On June 13, 2015, a baby was dumped at Obazuaye Street in Evbuareke Quarters, Uselu, Benin City, at about 11am.
Residents, including Mr and Mrs Osarhiakhi Ebohon, thronged the scene to catch a glimpse of the little girl, wrapped in a black nylon bag. The Ebohons, among other residents, placed curses on whoever might have thrown the child away.
The police was invited to take away the baby who was later sent to the Ministry of Women Affairs in Edo State. But later that night, Mrs. Ebohon observed that their eldest daughter, Joy, was feeling uneasy. She tried to find out what her daughter’s problem was, to no avail.
However she went to inform the husband to probe Joy to know her problem. At about 5am the following day, Mr Ebohon woke her daughter up and threatened her to tell him the cause of her unease.
It was there that Joy opened up to her parents that she was the one who dumped the child on the street. Her angry father went to the police to report the matter. Mr Ebohon then handed over the daughter to the police for prosecution. She was arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Benin by the police on June 17 and was remanded in Oko prisons pending advice from the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on the matter.
Now, Mr and Mrs Ebohon are appealing for the release of the daughter whose first son is barely two years old. Narrating the incident, Ebohon, a farmer, said: “I decided to go to the village to farm because of the difficulty to get money to train my children. My daughter, Osarhiakhi Joy, in jail now, left secondary school some years back. She is my eldest daughter and she is 28 years old. About five years ago, she wrote her SSCE and passed all her papers and got admission into the College of Education, Ekiadolor, but I couldn’t pay the fees.
I begged her to be patient till some other time. Before I knew it, she became pregnant. I called the boy responsible and told him that I didn’t want any stupid act and asked if he was going to marry her and he said yes. Then I told him the condition that my daughter wanted to further her education by studying pharmacy and he said okay. So she gave birth to the first
child, a boy, who is about two years now. After that, she told me she couldn’t be staying at home, that she wanted to learn a trade before gaining admission and pending when the husband, or myself would be financially okay to send her back to school. I said it was okay. That is how she started learning fashion designing.
She told her husband to come and beg me so that, at times, she could be staying with me because her place of work is closer to us and they don’t have their personal house. That is how she stated living with us again. I never knew she was pregnant this second time because I don’t stay in Benin; even the mother that stays in Benin never knew about it. I didn’t know she will be this clever to cover-up without our notice.
“On June13, I came to Benin from the village to relax. I discovered people were shouting that they discovered a baby very close to my compound. I never had the belief that it was my daughter who gave birth to the baby. I was taking my siesta that afternoon when I woke up and ran to the place and I had been hearing the cry of a little baby thinking it was the next compound. I and my wife were among the first person to place curse on the culprit. I was the same person who organized to go call the police that what the person did was bad.
“The next day when I was ready to go back to the village, my wife called me to say I should ask our daughter that the way she was looking at her, there were changes in her. Then I called my daughter at about 5 am and told her to tell me the truth so that I could help her. That was when she told me that she was the one, I was about to collapse but as a man I controlled myself and asked her who was responsible for the pregnancy. She said it was the husband though they are not married.
When I asked her why she behaved that way, she said when she told her husband about the pregnancy, he told her to go and abort it. She said she wanted to tell me but didn’t know what confused her. I was annoyed and took her hand to the chief security officer in my street to arrest her and let her suffer for what she has done so that others will learn from her. Then I took my bag and left for the village because I was having an appointment that morning with some people that are going to work in my farm.
“The same day, they called the police and handed her over to them. She was detained at Textile Mill Police Station with her mother. When I heard about it, I didn’t care because what she did, I was not happy with it. Since then she has been in custody. It was later I heard that she was remanded in Oko prisons after the Evboriaria Magistrate Court said it was not in the position to handle the case as it is within the jurisdiction of the High Court. So they sent the file to the DPP. I said I wouldn’t be part of the case but it was later that people were begging me to realize that my daughter is not a wayward child; that something must have happened. Maybe the way the husband threatened her must have made her do it and she knows I don’t tolerate nonsense because I told her to be very careful as marriage is for better for worse.
Then I called the husband and asked if he was responsible for the baby, and he said no. I called the two sisters of the man and told them to ask their brother if he is the one. They started saying that their brother was not the father of the child, that he was ready to go anywhere for a test, that even the first child, he was not sure if he is the father, that he had to do a test before he could accept him. In fact the boy said we should go to Ayelala (native doctor) to find out that he was not the father of the child. Now I have so much pity for my daughter who already has a two-year-old son with us. I want her released.
I had to act the way I did because what she did was bad. But I have realized that my daughter has learnt from her mistakes. We are going to take care of the child. People should realize that I am not a bad person; if I am, I would not have informed the police to arrest her. The child is at the orphanage home now. We will accept the baby if my daughter is released. I am begging the authorities”.
