Mrs. Franca Joko, 43, hails
from Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state. A 2005 HND holder in
Business Management from the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, she met her
husband, Emmanuel Joko, 46, and a 2005 HND holder in Accounting.
from Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state. A 2005 HND holder in
Business Management from the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, she met her
husband, Emmanuel Joko, 46, and a 2005 HND holder in Accounting.
Mr. Joko, from Toto Local Government area of the state,
and Franca, got married in December 2005, some months after graduation.
Together, they joined the marketing department of the local branch of
United Bank for Africa (UBA) but left after three years to set up and
run their own business.
and Franca, got married in December 2005, some months after graduation.
Together, they joined the marketing department of the local branch of
United Bank for Africa (UBA) but left after three years to set up and
run their own business.
Resigning and raising the business capital
But today, after almost 13 years of marriage blessed with
one child, a girl, the union had virtually hit the rock. In a tearful
voice, Franca told Saturday Sun what happened. After resigning
from UBA, she said: “we put together our resources and I started the
business of selling and supplying high quality wrappers to politicians,
business executive officers, bankers, businessmen and women and civil
servants. Through this connection, I started traveling to Dubai to buy
expensive and high quality materials.
one child, a girl, the union had virtually hit the rock. In a tearful
voice, Franca told Saturday Sun what happened. After resigning
from UBA, she said: “we put together our resources and I started the
business of selling and supplying high quality wrappers to politicians,
business executive officers, bankers, businessmen and women and civil
servants. Through this connection, I started traveling to Dubai to buy
expensive and high quality materials.
“I advised my husband who is not working to use proceeds
from the business to buy a plot of land in Lafia and build a house. He
bought into the idea and we were able to get a piece of land at the cost
of N1m. From that moment, I started sending money into his account to
start the building while I devoted myself to the business.
from the business to buy a plot of land in Lafia and build a house. He
bought into the idea and we were able to get a piece of land at the cost
of N1m. From that moment, I started sending money into his account to
start the building while I devoted myself to the business.
Marriage and the coming of housemaid
“I got married to Emma because I was under pressure from
my parents and friends who had gotten married early and when I met him
in school, he seemed to me as a gentle and good man, meek, intelligent
and caring. I was intrigued by his ingenuity. If we had dated long I
would have discovered some of the characters he is exhibiting now.”
my parents and friends who had gotten married early and when I met him
in school, he seemed to me as a gentle and good man, meek, intelligent
and caring. I was intrigued by his ingenuity. If we had dated long I
would have discovered some of the characters he is exhibiting now.”
She told Saturday Sun that it was when they got
married that she discovered that her husband had a tendency to be
promiscous. He can sleep with anything in skirt, no matter how ugly and
unappealing, she alleged. But by the time she did, she was already
eight-month pregnant for him. She was later delivered of a baby girl in
February 2007.
married that she discovered that her husband had a tendency to be
promiscous. He can sleep with anything in skirt, no matter how ugly and
unappealing, she alleged. But by the time she did, she was already
eight-month pregnant for him. She was later delivered of a baby girl in
February 2007.
She said while she endured life with Emma, providence
smiled on her as the business began to flourish. It was in the course of
this that she discovered she needed a house help to take care of her
child and home while away. She contacted her mother on this and she
provided her with one of her (mother’s) younger sister’s daughters who
is now about 18 years old. Faith by name, Franca said she completed her
secondary education with them in Ado, Karu Local Government area of
Nasarawa State where they reside.
smiled on her as the business began to flourish. It was in the course of
this that she discovered she needed a house help to take care of her
child and home while away. She contacted her mother on this and she
provided her with one of her (mother’s) younger sister’s daughters who
is now about 18 years old. Faith by name, Franca said she completed her
secondary education with them in Ado, Karu Local Government area of
Nasarawa State where they reside.
