Chimamanda Isiguzo Needs $16,500 For Immediate Heart Surgery

Little Chimamanda Isiguzo

Her name is Chimamanda Isiguzo. She is only two years and 10 months old. Like for every baby, her parents, Mr and Mrs Azubuike Isiguzo had great dreams for her. But that dream may be marred by the discovery, after an initial diagnosis and conclusive tests that Chimamanda has a heart problem. According to the Echocardiogram report signed by Dr. Chinyenre Uzodimma, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist at X-Serve Clinics in Surulere, Lagos, little Chimamanda indicated "complex cyanotic congenital heart disease." Consequently the doctor recommended "cardiac catheterization and angiogram; surgery." Well the good news is that there is a diagnosis of the medical problem of Chimamanda, who incidentally has started kindergarten school. However, she cannot do what other kids do as she tires easily as a result of her condition. The bad news: her parents cannot afford the cost of the surgery in India, due to financial constraints.

Specimen of Hospital Bill

Last week I got a call from Mrs. Hope Isiguzo, the mother of Chimamanda who got my number from well wishers who had erroneously thought that I was still a practising Journalist at THISDAY Newspapers. Incidentally shortly before Mrs. Isiguzo's call, I had been confronted while coming out of a bank in Asokoro area of Abuja by a man soliciting for help on behalf of a woman requiring surgery for hernia. I was too preoccupied with my own challenges and plans for my upcoming birthday celebrations on Friday, October 18 to pay heed to that SOS. However, when I got the call inundating me with the medical condition of little Chimamanda, I had the feeling that my plans for my birthday celebrations was going to change remarkably. Coincidentally, I was headed for the prospective venue of the birthday groove to seal the deal!

Like most people, I had longed for this birthday because in spite of all odds, I would be ushering in another brand new year in my journey of life. And like majority, I may not have gotten all that I had wished (some that were already in the kitty may have been lost), but I had every reason to be grateful for the gift of life.

Specimen of Hospital bill

My Dear Friends, I have decided to postpone my birthday celebrations (apologies to all those who had started the preparations with me) for another day. My one birthday wish is to give CHIMAMANDA Isiguzo an opportunity to get a much-needed heart surgery so that she may one day blossom like Chimamanda Adichie of the "Half of a Yellow Sun", "Purple Hibiscus" and "Americanah" fame. When I started getting congratulatory messages one week ahead of my special day, I had a premonition that the Day was yet going to be laden with blessings.

I knew for a fact that I will not be able to do this alone. And that was why I decided to partner with my friends at "CKN Nigeria", award winning bloggers and online newspaper who have a track record in matters of this nature and you my good friends who have showed me immeasurable love over the years. My birthday will be most memorable if you contribute to the CHIMAMANDA ISIGUZO help fund. No donation can ever be considered too small. My prayer is that even as you do this for little Chimamanda, God will do for you what you cannot do for yourself. The cost of surgery at Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, India with 10 days hospital + post discharge stay/accommodation + air tickets (for parents and baby) is approximately $16,500 or N2,673,000 (at exchange rate of N162 to 1$US). The details of the account domiciled at Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) are as follows:

Account Name:        CHIMAMANDA ISIGUZO

Account Number:      0114806586

Sort Code:              058152269

Swift Code:             GTBINGLA

 

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Photo: HIV positive Woman Arrested For Breastfeeding Neighbour's Baby

39-year-old Zimbabwean woman, Annie Mpariwa who is HIV positive has been arrested for breastfeeding a neighbour's baby without her consent. The case which is already in court has been set for further hearing on the 24th of October  for an HIV test to be performed on the toddler. She was arrested last week on charges of common nuisance and should the child test positive; the charge will be raised to “deliberately infecting another person with HIV”. The mother of the 14-month-old baby said seeing her child being breastfed by her neighbour was traumatising.

