Date Published: 06/16/09
The letter is straight to the point. She'd seen my profile on a Nigerian popular web magazine and she loved what she saw. For her, it’s love at first sight even though she has never met or seen me. Ah, wetin be dis love self? En, wetin be am - a woman or man, animal or both?
A Romantic Letter From Senegal
By Hakeem Babalola
At a time the administrators of Nigeria decided to rebrand a product they do not believe in, an admirer of my profile, a complete stranger, sent me a poignant romantic letter. The letter is straight to the point. She'd seen my profile on the Nigeria Village Square and she loved what she saw. For her, it is love at first sight even though she has never met or seen me. Ah, wetin be dis love self? En, wetin be am - a woman or man, animal or both?
She wrote:
HELLO My name is jessica utazi , i saw your profile today in ( www.nigeriavillagesquare.com ) and became intrested in you, i will also like to know you more, and i want you to send an email to my email address so i can give you my picture for you to know whom i am. Here is my email address (jessica.utazi@yahoo.com) I believe we can move from here!
I am waiting for your mail to my email address above..
(Remeber the distance or colour does not matter but love matters a lot in life)
Thanks
jessica.
please contact me now through my email address
( jessica.utazi@yahoo..com
I find it slightly odd or even a bit weird receiving amorous missive from a stranger professing her love for an obscure writer like me. Perhaps I am old-fashioned but for a girl or woman to start speaking about falling in love with a boy or man she has never met or seen seems alien to me. I think it completely devoid of wisdom or good sense. Oh, I see, falling in love is foolish, illogical, extravagantly humorous - almost resembles farce. Whatever, it's too fashionable for my liking. I had sensed the rationale or irrational motive behind such heart-breaking letter that could easily harm the unsuspecting would-be Romeo who might be thinking the god of love has finally answered his prayer, but I must get to the bottom of this strange behaviour. So I replied her.
Hello Jessica,
I got your mail in which you showed interest in me after seeing my profile on ( www.nigeriavillagesquare.com ). Can you please tell me more about yourself? I mean your age, your nationality and where you live now, hobby, likes and dislikes, and oh, especially your picture which you promised to send. And what does utazi mean? Moreover, tell me about my profile that really interests you.
Regards,
Keem
Jessica Utazi fulfilled her promise by sending me her picture in her second intense passion for her next victim.
Dearest one,
I am more than happy in your reply to my mail. How was your day today?. Mine a little hot over here in Dakar Senegal. My name is Miss jessica utazi (24) but age differences matter not. single and never married, i am from Rwanda. in East Africa and presently i am residing in the refugee camp here in Dakar Senegal as a result of the civil war that was fought in my country last two years.
My late father DR AUGUSTINE F UTAZI was chairman managing director ( UTAZI INDUSTRIAL COMPANY LTD), in Kigali the capital of my country,and he was also the personal adviser to the former head of state before the rebels attacked our house one early morning and killed my mother and father in a cold blood. It was only me that is alive now and i managed to make my way to a nearby country senegal where i am living now as a refugee.
My hobbies are reading and watching sports event like football. and I would like to know more about you. Your likes and dislikes, your hobbies and what you are doing presently. I will tell you more about myself in my next mail. Attached here is my picture. Hoping to hear from you soonest.
Yours Forever
Aren't you familiar with this kind of internet fraud just like capitalism and democrazy in your country? One should laugh off such letter if not for its capacity to tarnish my country's reputation which is currently being rebranded, debranded, restranded, relanded and so on. Although Jessica Utazi claims to be from Rwanda, it is my country that takes the blame for such crime.
And to think that people do fall for this amateurish thinking is beyond believe. An Australian woman was recently duped through a similar beguile romance by a final year student of the Department of Survey and Geo-Informatics Engineering, University of Lagos, Mr. Lawal Adekunle Nurudeen. As for me Jessica Utazi's pretence of love is so obvious that one should pity her for being so unskilled in a game she thinks she has gracefully perfected. Her fake love for me is so obvious that I am tempted to be mad at the victims of such scam letters, or even call them a real mugun. Anyway, I replied her.
Hello Jessica,
I hope you are doing fine as a refugee in Senegal. It must have been a traumatic experience for you, but I think hope is a living drug for survival. Don't lose hope because, as they say, there's always light at the end of the tunnel. Anyway, your picture does not show a sign of someone who had had such ugly experience. This means you must be a strong woman at 24....Jessica, when and where did you take the photograph?