Sowing the ‘seed’ of discord
“I’m not always around due to the nature of my business,”
she confessed, “but I do send money into his account for the building of
our house in Lafia. But when in July 2017 schools were on holiday, he
suggested that their daughter, Joy, who is 10 years old should travel
with him alongside Faith to Lafia as a way of changing environment,
while he is busy supervising the ongoing work on the house (a
four-bedroom flat and three-room boys quarters).”
she confessed, “but I do send money into his account for the building of
our house in Lafia. But when in July 2017 schools were on holiday, he
suggested that their daughter, Joy, who is 10 years old should travel
with him alongside Faith to Lafia as a way of changing environment,
while he is busy supervising the ongoing work on the house (a
four-bedroom flat and three-room boys quarters).”
According to her, that was when the devil that was after
their marriage chose to strike. “It never occurred to me that he would
descend so low as to lure Faith into having sex with him. But that was
exactly what happened and between July and early September 2017 when
they were in Lafia and I was in Dubai for a business trip, he turned
this girl into his wife by having sex with her at will. Eventually, she
became pregnant. When I returned and Faith narrated to me what happened
in Lafia and Emma got to know about it, that became the beginning of the
end to our happiness.”
their marriage chose to strike. “It never occurred to me that he would
descend so low as to lure Faith into having sex with him. But that was
exactly what happened and between July and early September 2017 when
they were in Lafia and I was in Dubai for a business trip, he turned
this girl into his wife by having sex with her at will. Eventually, she
became pregnant. When I returned and Faith narrated to me what happened
in Lafia and Emma got to know about it, that became the beginning of the
end to our happiness.”
Things fall apart
Right from that moment, life has never been the same in
the family, Franca said. “Any small thing I did, this man would beat me
blue and black,” she alleged. “He became so aggressive and threatened to
stop the business I was doing, saying that it is the money I am getting
from it that is making me to look down on him. He made a lot of
attempts to stop the business but I strongly resisted him. Even when
Faith told me she is pregnant for him, I asked him politely in the night
to tell me what happened.
the family, Franca said. “Any small thing I did, this man would beat me
blue and black,” she alleged. “He became so aggressive and threatened to
stop the business I was doing, saying that it is the money I am getting
from it that is making me to look down on him. He made a lot of
attempts to stop the business but I strongly resisted him. Even when
Faith told me she is pregnant for him, I asked him politely in the night
to tell me what happened.
“Unknown to me, more troubles lay ahead for me. It is a
miracle that I’m alive today. During the last trip I made to Dubai, I
paid about N4 million into his account to furnish the house and fence it
round. When I asked him about the Faith matter, he started beating me,
hitting my head against the wall and punching my breast just because I
asked a simple question. He would say that at the rate the money is
coming in he suspects that I’m into prostitution and that it is getting
into my head. He said that he needed to stop me. On September 15, 2017,
when I went to Port Harcourt on a business trip, he picked Faith and
dropped his daughter with a neighbour on the day I told him I was coming
back.”
miracle that I’m alive today. During the last trip I made to Dubai, I
paid about N4 million into his account to furnish the house and fence it
round. When I asked him about the Faith matter, he started beating me,
hitting my head against the wall and punching my breast just because I
asked a simple question. He would say that at the rate the money is
coming in he suspects that I’m into prostitution and that it is getting
into my head. He said that he needed to stop me. On September 15, 2017,
when I went to Port Harcourt on a business trip, he picked Faith and
dropped his daughter with a neighbour on the day I told him I was coming
back.”
