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| Yemisi Ilo |
Yemisi Ilo, a creative consultant and project manager has been living with Multiple Sclerosis for nearly 10 years and angry that Zara Gretti’s sled to her death bares her mind …..Zara passed on Friday March 28th about a year after making her illness public.
Yemisi is really upset and bares her mind...
''I also have MS and I am currently in Singapore – where by His grace I will finally halt the progression and hopefully and prayerfully reverse some if not all disability. I spoke to Zara on Tuesday. She said she was being given ‘Agbo’ to drink by her family and that it was killing her. Those were her exact words. I told her to not drink it. With an already compromised immune system – Agbo is bullshit. It is poison. MS is not malaria. I gave Zara clear details of exactly what she needed to do to try to get well. It isn’t easy at all - I should know but unfortunately for her, she was surrounded by very ignorant people at the end who felt that they knew best. I first heard of Zara when I read about her on Linda's blog a year ago. I got in touch with her immediately and started a Skype friendship. I was in London and she was in the States (US). We spoke regularly.
When I went back to Lagos, we would WhatsApp and I would call her. When she came to Nigeria in October last year, I went to see her and she was surprised that she could move better than me! I organized the Battabox interview (which we did at my parents house). She said she didn’t want to live with her mum in the States – yet she had no one to look after her there apart from her mum. She needed someone. She even wanted to come and stay with me, but I am married with small children and my own MS issues were already enough for one house.
I am so pissed off, so angry, so fucking sad, teary and frustrated. If I had been in Nigeria, I would have gone to pick her up on Tuesday when I spoke to her. She was so desperate to leave Ogba. She said she had a return ticket to America and would try to leave ASAP. I gave her my neurologist’s number so she could get some steroids to help her get over the horrible relapse she was having. Also to get her to explain the condition to Zara’s family so they would realize that this was not an ‘Agbo’ matter. I have had MS for nearly 10 years. My walking has deteriorated and I am currently alternating between a walker and a wheelchair. Zara was worried that she wouldn’t get married and have kids – I told her that I had 4 kids and was happily married and continued to work and that there was hope. I have always been vocal about MS and even appeared on a ‘Moments with Mo’ episode talking about it. There are many Nigerians with MS – I know a few but they want to keep quiet. Their families are embarrassed. Why? I don’t know? It can happen to anyone at any time.
Granted, I am extremely fortunate to have the strength of character and a loving and supportive and enlightened family to deal with this HORRIBLE condition that has led to this opportunity for me to undergo Hemapioetic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) – Google it. It has taken donations from over 100 people to do this. It costs over $150k (N24,727,501). I told Zara that since she was a US citizen, she could get on a trial at the University of Chicago under Dr. Burt for free. I just want people to know that MS didn’t kill Zara – ignorance did. As well as our fatalistic attitude in Nigeria where everyone prays and no one takes action.''
Thanks
Yemisi.
*RIP Zara..God knows best.
she may or may not have a point. however, this is NOT the time to be crying over spilled milk. Zara's family did not wish her death so reading something like this will be very painful to them. If this so-called Yemisi was so concerned about Zara she could've taken her for treatment or come back to nigeria to cater to her. abeg!
ReplyDeleteNa wah oh,see ur reply! How could she take care of her when she had the same? She can barely walk! Google ms and you will understand! She paid $150k for treatment! This lady could go on Medicare for treatment. If this is true then na ignorance that killed Zara
DeleteLets be careful wat we say with our mouths. I totally agree with you busybee. Yemisi might be right but is it necessary to start lamenting on this now? NO
DeleteNigerian government failed Zara, they could have helped her with the funds. Yemisi is probably rich and her family can afford the bills. Let the poor girls soul rest and lets not start another debate.
Get a life please.
RIP Zara
It is a shame Yemisi should choose this time to make statements like this, I bet she doesn't even know the parents, I can tell you categorically that Toyin was not ignorant she probably knew more than Yemisi, she had access to her own neurologist in America, she felt her treatment in America was not working for her, she personally wanted to try alternative medicine, if you where so close to her she would tell also you also her dad didn't fancy the idea and that she was going to detox and go back to treatment in the state, you talk of ignorance but i'm afraid you are wrong.
DeletePlease let her soul rest in peace.
R.I.P Ejiro
Yes she may be upset and there is a lot of truth to what she said, her words are almost cruel.