Asked if she was not aware that her daughter was pregnant, Mrs Ebohon said, “ I was not aware of the pregnancy and I don’t know how she kept the pregnancy that I was not aware. The first one, I was the one that detected it but this one she hid it from me. She told me that the husband is the cause of everything because she wanted to go to school when she got admission into the college of education. Because we didn’t have money, she couldn’t go to school, that is how the boy hooked her. After the father informed the police, they came to arrest us and took statement from me and her; from Textile Mill Police Station, she was taken to Esigie Police Station. She was there for some weeks and I have been going to see her and people were saying it was not her fault; she even said it was the husband who frustrated her that she had to hide it from us.
Though we were annoyed of what she did, people were begging us to pardon her that it is not her fault since she she was not able to take care of the first one. In fact she had that baby on June 13 but the child was discovered on June 16. When we even went to the Ministry of Women Affairs to see the child, they said they will not allow us to see her. My daughter is in prison now crying and begging God to forgive her, and release her to unite with her baby. She insists on going back to school if the opportunity comes”.
It was a pitiable sight when Sunday Vanguard, in the company of her parents, visited Joy at Oko prisons; she wept uncontrollably when she saw her son. Asked why she decided to throw away the child, she narrated: “I was frustrated because my husband threatened that if I didn’t remove the pregnancy, he will not accept it. And I was afraid of telling my parents because my father will not take it lightly with me. What happened was that I went to the toilet to have my bath.
As I was bathing, I entered into labour, the child came out smoothly. I was confused on what to do. I got a nylon bag around, quickly poured water on my body to clean up the blood. I rushed out of the bedroom, walked down the street and quietly dropped the child on the ground and came back home”. Asked how she felt when people were placing curses on her, she said, “I was feeling very bitter inside me. I wept without people knowing why I was crying. It was because of my condition that my mother started suspecting me.
I was scared on what to do because my father will not be happy with me that my husband rejected the baby, while my husband warned me he will not accept the child if I kept it. And I didn’t really want to abort the baby. I have prayed
God to forgive me, people should forgive and allow me go and take care of my baby. Poverty caused this problem for me, if not I would not have met this man. But God will judge him for rejecting this child that is his blood”.
NA WAHHHHHHHH long but interesting read.Poverty should not be an excuse for anyone throwing a baby away so wickedly.
Its a pity. Now she's in jail. Having unprotected sex and not taking contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Thank God the baby is alive.
ReplyDeleteOrder for your very affordable wedding & birthday cakes. Send surprise cakes 2ur loved ones in Abuja.We deliver 2homes and offices.Click on my name to see pics.
Nawa ooooh
DeletePoverty hmmm.....
DeleteHave mercy O Lord
DeleteI love her father. He's a disciplinarian but poverty has taken its toll on them. Poor child.
DeleteStupid girl! You dont wanna abort but had the gut to threw your innocent baby away.
ReplyDeleteRubbish! I pray they forgive you sha but you re wicked.
Pls don't judge like that. U don't know what pushed her. I pray her parents and her find peace. I'm sure they would have killed her if she brought the baby home. God should pls give them all strength. Amen!
DeleteToo long abeg!
ReplyDeleteThe heart of man is very wicked.
DeleteNa wa. Is it d labor that women scream the roof down and those in the neighboring states hear about dat dis one did quietly inside her toilet and even mosquito ddnt kno? The devil is indeed deceptive. He wanted her to go through with throwing the baby away hence she was able to hide pregnancy from her mum successfully for nine months. Not even neighbors saw her stomach.
ReplyDeleteOriegwu
My cousin hid hers o but the parents knew when she was 7months gone. She even gave birth like she was passing out faeces. She almost left the hospital cos all other women were shouting and hers was not like theirs.
DeleteA dysfunctional family.
ReplyDeleteIgbo boy sha wants to speak English....msheew mumu!
DeleteAnon 10:30,
DeleteAbegi, leave me alone.
Are you surprised that I am a master of the letters?
That's the value of education for you .
Right! That's the problem here "dysfunctional family" along with poverty. Also, heartlessness which the girl inherited from her father.
DeleteChei, l am short of words, l wish God gave me or other women waiting upon the Lord to open their womb. People wey wanting de get. People wey nor want dey get. That is why His ways are not our ways. Kai!!
ReplyDeleteThat's inhumane. She went too far abeg. But they should sha release her
ReplyDeleteHian! Abeg mk them pity her and giv her child bk to her bikonu. She don learnt her lesson
ReplyDeleteYea! She don learnt her lesson indeed.
DeleteNa wah. They kept saying her husband when she's not married to him. Poverty dey crase! Her parents were the first to lay a curse on her, they had better reverse it.
