The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Boy

  • Hope dims for boy with eye cancer

    Hope dims for boy with eye cancer

    What is this, God? What is happening;  have I wronged you? God, have mercy, please!” The embittered woman – a grandmother – soliloquised as she stared pathetically into emptiness.

    The petty trader, Mrs Abosede Paul, as this reporter later learnt when he visited her 25, Owodunni Street, Onipanu, Lagos home again yesterday, had got more overwhelmed with grief over the plight of her grandson.

    The boy, eight-year-old Toheeb Atobatele, has, from birth, remained in the throes of an ever-worsening eye tumour, which was diagnosed as cancer at various hospitals.

    The woman had told the reporter during his first visit mid last month, the story of how cruel fate had seized the little boy’s comfort since his birth.

    Amid tears then, she had recounted how Toheeb was abandoned by his father immediately after his delivery at a clinic in Ikotun, a suburb of the city.

    “Realising the boy’s condition – the outgrowths on his upper lip and left eye – his father has abandoned him. And since there was no help from anywhere, I have shouldered the responsibility of finding succour for him at all costs. It was a Good Samaritan that sponsored a corrective surgery on his affected lip at a private hospital after which I took him to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja,” she said.

    Amid sobs, she further recounted: “There was no x-ray I have not done to get to the root of Toheeb’s problem. In 2009, I went for scan sessions on the eye at LASUTH several times. At a point, we were directed to some Indians in Ikeja. I borrowed money to buy drugs that were to be used for surgery on the eye there. At last, the Indians said they lacked the equipment that could be used for the operation.”

    For lack of any helper, she said she resigned to fate, hoping on God. His mother, Ebunlomo, Mrs Paul said, could not offer any help since, according to her, she had just passed out of school and was in search of how to make ends meet.

    Describing Toheeb as “a very brilliant and promising boy who is ever-ready to read despite his condition,” she added, painfully: “He is doing well in the second class at a Nursery/Primary School, here in Onipanu. But I must confess that each time I see him strain his only eye to read, I shed tears.”

    Sharing her phone number, 08052965364, with this reporter, Mrs Paul had submitted pitiably: “Well, may be God can use your medium, may be. We are in a world where our people only take delight in spending money on vanities without regard for their fellowmen. I just hope a God-sent person comes to Toheeb’s rescue.”

    A Calabar, Rivers State-based sympathiser, Mrs Asa Nkanor Effiong, read Toheeb’s story in The Nation and contacted Mrs Paul, following which she sent her widow’s mite – N20,000 – to support the boy’s recovery efforts.

    With the support, Mrs Paul was to return Toheeb to LASUTH to resume the needed attention, but the planned move met a brick wall – a strike by doctors which has lingered for about two weeks now. And that is the crux of her compounded worries.

    Now, as the embattled grandmother is desperately observing  dry fasting to seek God-sent helpers for financial support, she hopes the doctors will call off the strike now to end her son’s pains.

    Echoing her mother’s pains, Ebunoluwa, who gave her phone number as 07113482402, said: “For us, it is double trouble; as we pray for helpers, we also pray for urgent end to the doctors’ strike because the boy cries the more by the passage of days.”

  • Fury as boy,7,does a Suarez in school

    A SEVEN year old pupil in Suffolk, England, has sparked fury after sinking his teeth into a classmate on the wrist, hours after  watching his football idol, Luis Suarez bit an opponent in  the ongoing World Cup in Brazil.

    Schoolboy Harvey Eaglen, a Liverpool supporter, was reported by The Sun of London as having told shocked teachers he tore into   a playmate because it was “what footballers do”.

    Suarez who has since been expelled from the competition has been banned from football activities for four months by FIFA.

    Harvey was punished with a ban from the “pitch” and his break-times for the rest of the day cancelled.

    His stunned mum Kathleen Cooke was called to Poplars Community Primary School in Lowestoft, Suffolk and told her son was on a final warning.

    The implication is that he could be expelled if he puts another foot wrong.

