Ada Esther Johnson: She rose again

After the amnesty Esther received to celebrate the Nigerian independence, she married one Mr. Ayeni. She was twenty-nine years old. They had no children so Mr Ayeni divorced her.

Esther decided to take her life back. She was a trained seamstress after all. She had saved enough money to buy the needed equipment to start off her business. She was a gifted designer and tailor. Her business boomed.

Then a charming Italian came along. She became his wife. She expanded her business. She had businesses in France, Italy and Germany. She owned properties at home and abroad. She owned cars. Business was good.

Sadly, her marriage with the Italian ended because he passed away. She threw herself into her business. She became a force to be reckoned with among her people. A philanthropist, the aunt who listens, yet a no nonsense woman.

How did she come to be in the limelight? What is her story?

A love struck beautiful young lady gave her British lover the whooping sum of four hundred pounds (£400) back in 1953. He needed the money to start a business back home.  After three weeks at home, at the end of his leave, he returned to Nigeria.

That beautiful morning at the breakfast table, Mr. Hall told his loving Nigerian wife, Esther that he had spent Esther’s money getting a new wife and starting off a business for her in Britain. Of course it led to a huge argument. Esther was beside herself with rage. As the argument worsened, she threw the table knife she held at him. It hit him. He stopped talking and fell forward. Esther got into a panic and called out for help. He was rushed to hospital. He did not survive. She was sentenced to death. Later commuted to life sentence. But the whole country protested on her behalf.

She did not deserve any jail time. It was a crime of passion. She never meant to kill him. He had robbed her by trickery. She spent 3028 days in jail before her release.