Well, I like writing, reading, swimming, football. Presently I write and teach. I dislike liars and pretenders. You didn't tell me your dislikes in your e-mail. And what part of my profile that really interests you? You did not tell me what utazi means.
I wish you well and looking forward to hearing from you as you have promised to tell me more about yourself.
Cheers
And so Jessica Utazi launched the rocket I had been expecting from the moment I received that decoy love letter from her. Jessica knows what he wants in a man. She likes honest and understanding people; she prefers men of vision and hardworking. She trusts me as much as she loves me. Hum, love without money is vanity upon vanity upon vanity.
My Dearest One,
I am more than happy in your reply to my mail . In this camp we are only allowed to go out two times in the week. Its just like one staying in the prison and i hope by God's grace i will come out here soon. I don't have any relatives now whom i can go to, all my relatives ran away in the middle of the war the only person i have now is Rev Ben Dominic who is the pastor of the (Christ The king Churches) here in the camp he has been very nice to me since i came here but i am not living with him rather i am leaving in the women's hostel because the camp have two hostels one for men the other for women. The Pastors Tel number is ( +221-772543115 ) if you call and tell him that you want to speak with me he will send for me in the hostel.
As a refugee here i don't have any right or privilledge to any thing be it money or whatever because it is against the laws of this country.I want to go back to my studies because i only attended my first year as a law student before the traggic incident that lead to my being in this situation now took place. Please listen to this, i have my late father's Fund deposit certificate and death certificate here with me which i will send to you latter, because when he was alive he deposited some amount of money in a leading bank in Europe which he used my name as the next of kin, the amount in question is $9.7M (Nine Million seven Hundred Thousand Dollars). So, i will like you to help me transfer this money to your account ) and from it you can send some money for me to get my travelling documents and air ticket to come over to meet with you. I kept this secret to people in the camp here the only person that knows about it now is you because i trust you that you will be of assistance to me.
So, in the light of above i will like you to keep it to yourself and don't relate it to anyone for i am afraid of loosing my life and the money if people gets to know about it. Remember i am giving you all this information due to the trust i deposed on you.I like honest and understanding people, truthful and men of vision, truth and hardworking men.The money in question was made by my late father through his cocoa and political career and that is why i don't want anyone here to know about it until i travel out from here. please dear i will like you to help me contact the bank as i told you in my last mail. My favourite language is english but i speaks french and english very fluently. Meanwhile i will like you to call me like i said i have alot to tell you. Have a nice day and think about me. Awaiting to hear from you soonest
Yours in love
Jessica
I would have loved to think about her as much as she would be of me - her next victim - but Madam Dora Akunyili's rebrand of Nigeria had flooded my desk and overwhelmed me like a man engulfed by fear.
Rebranding supposed to be a simple process but Nigerian administrators like making things complicated. What happens when those who want to rebrand a product genuinely do not believe in the product? Last administrators equally embarked on similar project under different names without success.
This is because the consumers of such product are no more fools. They have conducted their own research and found that the product being rebranded is still the same. Gosh, billions of naira will have been lavishly spent by the time the rebrand Nigeria project finished. Pray, what became Obasanjo's Heart of Africa rebrand!
Yet I couldn't live without Jessica. I was becoming obsessed with her amateurish fraudulent game that has helped label every Nigerian a criminal. And those who are expected to deal with people like Jessica Utazi or whatever her real name might be either in Nigeria or Rwanda are themselves busy operating their own fraud on the people they had sworn to protect. And so I wrote her again.
Dear Jessica,
I have tried your phone number several times but couldn't get through. I really sympathize with your predicament and I hope nothing will happen to you so that you can live to enjoy your father's money in which you said was kept in a European bank. Oh, my goodness, what shall we do now? I fear for your life.
Take care of yourself until I hear from you.
Jessica Utazi is even funnier and more stupid than I had expected. There seems to be a little difference between her and many Nigerian rulers who instead of being sincere to Nigerians decide to steal public money. The only difference being that Jessica perpetrates her nefarious business hiding under false identity while Nigerian rulers do theirs without mask, roaming our street with the pride of a locust. Jessica, according to her first letter, became interested in me and wanted to know me more. Instead of talking about "love" and about romance and about me, she's now talking about investment, money and big money. I bet he never knew anything about me or where I reside exactly. Honestly speaking, I am not mad at Jessica but victims of this shallow enterprise called Internet Love. Of course, some couples have met on the Internet and doing fine together, but obviously not like Jessica's. Now, she links me to a bank in London which when I goggled, is part of the scam. Gosh, how do people fall for this kind of dupery and hoax! Please read her next letter.