ReplyDeleteThis an opportunity to educate people etc. not pile it on the mother or whoever
Righteous indignation or not. Channel that energy into something positive
Its a pity
ReplyDeleteRIP Zara
Dear Stella, I have just added more love to the former love I had for u! U are too much! In the "guess who" post I saw that someone suggested u put up this post to help enlighten blog visitors...and now u have done so! I think its great. Welldone...
ReplyDeletePS: u are a unique blogger!
This is just too sad. RIP, Zara. You are at peace now . No more pain
ReplyDeleteThis is the wrongest time to say this. Where is your sensitivity ? I mean people are hurting seriously, you are here talking about you want people to know "ignorance" killed her. What the hell ? Okay so this thing I just read now, has Zara woken up ? I mean common. And no, Zara is enlightened, if truly she resulted to Agbo it's because she gave up on life or perhaps got tired because she practically had no support system. I mean when she organised for money, no one answered and even bloggers ignored. So when there's no money, how she go take do am ? You have money and backbones, you can't compare yourself to Zara from the little I know about her via social networks. Even on MI's page on instagram; he has a screenhshot of their conversation and she said "Na me be my papa and my mama" ... This doesn't mean she doesn't have, she perhaps just doesn't feel their presence and does everything for herself or she might not truly have. Let's just be objective sometimes abeg...again, I belive this is a wrong timing for all this, that's if at all. .it was necessary to write anything.
ReplyDeleteU r jst dumb, its pple like you that delay the progress of this nation, her voicing out will educate other pple to avoid a repetation.
DeleteTruly dumb ass typical Nigerian. Sensitivity my ass.
DeleteTruth. Ignorance kills.
DeletePls we need to stop this ignorance ahh it's too much. If it saves someone then its truly worth it
DeleteNigerians can sincerly be annoying. Am not gonna blame Yemisi for all shes said but did she really have too? I have never heard of Zara until tge day she passed unto glory as i dont live in Nigeria. I had to go read bout her when some of my friends in the Nigerian musix industry started writing things on fb that they could have done better and helped her bcos they could and bla bla bla. These are people thst could afford to help the lady and i have been wondering since Friday why we wait till the last minute, am not blaming anyone but i had to research on Zara and i was able to see that she appealed for FUNDS and it got to that stage when our leaders are stealing so much. Its really sad, i watched Zaras appeal videos with tears that her colleagues in the music industry couldnt do so much. No one should blame her family if they couldnt afford the accumulated bills. How much fund did Yemisi herself raise for Zara.
DeleteLets leave the poor girl to rest in peace as shes gone to meet her maker where she will have no more pain. No need for angry words if you are looking for attention?????
Rest in peace dear Zara.
Ignorance kill most Nigerians than disease, we want God to hail us from everything without action. How can God heal us without supporting such healing with practical work (proper medication) even the corruption killing us in Nigeria we still want God to come and cure it for us without actions from citizens. Funny enough our leaders pray to steal more than men of God. Yemisi is very right, How can someone give Agbo in replacement of medication? very sad situation.
ReplyDeleteHmmm! God knows best!
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! Agbo ke!
ReplyDeleteI read this earlier and I wept silently and bitterly. A Lot of people are dying/per minute from illnesses that can be salvaged. I wish Dada would read this and stop being brainwashed by prophets. Heaven help us.
ReplyDelete*off topic but still important,i also notice the sexual predator Koleoso was recently deleted on facebook,I know that beast (God forgive me,but that's what he is) can be tracked down, pls poster keep us updated cos I believe projectAlert will pursue it. Pester them until they do. I pray for God's peace onn you,you'll find closure...eHug#
Do you know if he changed his name? Check olawale dada the one carrying a child.
DeleteI wonder why she did not stay in the US especially since she is a citizen. Her mother is in the Us and she allowed her sick daughter come stay in Nigeria? Agbo ke? Some women are not fit to be mothers at all!.
ReplyDeleteSpoke with her cousin and she confirmed to me that Toyin popularly known as ZARA doesn't like taking her medication and that's why she ran back to Nigeria. Her mum is coming in from the state today. She has better choice but choose not to..so stop blaming her family.
DeleteThis happens a lot. What does agbo really do? I do not understand how something that looks so poisonous can do any good.
ReplyDelete....everyone prays and no one takes action #word. Those words hit me big time.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance is truly a disease,howcome I never heard of her?what did she do?,anyway it is too late to pass blame just hope people can learn,some people can take agbo for everything and it iis so sad.