    And the mum fumed: “I thought what Suarez did was disgusting. When I found out my son had done it too I was furious. We’re trying to teach Harvey right from wrong but what are we supposed to do when he sees his heroes doing things like that?

    “Suarez is supposed to be a role model  all footballers are  but he never acts like one. It’s not fair on boys like my son.”

    Harvey is described as a promising defender with no previous record of biting.

  • 10-year-old TB patient needs help

    10-year-old TB patient needs help

    Were his health not a problem, you would still be moved to lend him a helping hand. Master Chinonso John was scarcely five years old when his mother’s mental health failed. Chinonso ultimately lost the tender care a mother would give. That was not enough. His father left his mother shortly after Chinonso was conceived. Then, the boy’s ailment set in, taking away his vitality and threatening his life. He needs help, urgently.

    Chinonso is presently receiving medical attention at the Heart-to-Heart Centre of Abia State Teaching Hospital Aba but he would need about N50,000 for blood transfusion and other medical bills to stabilise his health before proper treatment on his ailment (Tuberculosis) starts.

    When our correspondent visited Chinonso on his sick bed at the permanent site of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, his condition looked bad enough to necessitate an urgent medical attention before any comprehensive medical treatment would begin. Other patients admitted in the same room where he was admitted have left the room for the hallway to avoid being infected by the same disease.

    The Nation gathered that Chinonso, with the help of his uncle Oliver Ejikeme, has visited various hospitals in and within Aba where he was subjected to various medical laboratory examinations and treatments, none of which has cured him.

    Chinonso and his uncle who could not afford to pay a N4500 hospital bill after he was referred to the temporary site of the hospital for further treatment had the welfare department officials of the hospital to thank after the social welfare department absolved the patient’s medical bills.

    Ejikeme who hails from Okwu Udo Njaba in Imo State, said: “Chinonso’s mum has been suffering from a mental problem for over 15 years. The dad is unknown. He impregnated my sister (Chinonso’s mother) and ran away. He is 10 years now and I have lived with for the past 5years after he joined my family from the village. He was withdrawn from Ndoki road primary school, Ngwa Road when this sickness became so bad that he was losing weight every minute. I took him to different hospitals in Aba and its environs were they conducted many tests on him. Some did test for sickle cell, worm, cough, etc, but at the end of the day, they couldn’t treat or identify what really was the problem with him. We were later referred to this place from the Seventh Day Adventist Church. We came to this place this week Monday.

    Since the state government stopped us from driving Okada, I have been jobless. It is my wife that has been the family bread winner. She is the person managing the family at the moment from the little money she makes from her petty business.

    “I have spent virtually all my earnings on this his illness, but it has kept deteriorating day by day. I can’t leave this boy, with the state of his health. He is all my sister has got and will not be allowed to surfer while I am still alive.

    “I am appealing on behalf of Chinonso to philanthropists, Imo and Abia governments including other public-spirited individuals to come to his aid in order to come out of this situation he has found himself.”

    Helpers may send their cash contributions to John Gaius Chibuzo on Ecobank account 0861022941.

  • Boy, 2, needs N350, 000 for surgery

    A two-year old boy, Oluwafeyijimi Benson, who is battling a hole in his heart, requires N350,000 to live. The cash is the balance of the N1.7 million he requires for “a corrective surgery” in India.

    The Nation reported on October 16 that the boy requires N1.7 million for the surgery, prompting some Nigerians and groups to come to his aid.

    He got N500,000 from individuals. A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria, offered to foot half of the surgery bill.

    The tot now requires N350,000 to complete the money.

    Staring into space yesterday, his mother, Mrs. Toyin Benson, bemoaned her child’s fate, saying: “God, who will you send to save this boy for me?”

    At two, Benson cannot walk, stand or eat like his peers. His breathing is fast and often times, he breathes through his mouth. His eyes are purple and he rarely eats. “He feeds barely on baby foods, and has never taken breast milk, owing to his health condition,” Mrs Benson said.

