Enraged Nigerian professor, Chukwudubem Okafor, kills wife, self in U.S.

Date: 19-08-2010 7:54 pm (13 years ago) | Author: Daniel Bosai
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- at 19-08-2010 07:54 PM (13 years ago)
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A man who shot his wife and himself in a murder-suicide in a Reading house apparently was enraged that she had left him days earlier, police said Monday.


Chukwudubem A. and Cheryl V. Okafor
 

Chukwudubem A. Okafor, 64, an associate professor of English at Kutztown University, shot his wife, Cheryl V., 37, who was an artist, several times Sunday afternoon and turned the gun on himself shortly after they arrived separately at the home of his sister, Patricia Ofilin, in the 300 block of Pear Street, investigators said.

"We got information that he wanted to meet her there and she went there and he came several minutes later," said Capt. Francis F. Drexler of the criminal investigation division.

Chukwudubem Okafor arrived about 3:45 p.m., spoke with his wife, who was sitting in a chair in the living room, then pulled out a handgun and shot her several times in the head and chest, Drexler said.

Chukwudubem Okafor then fired a single bullet into his head, Drexler said.

The Berks County coroner's office ruled Chukwudubem Okafor's death a suicide and his wife's death a homicide.

Investigators didn't know the specific reason Cheryl Okafor left the couple's Exeter Township home, when she left or where she had been staying. Authorities initially said Sunday that the couple lived in Birdsboro.

Chukwudubem Okafor, who used the shortened first name Dubem, was a KU teacher for 15 years, university spokesman Matt Santos said.

"It's a very sad situation," Santos said. "From the university's perspective, certainly our thoughts go out to his and Cheryl's families."

Dr. Joseph Amprey, a retired KU professor who knew the Okafors well, said the couple were interested in developing programs for young people in Reading.

"They were attempting to get off a charter school as well as programs for young people in the community," said Amprey, a Reading resident who retired as a KU professor and director of multicultural education in 2009.

"They worked very well together on that," said Amprey, who described Chukwudubem Okafor as a brilliant poet. "This is a real tragedy. My heart goes out to the family first, and also to the community because they are both gifted people."

The couple had three sons and a daughter, all school age, officials said.

Chukwudubem Okafor, who was from eastern Nigeria, was married to another woman before he met Cheryl, said Bolaji Owolaja, president of the Nigerian Association of Reading and Berks County.

Okafor and his ex-wife had three grown children, one of whom graduated from Kutztown University, said Owolaja, who met the professor 14 years ago. She said he was not a member of the Nigerian association.

"I never thought (Okafor) would do such a thing," Owolaja said. "Nigerians, our culture is not built on violence; violence is just not something that's done."

The family's former pastor also said violence seemed out of character for Chukwudubem Okafor.

"He seemed like a fairly gentle soul," Pastor Paul Caughill of High Point Baptist Church said. "This is beyond understanding."

Caughill said the Okafors attended the Geigertown church for about a year and a half before moving to Exeter Township in 2009.

He said Chukwudubem Okafor attended services less regularly than his wife and children.

Caughill said Cheryl Okafor often spoke of her struggles to get out of the projects of Reading.

"When she finally got out, she was so glad," he said. "She had gone through a lot of grief. She had a real compassion for teenagers."

Her modest upbringing prompted her to become involved in outreach groups for city youths, Caughill said.

"She was a very vivacious, caring person," the pastor said.

High Point has offered services to the surviving members of the family, Caughill said.

"I just wish we could have gotten to know them better," he said.

The Okafors founded the Multicultural and Literacy Institute, which uses the acronym MALI, an umbrella organization that includes a child-care center and youth programs at the Union Community Center, 201 Schuylkill Ave.

The child center was closed Monday because workers there were unsure how the deaths of its owners could affect its state license, director Alicia Viera said.

Viera said the tragedy has left the center, its nine workers and families of the 61 children it serves in limbo.

She said she saw Cheryl Okafor on Saturday during the monthly food pantry at the MALI center. She said Okafor gave no hint that anything was wrong.

She said Chukwudubem Okafor occasionally came to the center and never showed any inclination for violence.

"They really cared a lot for the community," Viera said. "They were involved in a lot of things to help the community."


