keep on praying for them,” he added.