Right now, they are living as husband and wife, Franca
reported. “When I called him on phone, he told me to go about my
business of prostitution as he has settled down with Faith who is
pregnant for him. Since then he has never picked my calls up till now,”
she lamented before adding that she has reported the matter to her
parents and Emma’s. “Both of them asked me to be calm and never call him
any more. While confessing that such attitude is strange to them, they
advised that we should all be patient to see what he wants to do. I have
accepted it and I am waiting to see what he intends doing with my
younger sister who is pregnant for him. My regret is that they are
enjoying themselves with my hard-earned money.”
reported. “When I called him on phone, he told me to go about my
business of prostitution as he has settled down with Faith who is
pregnant for him. Since then he has never picked my calls up till now,”
she lamented before adding that she has reported the matter to her
parents and Emma’s. “Both of them asked me to be calm and never call him
any more. While confessing that such attitude is strange to them, they
advised that we should all be patient to see what he wants to do. I have
accepted it and I am waiting to see what he intends doing with my
younger sister who is pregnant for him. My regret is that they are
enjoying themselves with my hard-earned money.”
Husband speaks on why things are no longer at ease
Initial attempts to meet with Emma and hear his own side
of the story proved abortive as he kept making and changing appointments
till Friday November 3 when our correspondent met him and his new
‘wife’ at Lavista. One of the best eateries in Lafia, located around
Nasarawa State Polytechnic.
of the story proved abortive as he kept making and changing appointments
till Friday November 3 when our correspondent met him and his new
‘wife’ at Lavista. One of the best eateries in Lafia, located around
Nasarawa State Polytechnic.
Though he vehemently refused to have his photo taken, he
confirmed that Franca was his legitimate wife, and that they met at the
Federal Polytechnic as students and that he was instrumental to their
brief stay in UBA as staff in the marketing department.
confirmed that Franca was his legitimate wife, and that they met at the
Federal Polytechnic as students and that he was instrumental to their
brief stay in UBA as staff in the marketing department.
“We raised together the capital of that business she is
doing,” he said. “I have two cars in Abuja which I gave out as taxi and I
get returns on them weekly. Yes, she gave me money to buy a plot of
land and developed it from the proceeds she generated from the business.
Though the land was bought in my name, I’m not claiming it solely
because we have a daughter. The property is intact for her if she wants
it.”
doing,” he said. “I have two cars in Abuja which I gave out as taxi and I
get returns on them weekly. Yes, she gave me money to buy a plot of
land and developed it from the proceeds she generated from the business.
Though the land was bought in my name, I’m not claiming it solely
because we have a daughter. The property is intact for her if she wants
it.”
Asked about his sexual affair with Faith, he said, “Yes,
this girl became pregnant courtesy of me but it was a mistake. But
before I knew it, she had told all her friends and neighbours about it
and I was mad. We couldn’t manage the information because it was already
in the public domain. As a result of it, the two of us became subject
of discussion and I got angry and decided that the worst should happen.”
this girl became pregnant courtesy of me but it was a mistake. But
before I knew it, she had told all her friends and neighbours about it
and I was mad. We couldn’t manage the information because it was already
in the public domain. As a result of it, the two of us became subject
of discussion and I got angry and decided that the worst should happen.”
Still talking about Faith, he announced that “she is in
good and safe hands and I will own up to the responsibility of this
pregnancy until she delivers. After all, she (meaning Franca) had just a
baby girl for me. So if she is not ready, she can go. She kept
traveling from one place to another; we hardly had time to have sex and
as a human being, that led me into taking that decision. I know it is
bad but she didn’t allow us to manage it internally and the manner she
went about it made it difficult for us to think about abortion. Her
property is intact for her. I have not taken it and will not take it.
I’m waiting to hear from her parents. I won’t go there until Faith
delivers in April next year.” Speaking briefly, Faith said: “I go by
what he said.”
good and safe hands and I will own up to the responsibility of this
pregnancy until she delivers. After all, she (meaning Franca) had just a
baby girl for me. So if she is not ready, she can go. She kept
traveling from one place to another; we hardly had time to have sex and
as a human being, that led me into taking that decision. I know it is
bad but she didn’t allow us to manage it internally and the manner she
went about it made it difficult for us to think about abortion. Her
property is intact for her. I have not taken it and will not take it.
I’m waiting to hear from her parents. I won’t go there until Faith
delivers in April next year.” Speaking briefly, Faith said: “I go by
what he said.”