According to her, the neighbour snatched the child while she was playing outside and hid her in her room. But after searching for the child for quite some time, she went and knocked on Annie’s rented room and got no response. Upon peeping through the window, she saw her breastfeeding the little girl.

I was shocked. I nearly fainted,” she said, adding that her breasts were leaking milk yet she was not a nursing mother or pregnant.

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True Life Story: How I Left Lagos For Benin And Got Raped Repeatedly By A Trusted Male Friend

 

Peruse this story i just read....
A friend of mine (names removed by me) reached me and invited me to come to Benin City for an event. I have known him since 2011 so I thought nothing of it. Like no harm can be done after all we go way back and stuff. So I booked my ticket from Lagos and I flew to Benin. On the 13th that was a Sunday, and it was the day of the event. After the event we went to chill at a hotel in GrA Benin. He had a Suite there.  We were with other friends, we all talked, laughed, gisted and all until about 10pm. Everyone started leaving gradually, I wanted to call a cab to take me to my own hotel, but he kept on insisting on dropping me. I was like it is even better, I would save my cab fare.

So I had to wait for everybody to leave before he could drop me. Every body finally left and I was about to stand up to leave but he kept on insisting that I should stay and I kept on saying it was late that I have to travel back to Lagos the following day because of work.


Then when I stood up angrily to go and get a cab, he pulled me and slapped me and asked me 2 sit. I thought it was a joke at first because I just couldn't believe it. Then I took my phone to call out and he seized them saying I am not going anywhere. He tied me up in his hotel, stuffed my mouth so I couldn't scream. He raped me over and over. He said his baba said I was the perfect candidate for his rituals and for his upcoming elections to take place properly next year. I was shocked, I couldn't even believe it.

I have heard stories never thought I would have seen it first hand. Every 2 hours of everyday I was raped, mishandled and rough handled. I was helpless. I wept and cried all to no avail because no one could hear me. Then on Tuesday evening he went out and came back and rubbed something on his manhood and said that it was what his baba gave him to use on me when sleeping with me. That I would loose my womb and my good fortune.

I begged, I cried, I did all I could but he refused. At night when he tried to rape me with what th baba gave him, his manhood wasn't functioning, he tried and tried but it just wasn't getting up then he started to hit me and tried again but nothing and he left in annoyance to go and meet the baba. He was so much in a hurry he left the door open. He didn't lock it with the key. I was there waiting for him to get back.

Around 9am this morning an hotel staff came, they knocked no one answered and then they went down to get the other key only for them to find out the door was even opened from the beginning. And there I was. They helped me out and all. The names he used in filling the hotel forms are all fake. He is still at large. The police are on a hunt for him. His wife is in police custody.

So I want to use this medium to reach anyone that knows anything about him. He calls himself honourable .... (removed and other details too). I just really thank God for life because this is sumone I thought I knew and I was certain. God saw me through, it's not because I am too fine or too holy. This shold be a warning to everybody. "You can only be sure of yourself, no one else.

For those who would say this story was made up, sit down there and keep saying it was made up. She gave all the man's details, because she wants people here to help her find him. But you see, I am not an FBI agent or a police officer, and since the case is already at a Police Station, the Police should do their job. More so, I only put this up for ladies to learn. Trust no one especially the opposite sex. They don;t love you more than your family, if they give you a thousand naira they are expecting you to give them something worth ten thousand naira in return.

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R.I.P! Businessman Killed For Not Settling Area Boys

A businessman, Charles Ugwu, has been killed in the Ajegunle area of Lagos, over his refusal to settle some street urchins, popularly known as area boys.

The incident was said to have occurred at Uzor Street, Ajegunle, on September 24 2013. A tyre dealer, Ugwu was said to have been accosted by two area boys, identified as Saturday and Chimezie, while offloading goods from a vehicle to his shop.

The deceased’s wife, Stella, who claimed to have witnessed the incident, told PUNCH Metro that her husband had resisted the thugs’ efforts to extort money from him resulting in the assault on her husband.