    “A hole was discovered in his heart when he was barely two months old at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, when I took him there for treatment. However, financial challenges have not allowed us to do the prescribed surgery for him,” she added.

    A medical report from LASUTH’s Department of Paediatrics and Child Health shows that the boy, with hospital registration number 0210983, is a patient at the Paediatric Cardiology Unit, where he is being managed for Congenital Heart Disease, which requires surgical intervention.

    Mrs Benson has opened a First Bank account under the name: Oluwafeyijimi Benson, with number: 3071772551, for those that wish to help. She can also be reached on 08039151682.

  • This boy needs help

    This boy needs help

    He is a well-behaved boy, never failing to do his homework, but once in a while he would break down  holding his chest and crying of pains in his chest. He does not eat like other normal children, and would sometimes ignore food or reject it outright when the pain comes.

    He hardly spent two months  in school without spending two weeks in the hospital. Yet, he passed  all his subjects. He is a brilliant boy. The last time he  was promoted to Primary Six at Fourah Bay International school, Owo, Ondo State.

    That has been how Abegunde  Adewale, 12, has been coping. He lives with his parents in Owo.

    Last month, a few days to his 12th birthday, his father asked what clothes he needed to celebrate it,  he shook his head in disapproval, asking ‘why should I celebrate my birthday when I am dying?”

    The mother, Madam Olanike Abegunde, said she  went into her room and wept profusely on hearing her boy’s response. She said she needed to cry out to good-spirited Nigerians to help her save the boy who is suffering from a heart problem before it is too late.

    ”I am on my knees begging Dr. Rahman Mimiko, the Ondo State Governor, NGOs, good-spirited Nigerians to help restore his health  before it is too late,” she said, tears running down her cheeks.

    She narrated how her son’s  problem started.

    “The problem started  two years ago when we discovered that he was coughing. We took him to  the General Hospital, Owo where he was treated. But the cough persisted. I again went back to tell the doctor that I was hearing an unusual sound from his heart; from here he was referred to Federal Medical Centre, Owo where about three doctors now tested him and sent us to do series of laboratory tests in a medical laboratory in Osogbo. I brought the result of the tests and  when the doctors went through  I was told that his condition was heart-related problem. I was shaking like a leaf. I was devastated. We were later  referred to India for medical  treatment. My husband is not around and he does not have money.“

    On the efforts they have made so far to take him to India, Olanike said’ “I am a seamstress. How many clothes do I sew in a week? We are managing, In fact to feed is difficult, my husband too has nothing , I must confess. We have gone out begging for money but I don’t have anything as collateral. We are told that we need about N3 million to take him to India but what the doctors assured me of is that his problem can still be corrected, and the earlier the better.”

    On what he has been living on, Olanike said “We go to the FMC to take drugs for him. We have taken him to places like churches for prayer but  we were later advised to take him to India, and that is the bitter truth. I believe in miracles but I am advised to combine it with medication“.

    For any assistance, you can contact or send your donation to Mrs. Olanike Abegunde on Account number 3026761708, First Bank. Or telephone her on 08064447171. Their home address is 12, Adetula St, Off Okedogbon St., Owo, Ondo State

     

  • Pastor held for allegedly defiling teenage boy

    •Community banishes randy preacher
    •Church property set ablaze

     

    A self-acclaimed pastor and General Overseer of the Jesus Army of Salvation Ministry in Ama-Alim Ngugo community, Ikeduru Local Government of Imo State, has been arrested for allegedly practising sodomy with a 14-year-old boy.

    The suspect, Prophet Chukwunonso Okudiover, an indigene of Anambra State, was nabbed by aggrieved youths and handed over to the police after the victim reported the act to his distraught parents.

    The victim’s elder brother, Francis, who spoke on his behalf, said the prophet, who also runs a patent medicine store, invited his younger brother to his shop for medical check-up, where he allegedly hypnotised him and had carnal knowledge of him.

    He said: “My brother went to shave his hair after he came back from school; he was invited by the prophet to come to his shop.

    “When he came into the shop, he started rubbing his chest with a liquid substance after which the boy became unconscious.”