Dearest One,
I thank you ones again for your reply to my mail, i just snicked out from the camp now to write you this mail and to be sure and know how are you over there in your country? Please i have not told anyone except you about the existence of this money and i will like you to please keep it secret to other people because since it is (MONEY) all eyes will be on it.
Remember i trust you honey that is why i am giving you all this information!. My love is for you and you alone, i will like to hear your voice, please,just call the Rev and tell him that you want to speak with me and he will send for me immediately. You can call the Reverend and ask him the best time to call me please.
I have informed the bank about my plans to claim this money and the only thing they told me is to look for a foreign partner who will stand on my behalf due to my refugee status and the laws of this country. You will have 15% of the total money for helping me out and the remaining money will be managed by you in any business of your choice since i am too young to handle such huge amount. in this regards i will like you to contact the bank immediately with this information, tell them that you are my foreign partner and that you want to know the possibilities of assisting me transfer my $9.7 million dollars deposited by my late father of which i am the next of kin to your account in your country. The contact information of the bank is as follows,
BRIDGE TRUST BANK PLC, LONDON.
Email address (robertseaman@btb-uk.com) (costumersservice@btb-uk.com )
The name of the transfer officer is Mr Robert Seaman
Telephone number +44 70-319 509 28,or +44 70-319 508 01
Office Fax number ++44-870-1351 970.
Contact them now on how to transfer the $9.7 million dollars deposited by my late father of which i am the next of kin. I have mapped out 5% of the total money for any expenses that might come up in this transfer,so that after the transfer you will take your 15% and 5% before you can start to manage the remaining money for me.Remember you will help me out in the area of investing this fund because i can`t be able to do it by myself.My dear i am glad that God has brought you to see me out from this situation and i promise to be kind and will equally need you in investing this money since i am still too young to manage it as you know. As i told you before, this camp is just like a prison and my prayers is to move out from here as soon as possible. Please make sure that you contact the bank so that after the transfer you can send some money from that money for me to prepare my traveling documents to meet with you in your country. Awaiting to hear from you soonest!.
Yours forever
jessica
I would have enjoyed my correspondence with Jessica for the comedy it provides had the world not named her occupation the Nigerian scam even though she claims to be Rwandan. Jessica Utazi is lousy so are Nigerian rulers. Anyway, I contacted Mr. Robert Seaman, the said transfer officer. Actually I forwarded Jessica's letter.
Dear Mr. Seaman,
I would like to know how possible it is for Jessica Utazi to transfer her money in which she says her late father deposited in your bank to my account.
Regards,
Keem
The reply from Bridge Trust Bank Plc. seems professional. I was told I needed certain documents before I could collect the money, so I had to contact Jessica Utazi because she only can provide such documents. Although I was not told to contact Jessica by the bank, I guess this is where the victims usually catch the bait. Please read the bank's letter which I forwarded to Jessica with my note:
Hi Jessica, I have contacted the bank as you instructed me but I am now forwarding the bank's reply because as you can see, I need certain documents from you before any transaction with the bank. I trust you're well and doing fine at the Refugee Camp in Senegal. I expect you to get out of that place soon.
Bye for now
Bridge Trust Bank Plc. -
Lyon House 214-216,
Borough High Street London
SE1 1JR UK
For Your Kind Attention,
Sir,
We have received your current enquiry about the estate of one of our late customers and I am writing to you in respect to your mail which we received today.
Actually, we have earlier been told about you by the young lady who is (the next of kin her late father's fund deposit to our bank here)that she wishes you to be her trustee/representative for the claim of her late father's deposit with this bank.
Her late father Dr Utazi is one of our late customers with sum substantial amount of money he deposit with us. Hence you have been really appointed as a trustee to represent the next of Kin.
However before our bank will transact any business concerning the transfer of the fund to your bank,we will like you to send the followings immediately to our bank:
1.A power of attorney permitting you to claim and transfer the funds to your bank account on her behalf.
Note: This Power of attorney must be endorsed by a Senegalese resident lawyer since the money is originated from there in Africa and the young lady is currently residing in Senegal.
2. The death certificate of Her deceased father confirming his death.
3. A copy of fund deposit certificate issued to her deceased father by our bank.
4. An Affidavit of support from Senegalese high court there in Senegal .
Note: The above are compulsory,and are needed to protect our interest,yours and the next of kin after the transfer has been made.