Posted: at 19-08-2010 07:54 PM (13 years ago) | Addicted Hero
- ladyzluvkuleve at 19-08-2010 08:49 PM (13 years ago)
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physcho
Posted: at 19-08-2010 08:49 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
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- efe2004 at 19-08-2010 08:58 PM (13 years ago)
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NA WA........... THIS MAN SELF, WELL............ GOD GO ASK QUESTIONS
Posted: at 19-08-2010 08:58 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
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- negalways2001 at 19-08-2010 09:14 PM (13 years ago)
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what could have come to the mind of a Professor to act this way...an African man for that matter, I pity the young lady... well may her soul rest in peace...
Posted: at 19-08-2010 09:14 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
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- ejlijah at 19-08-2010 09:19 PM (13 years ago)
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Only God knows why :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( what a world we are?
Posted: at 19-08-2010 09:19 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
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- yemmyrocks at 19-08-2010 09:27 PM (13 years ago)
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Hmmmm.. Okay. Sad Sad
Posted: at 19-08-2010 09:27 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
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- okpeli at 19-08-2010 09:53 PM (13 years ago)
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now we don dey follow oyibo way.our leaders should watch out o soon all man go dey carry bomb.[suicide mission] Sad
Posted: at 19-08-2010 09:53 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
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- batos_locos at 19-08-2010 09:54 PM (13 years ago)
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but why mr professor?
Posted: at 19-08-2010 09:54 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
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- enc4life at 19-08-2010 09:58 PM (13 years ago)
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Quote from: batos_locos on 19-08-2010 09:54 PM
but why mr professor?


bcuz she.................him
Posted: at 19-08-2010 09:58 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- princedafe at 19-08-2010 10:13 PM (13 years ago)
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Quote from: ejlijah on 19-08-2010 09:19 PM
Only God knows why :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( what a world we are?

well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Posted: at 19-08-2010 10:13 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- Ucynice at 19-08-2010 11:17 PM (13 years ago)
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ARE WE SURE THAT THE WIFE DID NOT GO FOR ANOTHER MAN BECAUSE OF THE MAN OLD AGE WHICH PROVOCKS THAT MAN INTO SUCH ACTION. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE VERY WELL YOU WILL SEE THAT THE WOMAN IS STILL AJAY .
Posted: at 19-08-2010 11:17 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
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- spekay at 19-08-2010 11:46 PM (13 years ago)
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tragic but  such is life . 

Posted: at 19-08-2010 11:46 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- ksurrina at 20-08-2010 12:01 AM (13 years ago)
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Quote from: Ucynice on 19-08-2010 11:17 PM
ARE WE SURE THAT THE WIFE DID NOT GO FOR ANOTHER MAN BECAUSE OF THE MAN OLD AGE WHICH PROVOCKS THAT MAN INTO SUCH ACTION. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE VERY WELL YOU WILL SEE THAT THE WOMAN IS STILL AJAY .

What a question but a good one too. lol She wanted to come from the projects and she did. What did the husband found out that cause him to shoot her and killed himself. The devil is rampant but he should have also remember his employees and his children. When evil comes inside our lives only the word of God can prevent us from continuing with what we are advice to do. Well he lived in sin and he died in sin.

Posted: at 20-08-2010 12:01 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- japhethjeff at 20-08-2010 12:12 AM (13 years ago)
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nawaho, well passsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssing
Posted: at 20-08-2010 12:12 AM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
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- ceejay58 at 20-08-2010 12:14 AM (13 years ago)
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to be candid i believe there's more to this story....  and pls cut all these suicide and homicide crap.  doesn't make any sense at all.
Posted: at 20-08-2010 12:14 AM (13 years ago) | Hero
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- omorewa at 20-08-2010 01:14 AM (13 years ago)
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 Shocked Shocked Huh? Huh? Sad Sad Undecided :'( may God fofgive him and grant them perfect rest in him

Posted: at 20-08-2010 01:14 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- pp1973pp at 20-08-2010 01:22 AM (13 years ago)
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SOME STORIES ARE STILL MISSING HERE. THE STORY IS NOT YET COMPLETED.
Posted: at 20-08-2010 01:22 AM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
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- popo2009 at 20-08-2010 02:07 AM (13 years ago)
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The man is just a Moron
stupid bastard, why didnt he die alone and leave the innocent woman
another dark spot on Nigeria
Posted: at 20-08-2010 02:07 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- LEONE at 20-08-2010 02:10 AM (13 years ago)
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WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO HEAR WHEN BOTH CHARACTERS ARE DEAD.
SAD INDEED MAY THEIR SOULS R I P.
Posted: at 20-08-2010 02:10 AM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
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- durojaiyedavid at 20-08-2010 03:31 AM (13 years ago)
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That dead professor was obsessed about the young honeypot he is about to lose and he thought that was the end of the world for him and couldn't figure out how to handle the "rejection" or "independence" being claimed by his dead wife.  Loneliness, lonesomeness, selfishness, boredom, ego, distorted love, insecurity, disparity in age, academic nonsense and much more are the work of the DEVIL; we see this everyday at home in Nigeria and the Diaspora worldwide.  He should have just killed himself and leave the poor woman alone; our God made BILLIONS of people; if you cannot get along with one person; you have opportunities to meet other beautiful people he will send your way, whether you are POOR or RICH.  What a weird DESTINY of faith.  My sincere condolences goes to all the family and especially the grown and growing up children.  What a Psychopath; What a waste of life!!!
Posted: at 20-08-2010 03:31 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
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