ReplyDeleteoh noooo..... The things 'Agbo' has caused eh! Pepper come and pepper me. Lolzz. For the love I have for ezewanyi I shall bear a new name on this blog henceforth. Ezewanyi hi......
ReplyDeleteBaby oku, can you stand the hotness?
DeletePepper ije.
Galore hi.....
ReplyDeleteStay away from Galore.
DeletePepper
If she's really a US citizen she could have applied for Medicaid and get the right treatment. May her soul RIP. Too late now.
ReplyDeleteThank you, @Lisa spencer. I said it that now she is dead, this is when you will see people like this coming up to give long speech,crying out and all manner of eye service. The fact still is, when she was alive and u guys were even so close, what help "Financially" did u give to her? Cos to me, that was what had always delayed her treatment abroad. Was the family at fault? YES! they were, BUT I believe they had no option than to what they did, and probably managing the little financial donation they've at their disposal just to meet up with the amount needed for daughter's treatment abroad, that was why they got involved in such local aid. So this is simply MEDICINE AFTER DEATH. Aunty Yemisi should stop ranting and cool down biko. I am not easily moved with such seamon mbanu! Rest In Peace Zara. God knows best.
DeleteRip to Zara, aunt stella, I'm @ a cross road, & I think I'm loosing my patience or impatient
ReplyDeleteI understand this woman's frustration. Same way I was angry when HIV/Aids killed someone I know because of ignorance. And of course because they thought that prayer changes things. Quite very true, I am a believer of fervent prayers too. But God also put doctors in business to help us heal. Then u can back medicine up with prayers if u wish, u would have done ur best. People should stop allowing naysayers to insult God when they should struggle as human beings. It is so sad. But I say, it was Zara's time to depart, else help would have reached her on time. RIP dear one
Delete:(
DeleteGod bless your soul for doing this Stella... You truly do have a good heart
Delete...dis rele touched me. Ignorance is indeed d worst....just to point out, her mum resides in d states & yet knew nothing abt d treatment u mentioned???
DeleteAunt Yemisi, I knw u upset buh Pls wen writing to d public, zap out d curse words.
God bless her soul. RIP Zara
Don't loose it,dash it outt
DeleteAgbo?....gawd!...so speechless,rest in peace Zara
ReplyDeleteOh sweet Lord ,have mercy on us and forgive our selfishness.A young woman is so burdened with a disease and wonders if she wld ever have a family and some of us who are fortunate to have one neglect ours,Yemisi is using over 24 mill donated by people to get treatment just to have her life back and some of our government officials are busy siphoning our monies for personal enrichment...weeps,may Zaras soul rest in peace and Yemisi may your health be restored......Mrs D
DeleteWow! So sad. Its too late for Zara now.
ReplyDeleteI hope other people with this condition will learn.
The BiBle is always right after all..."My ppl perish because of lack of knwledge"
ReplyDeleteSo so sad, Zara RIP. There is so much stigma about every illness in nigeria, HIV, cancer ms etc what a pity
ReplyDeleterip zara ..... feel so bad ryt now ,smh
ReplyDeletestill mua ........CharisMAtic DIVA
In 2014 Agbo for MS ke? Wao this is shocking and unheard of. Why was she still in nigeria for heavens sake? A US citizen like her should have been flown abroad fast for proper treatment. I hope that her people continue to live with the guilt that they couldve saved her life if only they were not this dumb and ignorant. May her beautiful soul rest in peace
ReplyDeleteOh SHUT IT. They should have given doctors sand to start treatment shey?
DeleteAll of them be forming 'I'm angry she was not treated well' all of them be forming familiarity wit d dead; God will judge. Nobody gave her attention while she was alive not even Stella( I stand to be corrected). As much as I don't lyk Linda Ikeji, at least she preached d gospel of Zara
ReplyDeleteThanks Aunty Yemisi for the notification but please, let's all respect the dead. Her death hurts me a lot. Because she did all she could to save her life. She posted on all social networks, begged, cried and prayed. But the socialites / entertainers and some wealthy citizens whose contributions could have helped to get d transplant ignored her. Zara has gone to rest. And I believe she rededicated her life to God before she bows out, which is the ultimate. Nobody should come here to blame anybody. Once again, thanks Yemisi. May the great physician restore u back to health in Jesus name. Adieu Zara. God knows best.
