My baby’s dad disappeared after learning I gave birth – Amputee

Twenty-year-old Kafilat Sorunke was one of the mothers celebrated on New Year day by the wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun. In this interview with DAUD OLATUNJI, the physically-challenged mother says the father of her baby is nowhere to be found

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Kafilat Sorunke. I am 20 years of age. I make a living by hawking medications and getting commission on sales.

Did you go to school?

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I did but stopped at Primary Three and since then I couldn’t further my education.

How many children do you have?

This is my first child. I gave birth on December 18.

That’s over two weeks ago. Why have you not been discharged; were there complications?

I am still here at the hospital three  weeks after my delivery  because I have not  paid the hospital bills.

How much is your bill?

I don’t know.

How did you feel having the wife of  Ogun State Governor carry your baby during her visit on New Year’s day?

I was happy when the governor’s wife visited us and carried my baby. She gave us money. I was so happy meeting  her.

What about your husband?

I am not married to the man I got pregnant for.

Where is the man? Is he aware that you have a baby?

Yes, he is aware; he called  only to  congratulate me when he was informed that I had been delivered of a baby boy. But after then, I have not seen or heard from him; he has run away. Since I was delivered of the baby, he has not been picking my calls.

What is the man’s name?

His name is Wasiu .

What about his surname?

I don’t even know. Help me beg him to come. I need him to see his boy. He was the one that impregnated me. When he called he did not dispute that he is responsible. But he has not shown up since then and his mobile line is no more reachable .

Where do you think he can possibly be?

I couldn’t trace him because his friend that I know has also left their house. So, I don’t know his whereabouts.

How did you meet him?

I live at Alarugbo in Bide-Olude;  we met in the area as friends and it turned to this.

What does he do for a living?

He  sells tiles.

Have you named the baby?

He  is a boy. I have named him Tobiloba Korede. I also call  him  Olamiposi. I am a Christian. I am not happy that he (the father) is not here. Immediately he got the news that I had been delivered of the baby, he became unreachable. I did everything to get him through the people I know with him. I asked for his whereabouts, none is ready to tell me where he is.

What was the experience like for you during the pregnancy period?

My mother made the pregnancy period easy for me. I initially registered at a  trado-medical centre.  I was transferred here because I had complications during labour. The hospital I registered at  was at Bode-Olude.

What was your experience at the trado-medical centre?

The people  there are not professional at all. Someone would just come and dip his hands in my private parts and leave and when you ask them why they were doing that  they would say they were feeling for the pulse of the  baby and all that. They were  many that operated on me. One would come, dip his hand in my private parts and leave; another would come and do the same. I  was actually brought to the hospital here as emergency patient. I was told that the baby was very big but when I got here I was successfully delivered of  the baby. We thank God. The doctors and nurses  here are friendly. They take care of me very well. They did not treat me badly despite that I am yet to pay my bills. Help me thank them.

How did you lose your hand?

My hand  was amputated when I was young. I remember that it suddenly became stiff and I could not  stretch it. So, one of our neighbours forcefully  stretched it and that worsened the case.

What happened afterwards?

The hand broke. It started getting  decayed  and before we knew what was going on, maggots started coming out of it. I was then taken to the hospital where I was told it would be amputated and it was amputated.

What kind of assistance do you need?

I will appreciate if I can get a prosthesis

and if the government can set up a provision shop for me, I will be grateful because I can only trade. I can’t do any vocational work. I cannot learn any vocational skill because of the state of my hand and this has  made things difficult for me  up to the date of the delivery of the baby.