By Nehru Odeh
It has been reported that a male pharmacist simply identified as Emmanuel disguised himself as a female member of St John the Baptist Catholic Rumuolumeni, Rivers State for a long time in order to wed his male partner.
However, Emmanuel known to his church members as Emmanuella, was almost carrying out his plans to marry his partner, albeit deceitfully, until his death in a tricycle accident on 31 January, when his real identity was revealed at the morgue.
The story, which has gone viral, is eliciting reactions from many Nigerians.
Until his death, Emmanuel was not only known as a female chorister of the church but was also a committed member who serenaded the church with his mellifluous voice.
It was also alleged that Emmanuel had already done the traditional wedding and was already making plans to be married to his partner.
But unknown to the church the beautiful member who was very popular was male, which has shocked the members of the church.
The accident, it was alleged, occurred at Aka road opposite Liverpool Supermarket, Rumuolumeni, while Emmanuel was on his way home from the church. He was the only one who sustained fatal injuries that resulted in his death.
A lady identified as Winnie Omuboba Morganson, who said she witnessed the accident, also confirmed the story.
She said: “Very true! I was there at the accident scene! She lives in our street in Aker road! We all know him as female even with a tender man’s voice.
“She has a pharmacy, lives in a two bedroom apartment alone and recently bought a Siena car.
“I got home almost 11pm because the police that came refused taking her corpse. We waited. The Catholic Church sent their Women fellowship bus to pick the diseased before we left!
“He was deposited as a woman but the mortuary attended later called the priest and ask again, he said he was a woman, not until they told father he was a man His name is Emmanuel but he changed it to Emmanuella. He was from Anambra State.”