ReplyDeleteTears flow freely from my eyes
ReplyDeleteI also remember dumping my first child in the big gutter in my street some years back
I aborted him/her, threw it in a nylon n dumped him in a gutter
The pains was not easy
I could feel his hands, feet n head, when it came out
So fair n beautiful
When I took the abortion drug
I felt the poor child fight for his life in my womb
I cldnt help
Ohhhhh lord
I still ask for forgiveness
This happened when I was 14
My mom didn't want the child
I drank all sorts till my mom took me to a D&C clinic
Phewwwwww
I can relate to her problem
The guilt can not be wiped out in life
Now am pregnant in my hubby's house
Married to the most honourable man on earth
When I feel my baby kick
Ohhhhh the joy isn't comparable
#teenage issues
My story
After aborting, the doctor gave you the dead foetus?
DeleteWow..thats a first, abi is that how it's done?
Very inconsistent! U took abortion drug n threw d baby in a big gutter. Next u drank all sorts. Next ur mom took u to D&C clinic, after d DnC, dey gave u d feotus to throwaway by urself?
DeleteLike seriously
DeleteWow
@quicksilver There is a way its done, u will be injected and can fall into labor within 72hrs or so, u might decide to stay in d hospital or at home. U push out d dead foetus.
DeleteOMG, dear anonymous why did you let the pregnancy get to an advanced stage since you knew you would abort? Well, God has forgiven you if you've prayed and are remorseful. Happy you're married and pregnant but the guilt never goes away trust me, I'm married with a 7 months old baby boy that his smile melts me and gives me so much joy, but I can't still forget the abortion I did, wondering what he/she would have looked like, wanted to keep the baby so badly but the bastard I was dating made me abort it, being a student then, no father only my dear mum who's resting in peace now I had no option hmmmm, it is well
DeleteYou were fucking at 14?.
DeleteGosh.
Now I know dt u're Emjay!!! So u're married now. I wish u well in ur new marriage,poverty na baskard sha.
DeletePoverty is a sin on another level. Hof help us
ReplyDelete*God* I meant to type
ReplyDeleteI have said this over and over again, having a baby does not make a woman a mother. How can the mother not know her daughter was pregnant? If she is a real mother, she ought to know, no matter the tricks implored by the girl.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the Bible that said say no to pre-marital sex, cus without it a lot of vices will be curbed.
My dear it is not always easy to know u r pregnant. I have 4 kids and didn't know I was pregnant with the 4th. It just didn't show. So pls don't judge the mother. Besides she was not living with them fully
DeleteMy dear, its like you don't know how determined some girls act on this hiding pregnancy ish. Even my mother who is the pregnancy detective (being a retired school principal and a mother of 6 children) once got fooled by my pretty faced cousin who came from the village so we could train her. She hid the pregnancy for over 7 months and made conscious effort to be active during this period. I was called the lazy one in the house. Everything I did during that period was compared to her.
DeleteNa my papa first notice, my mother didn't agree. She said everytine her towns ppl come to stay my dad will find fault. Na so my dad just apologize. Until my neighbor called my mum and said 'when is ur girl putting to bed?' That was when we took her to the hospital. Behold! She was almost due for delivery. See drama that day!!
My dad now lined my brothers and the driver and started probing them to confess if they are reponsible, as she would say. She my brothers just dey rake. Lmao. Say which kind nonsense be that Na.... They vexed and left the house for two days. My dad started calling and apologizing to them oh!
I was the one they now sent to go and persuade her to speak the truth. Lo and behold, Na from my hometown she carry the belle come. Said she was scared and confused. Her skin was even glowing that period, I went to buy the cream she was using, cos I thought that was the reason. We had to send her back. After buying JAMB form and all.
I now asked my mum to compare me to her on this issue oh! Since she was my 'competition' Na. Lmao.
Last year, we got a phone call that the said guy is getting married to her sha. They've both arranged themselves somehow.
She should have sold d baby to a couple willing to adopt instead of throwing it away.
ReplyDeleteShe no see buyer n Na timid girl Wey dey hide d belle. One girl for here sell her baby boy lie say d pregnanter mama don take the baby
DeletePoor girl wish I could pay for her to study.
ReplyDeleteGbam! She is just a victim of unfortunate circumstances.
DeleteSee hypocrites in high places running dier smelling mouths to judge!..its only wen u r in her shoes u can begin to wag tail. poverty is more dan enuf reason biko n I don't wish it 4 my worse enemy . Some women in her frustrated condition during pregnancy even run mad. she's sorry n has learnt her mistake if not conscience 4 no gree her confess. Abeg dey should tamper justice wit mercy. Nobody holy pass. #uselesshusband #povertynabastard #stategovtakenote
ReplyDeleteTrue talk
DeleteOne million likes. And no one is talking about the spermitor of a husband (so called). When karma's kicking him 2mrw, he will be calling God.