    Francis added that the randy pastor thereafter defiled the victim.

    “When he came back in the evening, he told us of what happened as he complained of severe pains in his anus. When we accosted the suspect in his church, he confessed to the crime and narrated how he had defiled several other male minors.”

    Francis said the youths, who heard about the incident, stormed the church and burnt all the instruments.

    When The Nation visited the community, several villagers who expressed shock over the incident said the prophet had a flourishing prayer ministry which people, especially women looking for children patronise.

    The people, however, said the church only holds vigils every Thursday with large turnout from within and outside the community.

    The church members, who thronged the police station where the prophet was held, in apparent bid to secure his release, said: “It was temptation and no man is above trial. People should not rejoice over the fate of the prophet because such can befall any man.”

    The traditional ruler of the community, Eze Polycarp Nnaeze Anugu, described the act as a sacrilege.

    “The offence is an abomination and he will never return to this community. We want the police to investigate the matter to know how many people he has defiled and to know his collaborators so as to avoid a recurrence.”

    Police spokesman Joy Elemoko said she was not aware of the incident as she has not been officially briefed.

  • Mushin boy wins Spelling Bee

    Adewunmi Usman, an 11-year-old pupil of St Paul African Church Primary School, Mushin has emerged winner of the 2013 Spelling Bee competition (primary category).

    He was declared winner at the competition organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education before a packed audience at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday.

    Adewunmi was followed by Solomon Udugboku, of LA Primary School, Ilogbo-Elegba, and Benjamin Onyeagbo of AUD Primary School, Imota who came second and third.

    The competition, which started with 50 participants, went through five rounds. Words that evicted participants in the third round include pugilist, vulnerable, and assault; in the fourth round, glutton, synergy, trailblazer, and dessert.

    In the last round, which had the final three participants, they were asked to spell bibble babble which they all failed. Another opportunity to spell produced the winners.

    Beaming with joy, Adewunmi thanked his parents, teachers, especially his coach, Mrs Bola Oredipe for encouraging him to read his books.

    In an interview, Mrs Oredipe said Adewunmi is a good pupil.

    “He is never tired, always want to try again and he encourages me,” she said.

    She said when he missed the word Bibble Babble she thought it was the end of the competition for him, but God intervened.

     

  • ‘Help save my boy’

    ‘Help save my boy’

    Friendly Darasimi Daniel Sanusi was lost in a world of his own as he played with a pen and paper. In deep concentration uncommon to his peers, the 18-month-old scribbled away his ‘masterpiece’ of uneven lines. Then, suddenly, he broke down in tears, screaming at the top of his voice. Within seconds, his eyes had turned red; and his mouth, tongue, palms and feet, dark blue. It took a lot of petting from his mother, Mrs Temitope Sanusi, to get him back to his game. Once again, he started playing as if nothing happened. But within seconds, he screamed again, wailing.

    After staying with the boy for two hours, it was evident that it was a usual practice by little Darasimi; and also that the eyes, mouth, tongue, palms and feet were red and blue. What’s wrong?

    Darasimi has a life-threatening heart condition – a hole-in-the-heart. According to Mrs Sanusi, 26, her son was born with the condition, and it is growing worse each day.

    “From when he was born on October 9, two years ago, he always cries and refuses to eat. He even refused taking breast milk. And when he is asleep, he breathes heavily like someone who has been running for long. Also, I noticed that his eyes were becoming redder and redder; and his mouth, tongue, palms and feet had become dark blue. I kept feeling that something was wrong but did not know what to make of it. By the end of last year, his condition had worsened and he was always falling ill. He doesn’t eat; even up till now. He only takes watery things such as water and juice. Give him anything solid and he will vomit it. And by February, I made up my mind that I was not going to sit around and watch my child die. That was when I decided to seek medical help,” she said

    After a series of tests at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Darasimi’s mother received the heart-breaking news.

    “Our baby has a hole in his heart, we were told. In fact, after the test, they told us he was born with the condition. The news broke my heart. We were shocked and confused. It was the first time I was hearing about such condition,” Mrs Sanusi said.

