Veteran Nollywood actor Nkem Owoh, widely recognized as Osuofia, has opened up about the execution of his older brother, Bartholomew Owoh, during the military rule of General Muhammadu Buhari. He described the experience as one of the most heartbreaking periods of his life.
Bartholomew was among three young Nigerians executed by firing squad on April 10, 1985. The other two were Lawal Ojuolape and Bernard Ogedengbe. Although they were convicted for drug-related crimes, the offences were not originally punishable by death when committed. The executions followed the application of a military decree that was retroactively enforced under Buhari’s regime.
During an appearance on The Interview, a programme aired on Arise News Channel on Thursday, Owoh reflected on the emotional toll of the event and the impact it had on his perception of the military government’s justice system.
“I was working with the Anambra Television that time, and I was so furious that I was shedding tears along the corridors,” he recalled.
He further criticized the use of retroactive legislation to justify the death penalty, pointing to the injustice of altering the legal framework after the fact.
“In fact, the thing that touched me most is that they had to shift the effective date of that decree,” he said. “You know, during the military era, they can just get out one decree and the next minute, it’s in operation.”
The actor expressed his deep frustration at how the decree was backdated, leading to the inclusion of his brother and others who committed offences before the law came into effect.
“So for them to backdate it to involve or include people who did not commit the offence within their own regime, but years back, I was very bitter.”
Owoh went on to question the ethical and legal justification for such a move, which resulted in the execution of individuals for acts that were not capital crimes at the time.
“Why would it be shifted back to include people who didn’t commit the offence before the decree?” the Nollywood actor asked.