DeleteI wish I could reach out to the father too what a noble father ,wish all parents were like that .
ReplyDelete@Bianca BRUNO
ReplyDeleteYou took the word right out of my mouth. Some people have things easy and that is why they don't know the value.
I screamed the whole hospital down when I had my treasure of a daughter. And this one just had hers within minutes just like that.
Abeg they should collect the remaining boy from her and give to those that know the value, that's why I like oyinbo, no sentiment.
Nigeria need to have proper adoption institution , there are countless nice couples looking for babies to adopt. At least girls like this one can drop their baby there.
How can her mother living under the same roof with her not discover she was pregnant ??? Haha! Carefree of a mother who went through such phase!!!
ReplyDeleteI know everyone must be gifted to detect feel weeks pregnancy but Hei! Not months old! To think they stay in the same roof..
A woman of 28 years thinking like a kid..
My friend's mother gave birth the next day after we had PTA meeting. Even the neighbors and her own children said she stole the baby. If not the husband dat knew she was pregnant coz she told him. Some pregnancies can hide wella and u won't know
DeletePinky,u never see something o.
DeleteMy former neighbour niece was preggies n she didn't know. This woman notices everything in other people but her niece's condition went unnoticed for 7months plus. The niece was washing clothes when her water broke. She screamed n the hubby who was at home rushed her to the clinic believing the pains n her cries was from the embarrassment of super urine incontinence. The nurses told him to go n bring baby things fast n he asked,for what?. He was amazed when he heard d niece was in labour. He called d wife n they were all in shock. This girl lived with them and did every chore,no headache,no fever,no morning sickness. She just added a bit of weight. Datzall. She was even going for jamb lesson,wearing trousers,skirts,tuck in o. It was the landlord's oldest son that did it o. One round of amateur sex. The pregnanter Na Jambite too.
Hahahhaha!
DeleteYou don't mean it!!
I can remember back then while we were growing up..
I was in my cousins house and her younger sis visited... nobody knew she was carrying an over 8months preggy, infact it was the day one woman visited us and on sighting her she exclaimed, this girl is preggy and I and my cousin were like how come????... This should be different because none of us has had a baby then so it wasn't easy for us to detect, that is why am so surprised that a mother who has gone thru that phase didn't notice..
That was how that my cousin was sent back home and two days later she gave birth to a baby boy..
To think her elder sis EDD was the the previous day.. lol. N'a so we for get ejima for house.
Poverty is a disease,they should please release her and the baby,she learned her lesson in a very hard way. God forgive her
ReplyDeleteA 28year Old!!! I comment my reserve!
ReplyDeleteD idiot man didn't want to accept the first child and u still went ahead to be knacking a broke ass father! M sure e can't even take care of himself!
ReplyDeleteShe go dey scratch na
DeleteOmg.. Pls they should release her. She did a mistake out of fear,frustration., and poverty..They should forgive her.give her baby back. She too needs proper medication and check up and good food. She just delivered a baby.. No be small tin.oo
ReplyDeleteShe just delivered a baby and is in prison a few days later. Very sad. She needs healthcare. I'm heartbroken.
DeleteShe really needs healthcare oh. Lord have mercy on her
DeletePlease guys never cuss out someone until you have walked in their shoes and didn't take the same decision they did. Have a blessed Sunday
ReplyDeleteNo be lie o.
DeletePoverty na bastard
ReplyDeleteThe father shouldn't have handed her over to the police they should have resolved t in their home. The girl get mind o
Such news,Only in Benin.
ReplyDeletePhew!
Hmm.....hope d baby is doing ok
ReplyDeleteEverything is not spiritual people! Based on the fact that she already has another child, I'm inclined to believe that she is suffering from post-partum depression. I know that it is taboo to our society to believe that this condition actually exists but it does and it is psychological and cannot be explained away by saying she's just crazy or wicked because this is way deeper than that.
ReplyDeleteAs a society we have to realise that some of the issues that some of our populace have is because we do not place stock on the human psyche, some people need therapy. Her family should have realised this because she would have been acting erratically prior to committing that atrocious act. If the family can't afford therapy then the first step is identifying the problem and then taking steps to preventing such eventuality by separating the mom from the baby and allowing her a chance to breathe and collect her thoughts, only re-introduce her to the baby when you see the danger has passed.
A lot of moms are suffering from post-partum depression in silence because society has expectations that all women must love their kids right from birth or they are considered bad moms. For anyone experiencing this condition right now, seek professional help or at least confide in a trusted family member. All the best!
I wish i could help her, even though I'm not happy with the way she handled the situation, all i saw was fear, confusion, fear, confusion and more fear..... God take the wheel!
ReplyDelete