These shall also ensure that a smooth,quick and successful transfer of the fund is made within 48 hrs from when we receive the above named documents.
We promise to treat our customers with utmost respect, truth and Sincerity.
For more information/s please contact me The World operational/Transfer Officer through my email address thus ( robertseaman@btb-uk.com ) for more clarifications and or question/s you may need to ask.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr Robert Seaman
+44 70-319 509 28,or +44 70-319 508 01 .
(World Operational/Wire Transfer Department Officer).
Jessica then introduced a lawyer who would facilitate all the documents asked by the bank. Please read further.
My Dearest,
Thanks once again for your love, care, concern, And ability to help me transfer the money to your position pending my arrival to meet with you, it shows you are a dependable and trustworthy man. i have never told anybody about this money the only people that knows about it is you and me no one again knows about it (since my parent's are dead). So, i will also advise you to please keep it to yourself because i am afraid of loosing the money to people who will disappoint me when the money gets to there care that was why it took me time to tell you about it and i promise you this from my heart (I AM NOT GOING TO DISAPPOINT YOU)
Now,regarding the requests the bank needs from us i have with me here the Fund deposit Certificate (which i Will give to the lawyer when he agrees to help us)and the death certificate, (which i will also give him,so he can send them to you ) I taught it's the only thing the bank will need from us but since they need the power of attorney and the affidavit of oath, i have informed the Reverend about it and he gave me the contact of this lawyer below, he is a registered lawyer in the United Nations Camp here and he is also a registered member in (Senegalese Bar Association) who will help in preparing the documents for us.
Please i will like you to contact him through email and phone today,when your contacting him, tell him that you are my Foreign partner and you want him to prepare a power of attorney and also get the affidavit of support from high court here in Dakar Senegal and that he will do it in your name to enable the transfer of my (Late)father's ACCOUNT in BRIDGE TRUST BANK PLC, LONDON. to your account in Your country.
His contact informations are as follows,
BAR (DR) WILLIAM PETERS OF: SPLENDID LAWFIRM .
EMAIL ADDRESS ( splendidlawfirm@gmail.com )
( barwilliampetersfirm@yahoo.com )
Office Telephone Number is +22176 5966 328
So, i will like you to contact him for the preparation of the power of attorney Please try and contact me when you are in contact with him and let me know if he agrees to help us!. Please i will like you to first of all get the money transferred and from it you can send some money for me to prepare my documents and when you come here we all can move at the same time. A big hug for you, From my deepest heart,
Yours forever
Jessica
And so I contacted the lawyer (of course by e-mail). He asked for my particulars including my ID card after which he will tell me the cost of his "professional" service. I then forwarded the lawyer's letter to Jessica asking for the next step. The following is from the SPLENDID LAW FIRM:
ATTENTION,
SIR,
SEQUEL TO YOUR MAIL AND ALSO FROM YOUR PARTNER WHICH WE RECEIVED TODAY IN MY NOBLE LAW FIRM ON HOW TO GET A LETTER OF AFFIDAVIT AND PREPARE A POWER OF ATTORNEY IN YOUR NAME TO ENABLE A SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF FUND FROM A BANK IN EUROPE TO YOUR COUNTRY.
MY NOBLE LAW FIRM WISH TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT BEFORE WE CAN PROCEED WITH THIS SERVICES WE WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD TO THIS LAW FIRM IMMEDIATELY YOUR FULL CONTACT DETAILS (YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AS YOU WANT IT TO APPEAR ON THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND THE AFFIDAVIT OF OATH). YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBERS/FAX IF ANY AND A COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION CARD.
SO THAT FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING, I WILL GO TO THE HIGH COURT HERE TO ASCERTAIN THE COST OF THE AUTHENTICATION OF THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND THE AFFIDAVIT OF OATH BEFORE IT BECOMES VALID FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT.
AFTER WHICH MY LAW FIRM WILL CONTACT YOU BACK WITH THE REQUIRED COSTS BEFORE ACCEPTING TO RENDER THE REQUIRED LEGAL SERVICES.
Yours Sincerely In Service,
Bar (Dr) William Peters.
(Principal Partner).(Esq)
No 46 Avenue Anta Diop (7Th-floor)
BP 450 Dakar Senegal.
Office tel-fax (+221 76 5966 328.
Of course I do receive this kind of letters every now and then but never via a popular web magazine. Anyway, let the fools fall in love with Jessica Utazi of this world.
Copyright 2009
mysmallvoice@yahoo.com
