Renowned Nigerian Poet Dubem Okafor kills wife, commit suicide in U.S

Chukwudubem Okafor, a highly respected Nigerian poet and professor of English and Literature, has died in the United States in a shocking murder-suicide.

Reports indicate that Okafor, 64, allegedly shot and killed his 37-year-old wife, Cheryl, before taking his own life last Sunday afternoon.

Sources reveal that Okafor, a cousin to the late legendary poet Christopher Okigbo, was deeply distraught after his wife left him a few days prior. He arranged to meet her at his sister’s home in Reading, Pennsylvania, where the tragic incident occurred.

According to police reports, Okafor shot Cheryl multiple times before turning the gun on himself at around 3:45 p.m. A small-caliber handgun was found at the scene. The Berks County coroner ruled Cheryl’s death as a homicide and Okafor’s as suicide.

Okafor, an associate professor of English at Kutztown University, was a well-known figure in Nigeria’s literary circles. His wife, Cheryl, was an artist.

The incident has left the Nigerian literary community in shock, as Okafor was celebrated for his contributions to literature and poetry.