The majority of high-profile Nigerians are chased out of public life and view because they or someone close to them sniffed, swiped or stole public funds. This is not the case with Belema Oil founder Tein Jack-Rich. His motivation for going under the radar is likely the rumours that have only begun to die down regarding his alleged romance with a Nollywood actress.
To say that the last few months have been a trial for the oil magnate and founder of Belema Oil Ltd is an understatement. The man was first accused of having swindled the entire country of several billion naira. But the accusations did not cause too much of a ripple. And yet, not long after, something else did, something worth significantly fewer naira—a Prado SUV.
How the rumours started is something that has to be left to the mystics of social media and gossip. What is certain is that folks woke up one morning and found that Nollywood actress, Destiny Etiko, had purchased a fine ride for herself—a Prado SUV. Unfortunately, Jack-Rich was soon roped into the matter as being the sponsor of this new ride. Still more, unfortunately, he was not identified as a no-benefit sponsor but as a paramour.
The first response of Jack-Rich did not accomplish much except to fan the flames. In fact, it was his wife’s reaction—which was to post a photo depicting her happy self, happy husband, and happy union—that doused the fires a bit. These events and several others like them might have set the tone for the disappearance of Jack-Rich from public view. And so, the man has gone low profile with the likely intention of letting all the fires die down.
