The fate of a lady, identified simply as
Ifeoma, who is believed to be between 16
and 17 years old, has been giving residents
of Ilaro, in the Yewa South Local Government
Area of Ogun State, a cause for concern.
It was said that she had been beaten and
impregnated before being dumped in Ilaro,
where she had been living beside a building
on Upper Leslie Road, Ilaro, for over nine
months at the mercy of the elements.
Ifeoma was said to have been dumped by
the roundabout along Upper Leslie Road
around May 2014 by an unidentified person.
On the fateful day she was dumped at the
spot, the residents recalled that her face was
swollen, while marks were seen over her
body.
It was gathered that Ifeoma exhibited traits
of someone who was mentally-challenged,
such as smilling when there was no need for
it, and throwing nothing in particular into her
mouth.
Sitting by two bagfull of used clothes given
to her by Good Samaritans and another one
full of plastic plates, Ifeoma was also
incoherent while responding to some
questions put to her by our correspondent.
Miss Beauty Saliu, a graduate-apprentice in a
bead store in front of the building where
Ifeoma stays, had become Ifeoma’s
benefactor.
She said, “It was sometime in June, when I
returned from a trip, that I saw this girl by
the roadside. Her face was swollen and she
looked like someone that had been beaten up
thoroughly. She was always outside there in
the rain and in the sun. At night, she would
retire to the side of the building and sleep
there.”
Saliu said she later discovered that Ifeoma
had been impregnated.
She said, “After about three months, she
began to exhibit symptoms of an expectant
mother. She vomitted and was sleeping
endlessly.
“I took her to the health centre here in Ilaro,
and also took her to a laboratory and did a
scan.
“She was indeed pregnant, and nobody knew
how she was impregnated. I had to register
her for ante-natal care and continue to pay
all the bills.”
Saliu said a few days to the delivery date,
she contacted the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde
Olugbenle, intimating him of the predicament
of Ifeoma.
Saliu added, “I was the one doing everything
for her. She came dressed only in knickers
and a vest. I had to buy a new set of
underwear and clothes for her.
“When her delivery date was near, I wrote to
the Oba of Ilaro, intimating him of Ifeoma’s
condition. Kabiyesi said I should contact his
personal assistant, which I did.”
Saliu said exactly on January 10, 2015,
Ifeoma was delivered of a baby girl at the
health centre where she had her ante-natal,
and on third day, the baby, now named
Toluwani Amosun, was moved to an
orphanage in Ilaro, named Future Leaders
Orphanage, on the orders of the monarch.
When our correspondent visited the
orphanage on Thursday, Toluwani was asleep
in her cute cot.
But Ifeoma could neither remember where
she hailed from nor her parents’ names. She
also replied to every question put to her in
pidgin Engilsh.
Part of the conversation goes thus;
Punch Metro: Where did you come from?
Ifeoma: “I come from Lagos, Agofure Motor
Park, Lagos.”
Punch Metro: What about your parents?
Ifeoma: My papa and mama don die, dem
dey village. My sister name na Faith and
Favour.
She then smilled and turned away her face
from our correspondent.
Punch Metro: Who brought you to Ilaro?
Ifeoma: One boy.
Ifeoma, however, said she wanted to go
home, but was unable to tell PUNCH Metro
where her home was.
Ifeoma’s benefactors said they hoped that
someone who knew her would show up and
show her the way home with her baby.
Punch.
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