- Engineer Ifeanyi Maduagwu, the father of late TV host Somtochukukwu Christella, shares his grief over her tragic death.
- Somtochukwu was killed in an armed robbery at her home in Abuja.
- In an interview with Punch, Maduagwu tells the last moment before the incident.
The father of the late TV host Somtochukukwu Christella opened up the devastating loss of his daughter, who was killed in an armed robbery at her residence in Abuja.
In an emotional interview with Punch, engineer Ifeanyi Maduagwu reflects on the last moments that led to the tragedy, the precious memories they share and her unfulfilled dreams of serving Nigeria.
Maduagwu, an engineer from Agulu, Anambra state, described how he first learned about his daughter’s death:
“It was a tragic and devastating experience to be honest. I was at work when I got a call from my brother asking me to go to Port Harcourt urgently. I was surprised and pressed him further to know what could be so serious that my immediate presence was needed,” He said.
“I had a conversation with my wife just 15 minutes ago. So after the call from my brother, I decided to call her again because she was the last person I talked to. Sadly, when everything became clear, the worst thing had happened.
According to his father, Somtochukwu studied in the UK and returned to Nigeria to attend law school.
Engineer Maduagwu explained that he had booked her ticket to return to his master’s degree abroad, but she wanted to work in Nigeria for at least two years:
“She insisted that she wanted to work in Nigeria for at least two years in order to gain experience before going back, and she did. Her decision was driven by a real desire to make a difference. She firmly believed that things in Nigeria were wrong, her voice was wrong, and that her voice needed to be heard at home.
Maduagwu affectionately recalls his recent moments with his daughter:
“The most recent one is in Tangier, Morocco from September 4-9, 2025. We went to the beach together and also participated in the city tour of one of the double-decker buses. It was such a beautiful bonding moment, just father and daughter, sharing time and creating lasting memories.”
He shared that Somtukwa had great wishes:
“She is passionate about helping people in need and making sure women are heard politically. Her biggest wish is to become a senator in Nigeria one day.”
Her next birthday (December 26) is already in the plan.
“She said she wanted to go to the village to cook, especially the kids. She did the same thing about four years ago when we visited the village and she was really looking forward to doing it again. She also had a desperate desire to get into politics and contribute to turning around in Nigeria.”
Reflecting on her losses, he emotionally said:
“I had Sommie on December 26, 1995. After she was born, over five years, we didn’t have another child. So she became the tote for the house. We walked around and that was ‘Sommmie, Sommie, Sommie, Sommie.’ She was so lively at any party that she would laugh effortlessly, laugh.
Engineer Maduagwu called on the government to protect citizens:
“My only request is that the government should urgently address the issue of continuing to put citizens at risk and doing more to protect lives.”
He also shared the caring gesture he missed the most:
“I will miss everything. Her care, her constant phone calls: ‘Dad, have you eaten? Do you have to take good care of yourself? Have you checked your life?” It’s not easy for my brother.
