In 1953, a dramatic court case in colonial Lagos captured national attention and stirred deep emotions across Nigeria. At the centre of it was a 22-year-old woman named Ada Ocha Ntu, popularly known as Esther Johnson.
Esther was accused of stabbing her British boyfriend, Maurice Hall, with a pair of scissors during a heated confrontation in Lagos. Hall, a railway locomotive engineer, later died from the injuries. The case quickly became one of the most talked-about criminal trials in the country at the time.
The Incident
According to reports, Esther had given Hall her life savings — £400 — to purchase a car for her before he travelled to England on leave. However, upon his return, Hall allegedly informed her that he had used the money to marry an English woman and buy the new bride a car instead.
The revelation reportedly led to a heated argument between the couple. During the altercation, Esther stabbed Hall. Through her lawyer, she argued that she acted under provocation and in self-defence during a physical struggle.
Trial and Sentencing
On June 18, 1953, Esther was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. She was subsequently taken to Broad Street Prison in Lagos, located in what is now the Freedom Park area.
Her sentencing triggered widespread sympathy and public debate, with many Nigerians viewing the case through the lens of colonial injustice and racial dynamics. The public outcry grew, and her case became a rallying point for nationalist sentiment.
Eventually, her death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
Presidential Pardon
On October 1, 1961 — during the first anniversary of Nigeria becoming a republic — Nigeria’s first Governor-General and later President, Nnamdi Azikiwe, granted Esther a state pardon.
After spending approximately 433 weeks in prison, she was released.
Life After Prison
Esther’s life took a new turn following her release. On April 23, 1964, she married a Nigerian police officer, Mr. Joshua Ayeni, ostensibly an Ijesaman, marking the beginning of a fresh chapter.
Over time, the Esther Johnson case came to symbolize more than a tragic crime. For many, it represented the tensions and inequalities of colonial Nigeria. The story became embedded in popular memory, and a bar named “Esther’s Revenge” reportedly operated in the Broad Street area, in reference to the sensational trial.
More than seven decades later, the Esther Johnson case remains one of the most compelling and controversial legal stories of colonial-era Nigeria — a tale of love, betrayal, justice, and redemption.
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