How I Lost My First Child, Buried Her In Coke Crate Due To Poverty – Actor Ibrahim Chatta
Popular Nollywood actor, Ibrahim Chatta, has recounted a harrowing experience from his past, revealing how he lost his first child due to his inability to pay hospital bills and how he buried her in a wooden Coca-Cola crate.
Chatta, 54, made the emotional revelation during a recent interview with Abiola Orisile Events & Parties TV, describing the incident as one of the most painful experiences of his life.
According to him, the child had taken ill and was admitted to a hospital. However, his financial constraints at the time made it impossible for him to afford the cost of treatment.
In a desperate bid to save his daughter, the actor said he embarked on a long trek across various parts of Lagos, searching for help.
“My first child is not Malik. The first child I had died. The hospital requested payment for her care. I trekked from Ijora-Badia. From Badia, I trekked to Itolo in Orile. From there, I trekked across Lawanson to Costain. All the way to Makoko,” he said.
Chatta explained that those were the same areas where he once hawked puff-puff to survive. Despite the long journey and his efforts, help didn’t come in time.
“I did not get money until the child died,” he added with visible emotion.
Unable to afford a coffin, the grieving father said the child was buried using an old Coca-Cola wooden crate.
“They buried her with the wooden Coca-Cola tray,” he stated.
The actor, who has since risen to fame, recalled a touching moment that brought the memory flooding back.
“The day I went to Dubai, I bought a diamond chain for the only girl to put on her leg. Her mother felt somehow, and said she was not the one who gave birth to her. I told her I had a female child before and explained how she died. They all cried. They have never heard that story from me,” he said.
Chatta, who is now a father of three, said he loves all his children dearly but still desires to have more.
“God gave me three. But I want more children,” he said.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