ReplyDeleteShe is Dead and Gone; No Amount of Anger or Tears will be able to resuscitate her... Let no one apportion blames, only God knows Best and Why.. RiP Zara.. We Continue to pray for you.. Kachifo nwa oma, its well
ReplyDelete@i_ChoPtas_Not
Ignorance is indeed a deadly disease. May we all learn from this.preciouscore.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteSo so sad!RIP ZARA
ReplyDeleteSo sad.....
ReplyDeleteRIP to the dead....we need to know that agbo and aleo vera are not the panache to all illness....thank God for you ma..being very sick without funds or peeps to raise funds is also very very frustrating..
ReplyDeleteYou didn't add moringa. I tire 4 our Nigerian mentality
DeleteIts sad.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance in itself is a deadly disease.
Agbo for MS?
Odiegwu!
RIP Zara!
Ignorance is bad and truly a disease,they just killed this young woman for nothing,if she had known she would have gone back to the USA ASAP pathetic set of ignoramus individuals, hiss.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm RIP Zara
ReplyDeleteLost a friend calked Rhoda to this disease it is really bad. I really hope a cure can be invented soon. To Zara rest in peace sweet one.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance at its epic..RIP ZARA
ReplyDeleteOh God so painful, rip dear.
ReplyDeleteStel wetin dey happen 2day wif u? Hop all's well o? Just got my name, I'm no more anonymous.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance (especially in the form of religion) kills! I empathize with this lady. I too had a similar experience when my mother was diagnosed of cancer. Due to the courage given to her by the church...she stopped going for chemo and died 3 months later. I was so angry and upset. She gave the church (winners chapel) everything she had (time, services, money) and prayed incessantly, and the pastors told her that God said she will not die and will live. After she went into remission they told her to claim it by faith and trust God and not doctors. She left chemo and went and gave testimony that she has been healed of cancer...3 months later she died! I was so angry because i didn't even know she stopped chemo. We suffer so much due to lack of knowledge. We throw common sense and the practicality in science to the wind and believe folk tales by midnight while making these liars rich in the process. Zara was my childhood friend, but we lost touch, and i was so saddened by her death. I didn't understand why she went to Nigeria but it all makes sense now. Her mother perhaps took her back to go "seek god's face" and it appears like she decided to trust more in these local herbs than in medical knowledge. I went on her fb wall and read her talking about some pastor telling her that her dreads are demonic and that she has to cut them off if she wants healing...WTH?! WE are so enlightened yet we fall for all this bullcrap. I am not blaming zara because i know that she was such a smart and independent-minded person, but her helpless condition must have made her desperate to do anything. As hard as it is, i also dont blame the mom as she was probably very ignorant and was desperate to save her daughter. Its all the rouges that walk around in sheep's clothing everyday preaching and deceiving the masses that i blame. But time has come for us to stop falling victim and take back out minds and strong will! Stop falling prey to the deception of these "pastors".
ReplyDeleteU just said it all. Sorry for ur lost.
DeletePls leave the mother jo
ReplyDeleteHow does a dog returm to its vomit
You catch sickness you go US and heal small next thing you carry koko legs return where you sick begin do photoshoot and I am back interview instead of to jeje manage a quiet life and continue recovery by grace of God.
Vanity
Wow..anon april 1 4;55 am. You are so evil. Wow. You are evil. Infact you are a bloody fool for your statement. Ask yourself a simple question. How would her family feel were they to read your comment. "Dog"? "Koko legs"!!??!! Do you have ANY idea what it's like to be facing a near hopeless situation and ALL you want is just some form of normalcy in your life and just to LIVE? What would you have her do? Hide away indoors and forget there is a life beyond her sick bed and healing process? How insensitive of you? The same "koko legs" caused her much pain and sometimes she couldn't even walk you moron. The same "dog" going back to its "vomit". Was just a young "lady" wanting to enjoy the "life" that always brought her fulfilment and made her forget "temporarily" her true and stark realities. You FOOL!
DeleteAhhh the heart of man is indeed wicked!!!!! But Stella why would u approve this insensitive comment?? This is the first time I'll be so crossed with u Stella. I know u dont care, but I must let u know this. Haba!!!!!!
DeleteRIP zara
ReplyDeletewow so sad
ReplyDeletewow so sad
ReplyDeletewow so sad
ReplyDelete