In-Laws ‘Detain’ Citizen in Nigeria

Denver Kisting

11 May 2011

A Namibian doctor claims that she is being detained by her in-laws in Nigeria. Dr Merlyn Ehileme (maiden name Tsîbes) also alleges that her late husband’s family have removed her children – aged one and three – from her.

Ehileme and her children left for the Nigerian state of Abia about a month ago to attend the funeral of her husband, Greg Ehileme.

Greg Ehileme died in Windhoek in April this year.

Speaking from Nigeria this week, Merlyn Ehileme said her in-laws had told her that she may not leave the country and that her children had been taken away from her.

According to her, they told her that she may only return to Namibia once she provides them with “documents on my husband’s businesses”.

Greg Ehileme lived with Merlyn Ehileme at the doctors quarters in Windhoek.

She said her children were “eight hours’ drive away” from where she was.

Merlyn Ehileme said she hoped to negotiate with her in-laws to be freed, reunited with her children and to return to Namibia.

“I need to talk to the people. They say it’s a culture story.”

Merlyn Ehileme’s father, Daniël /Howoseb who lives at Usakos, said he fears for her life.

“All I want is for my daughter and grandchildren to come back home.”

/Howoseb claimed that he had gone to the Nigerian High Commission in Windhoek where he was told to write them a letter about his daughter’s plight. Since he wrote the letter, he has not heard from them, he said.

Prince Adegboyega C. Ariyo, Nigerian High Commissioner to Namibia, yesterday denied that Merlyn Ehileme was being detained by her in-laws.

“Nobody is detaining her,” he emphasised.

Ariyo said Dr Ehileme is “a known psychiatric patient”. As a result, he said, her in-laws took her took a mental institution in the Abian capital, Umuahua.

“The future of those two little kids is so important to me. And I don’t want a sensational report about her health to affect their future,” he said.

Ariyo said he spoke to Merlyn Ehileme’s doctor who told him “somebody who is in that state, you cannot entrust the children in her company. The doctor said it is normal, she cannot travel unless she’s in a good state of mind.”

The High Commissioner claimed /Howoseb’s “interest is just in the couple’s property. Her life is not in danger. She’s not eight hours [away from her children].”

Ariyo appealed to the two families to “get together and solve the issue amicably without involving any other party”.

Upon enquiry, the permanent secretary of foreign affairs, Veiccoh Nghiwete, said the matter had not been brought to his attention yet. “It’s the first time that I’m hearing about it.”

Nghiwete said Merlyn Ehileme should try and get in touch with the Namibian mission in Abudja “and maybe they can intervene, but I think it will take a long time”.

Dr Merlyn Ehileme works at the Katutura State Hospital.

AllAfrica – All the Time