The eldest daughter of kidnapped Anambra businessman Chief Joseph Ezeokafor has publicly blamed her brother, influencer Jowizaza, for escalating their father's abduction crisis. Blessing Ezeokafor, in a series of Facebook posts on August 12, accused Jowizaza of flaunting wealth on social media, which she claims convinced kidnappers the family could afford a higher ransom, causing the demand to jump from N700 million to N1.5 billion.
Family Tensions Spill into Public View
Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, chairman of the Jezco Group, was abducted during his annual spiritual retreat. After the initial ransom demand, his captors increased the amount and then cut off communication, leaving the family in anguish over his condition and whereabouts. Blessing's posts directly addressed her brother, Eberechukwu Ezeokafor, known as Jowizaza, holding him responsible for the family's predicament.
In her posts, Blessing painted a picture of a family far removed from the affluence her brother projects online. She alleged that Jowizaza has no liquid cash close to N100 million and questioned how he could have agreed to pay N700 million to the abductors in the first place, an agreement she says only encouraged the kidnappers to push further.
Allegations of 'Audio Money' and Massive Debts
Blessing accused Jowizaza of using "audio money" (fake wealth) to mislead the kidnappers. She wrote: "Y jowizaza, my brother, u are d cause of this madness. Social media noise, when we don't have that money. U use audio money to make hudroms think the money is available." She further claimed the family owes FCMB alone as much as N40 billion, with additional liabilities to Union Bank, and said even a business partnership with an American company she personally facilitated had not improved their financial standing.
"Fake life, claiming what we don't have. U are owing banks fcmb 40 billion no hope to pay. U are owing union bank. U are struggling," she added.
Direct Plea to Kidnappers
In one of her more striking posts, Blessing addressed the abductors directly, telling them plainly that the wealth they had assumed existed was an illusion. "Kidnappers they don't have money, it is audio money, pls leave my dad alone. Pls release him, they are swimming in debt," she wrote. She also defended her decision to speak out publicly, responding to critics who felt she should stay quiet. Her reasoning was stark: if the kidnappers continued to believe the ransom was achievable, she feared her father could be harmed.
She stressed that Chief Ezeokafor requires medication and that his life remained her primary concern. "Dad always move simple. This church has been his quiet place and if not for this noise on social media, he will never be noticed," she added, suggesting her father's ordinarily low profile would have protected him had it not been for her brother's online conduct.
Earlier Incident with Comedian AY
Previously, Legit.ng reported that popular Nigerian comedian AY was in high spirits after Arsenal's big win against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. He shared a lively Instagram video with fellow fans, including comedian Hushbaby, jubilating after Gabriel Martinelli's decisive goal. AY also humorously called out Jowizaza, urging him to pay up a $2,000 bet they had placed on the match. The current situation leaves the Ezeokafor family in a precarious position, with the father's fate uncertain as the kidnappers remain silent.
