A young man whose name echoed in the bustling streets of Anambra State and most parts of Igbo land, whose fish business was growing astronomically, is now lying stone-cold in the morgue, his body mutilated by lead bullets.
This was a beacon, a hustler who turned fish into gold, not with magic but with grit and vision.
Fish Magnet didn’t chase foreign dreams, or white-collar jobs; he built his empire right here, in the heart of Anambra’s commercial pulse.
He slashed prices, made fish affordable for all, and oh, how the jealous ones seethed. Yours truly has seen videos wherein he lamented the hatred he was facing from colleagues in the fish business. They envied his shine, his fearless marketing, his low prices, his love for his people.
Kidnapped, 20 million Naira ransom paid swiftly by the family, killed, and the mother, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) iron-lady, Esther, phoned by the assassins to retrieve his corpse at Amawbia. The restive Anambra is on the verge of a gubernatorial election. His demise, whether politically or business related, is sore.
Did he see it coming? Ben, a security guard in his office, believes so. In a media interview, the guard revealed his boss had shared with him a dream he had just two days to his death. According to him, Fish Magnet said he was attacked by two persons wielding a knife and a gun. Ben said his slain boss warned him to always be at alert and screen customers and visitors to his office.
“He gave me that thing (metal detector) they use to check whether somebody carry gun or weapon and told me to check anybody that enters the eatery. He said if anybody did not allow me check him, I must not allow him to enter, unless he was not in the office, that was the only time I may not check everybody,” Ben added.
This is not just about Onyekachi Martins Onyekesi. This is about every bright spark snuffed out before its time. About the countless youths and children whose talents are buried six feet deep before the whole world ever gets to see their brilliance. Anambra State, parts of Igbo land, and most parts of Nigeria have become a graveyard of potential, and we are tired of singing dirges for dreams that should have been glorious anthems. Parents are not meant to outlive their children. Yet, in Nigeria, mourning has become a rite of passage for mothers and fathers who once carried their babies in their arms, only to later carry their corpses in caskets. Parents should not have to dig graves for children who should be building their own futures.
Fish Magnet sold fish, proving that wealth doesn’t need a white-collar title. He was one of many young Nigerians rewriting the rules of business, showing that success could be carved out of passion and persistence. Yet, just as our entrepreneurs are reshaping the economy, the wicked ones keep editing the script with a bloody pen.
How can commerce thrive when entrepreneurs are kidnapped, ransomed, and discarded like trash? How can a nation prosper when its brightest minds are buried before their ideas can take root? Anambra State, once famous for commerce, is now a hellish jungle for entrepreneurs.
Enough of this! We reject the spirit of early graves. We bind the forces that stalk our youth. Nigeria’s future cannot be a funeral parade.
Security agents have to hunt these killers without mercy. Justice for Fish Magnet isn’t some weightless social media advocacy; it’s a war cry!
Governor Charles Soludo, your security is a disgusting farce. You have to step up or step down! Your family is cocooned in affluence in foreign climes where security is made paramount. Replicate same here, or resign, Sir.
Fish Magnet, your ghost must choke your killers! Your death must not be just another headline; let it be the turning point because Nigerian youth deserve to grow old. We want a Nigeria where stars live long enough to become legends.
To the youths: shine while you can, but guard your light fiercely.