    The news, according to her, has affected their lives. As a student of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), who had just finished her second year of the Ordinary Diploma, she had hopes that she would return to school after weaning her baby. But that was not to be.

    She said: “It has affected my education because after my one-year I.T, I thought I would be able to return to school. Now, I am only concerned with how to save my child. Although my husband is working with a hotel, he is not earning much. His job is even being threatened at the moment.”

    Her constant visit to LUTH for medical checkup instead of easing her pain is adding to her sorrow. I am told that Darasimi’s condition is life-threatening and he requires urgent surgery to correct the abnormality. And the tests show that it is getting worse as the days go by. I asked the doctor what caused it. I was told it is caused by heavy consumption of alcohol or cigarette smoking or an attempt to abort the baby during pregnancy. “But I didn’t do any of that.” But we were told it is also caused by malnutrition and also that children with this kind of problem have slow growth and don’t walk on time. It is making me to be sad.”

    Despite the family’s financial condition, Mrs Sanusi and her husband are determined to save their child. The search for medical help took them to the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria (DSFN), an organisation that has helped sponsor several children living with Down Syndrome who have similar heart conditions. But Darasimi’s case was peculiar. He does not have Down Syndrome but a heart defect.

    She said: “We were told that the surgery could only be done abroad and that it costs over a million. Still, we are determined to learn more about it and to give my boy the necessary medical treatment as long as his life would be spared. My husband then went to consult with a friend, Mr Kanu Ahaoma, the Public Relations officer of DSFN. He introduced us to DSFN president, Mrs Mordi. From there we found that the surgery could be done in India and would cost about N1.8 million. Although they have been of great help, helping us to draft solicitation letters, Darasimi does not have DS, so we have to source for fund ourselves.”

    The task, according to her, has not been easy. For lack of options, she is soliciting the help of well-meaning Nigerians to save their son.

    “I tell you it has not been easy. We have been everywhere looking for help. Our families have done their bit but everybody has their own problem. What we raised from them, we have been using for medical care and tests. My husband and I can’t afford the money for the surgery. Like I said before, I am a student and my husband is just managing his job. Darasimi needs N1.8 million to be flown to India for surgery, to save him from dying. This is my first child and I underwent caesarian operation to deliver him. I don’t want to lose him. Please, help me…help save my son”

    To raise funds for the surgery an account has been opened at GTbank, Isolo branch, with the account number and name: Darasimi Daniel Sanusi 0126879219.

  • Nicole Chikwe gets baby boy

    Nicole Chikwe gets baby boy

    LAST week, we served you gist that Nicole Chukwueke, ex model and wife of Rap sensation, Naeto C, was preparing for the birth of her first child to the Chikwe family. Well, the daughter of Chief Chukwueke, owner of auto company -Germaine Auto Centre, has been delivered of a baby boy in the US. The tiny tot came during the week.

    Naeto C, the son of the former Minister of Aviation, Kema Chikwe, and Nicole tied the knot in July 2012. The couple were secondary school lovers at Atlantic Hall, Epe, Lagos. Naeto C’s wedding was undoubtedly the most expensive wedding ever in the Nigerian music industry, and the reception met up to this feat with the presence of celebrities and assorted drinks served.

  • Nine-year-old boy ‘hangs self’ in Jos

    A nine-year-old boy has allegedly hanged himself in Angwan Yashi, Tudunwada community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

    The boy, Henry Goodness, was said to be a primary one pupil at Mesiah Foundation Private School in Tudunwada.

    His body was reportedly discovered about 3:30 pm yesterday by neighbours.

    A source said the parents were not at home when the incident occurred.

    His uncle, Mr. Goodness, said a neighbour called him on the phone to inform him of the incident.

    The grandfather of the deceased said in tears: “I suspect a foul play. My boy could not hang himself, not for any reason. The boy had no reason to commit suicide. Something must be wrong.”

    The police have been contacted to investigate the incident.