She said, “Around 9pm on that day, two young men, known as Saturday and Chimezie, accosted us saying they would not allow us to continue working until we settle them.

“We asked them why we should pay them because the goods had nothing to do with the hoodlums. Saturday was “annoyed; he walked away only to return with stones, which he threw at us. When my husband cautioned him to stop causing trouble, Saturday picked up a “stick and struck Ugwu on the neck.”

Ugwu was said to have fallen to the ground while all efforts to revive him failed.

PUNCH Metro learnt that immediately after Ugwu was killed, the Divisional Police Officer of Ajegunle Police Station, Mr. Abayomi Agbana, was contacted. Agbana was said to have dispatched policemen to the area and the two suspects were arrested.

The bereaved wife lamented the hardship that had been brought on the family due to her husband’s death.

She said, “Who will train my children for me? Ugwu was a good father and husband; he was much too young to die. We loved each other so much. How can my three children be fatherless at these ages? Our first is just 15 years old. The second is 12 years and the last child is nine. These hoodlums have wiped out the joy of my life.”

In his statement at the police station, Saturday claimed that he actually demanded money from the businessman but had nothing to do with his death.

He said while demanding money from Ugwu, Stella told her husband not to part with any money.

Saturday claimed that at that instant, Stella held his singlet. He alleged that Chimezie and the deceased were trying to appeal to Stella to let go of the suspect when the businessman suddenly collapsed.

He insisted that neither him nor his accomplice had fought Ugwu.

Chimezie was also said to have alleged, in his statement, that he was trying to appeal to Stella when her husband suddenly collapsed. He claimed that no form of violence had been used on the deceased.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, Lagos, for further investigation.

The victim’s younger brother, Francis, said the family was ready to bury the corpse but police had yet to release the body.

He said, “The police have insisted that the autopsy report must be done before the body would be released.”

Detectives at the SCID have however blamed the ongoing doctors’ strike for the delay.

A detective, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity on Tuesday, said, “Many bereaved families have been complaining since the doctors strike started. This is because they want to bury their loved ones but cannot take away their corpses because autopsy reports have not been done. The situation is worrisome and embarrassing in some cases.”

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, Ngozi Braide, said she would call back when contacted for information on the case. She had yet to do so as of 8pm.

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Food of life!!

Abacha

Abacha is a very common dish in the Eastern part of Nigeria. It can be served as a meal or a snack and it is usually served with fried fish. There are different ways to make this dish. The traditional way I learned to make it is inside a mortar. Also, due to health reasons, I usually cut out potash from the recipe. You can make this dish without the potash and still get the same nice tasting abacha.Thank GOD FOR CHICHI'S INSPIRING BLOG...Leggo!!!

Ingredients:
Abacha
2 spoons potash (akaun)
Palm Oil
2 handfuls Crayfish
Pomo/Canda (chopped into small pieces - optional)
Dry Pepper
Ugba/Ukpaka (oil bean seeds)
Knorr
Salt
Onions
Garden eggs
Garden egg leaves
Fried Fish

Directions: Fry the dry pepper (without oil) in a pan till it blackens a little then grind with a dry mill. Do the same for the crayfish and set them aside. This frying releases their flavors but is optional if you don't have a dry mill. Just buy the crayfish and dry pepper already ground.

Soak the abacha in water for like 3minutes. Drain into a strainer and set aside.

Grind the potash and add a cup of water to it. Stir well and strain into the pot you'll be making the abacha in. Put the pot on the stove and heat. Add the palm oil to the pot and stir well for like 5minutes then turn off the heat.

Add the abacha, ugba, pomo, crayfish and knorr. Add the pepper one spoon at a time and taste so that you don't put too much. Mix everything together and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Dish into a plate and garnish with onion slices, chopped garden eggs and cut garden egg leaves. Finish off with fried fish and ENJOY!!!

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