Residents Call On Govt., NGOs To Rescue Baby From Mentally Challenged Mother In Ifon

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Yusuf Oketola

RESIDENTS of Ifon, the headquarters of Orolu Local Government of the State of Osun, have sought the intervention of the State Government and Non-governmental Organisations in rescuing a little baby from her mentally challenged mother.

The mentally challenged nursing mother who was simply identified as Kafilat, is an indigene of Ifon and has been going around with her little baby of about a year old. 

According to Kafilat who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER incoherently, her family refused to take care of her when she developed the mental illness.

She claimed that her in-laws drove her out of her husband’s house to allow him marry another woman.

The baby, according to Kafilat, was named ‘Mobina’ by her mother who claimed that his original christen name was not revealed to her when he was born. 

Kafilat pleaded for a proper medical care from concerned members of the public. 

She said: “My family refused to give me proper medical attention. My child and I were driven away from home by my in-laws. The baby name was not revealed to me when I gave birth to him. So, I decided to name him ‘Mobina’. Some people want to take my husband from me.” 

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, some workers at Orolu Local Government Secretariat said Kafilat has refused to release the baby to her family, accusing them of attempting to use the little boy for money ritual.

Some of them who spoke under the condition of anonymity said the state government supposed to have provisions for people living under such condition. They said leaving the poor boy at the mercy of a mentally challenged mother is detrimental to his well-being.

They noted that the past administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola established a rehabilitation centre at Ilobu to look after such cases, where they rehabilitate destitute, train them and reunite them with their families.

Some of them said: “The family of the woman has tried all they could to take away the boy from her mother but she is always accusing them of wanting to use him for rituals. The situation now is beyond their capacity. The state government should intervene through the Ministry of Women and Children and Social Affairs.

“Nongovernmental Organisations can also be of help to the child. The illness of the mother can also be cured if given proper medical attention. Sometimes, she speaks well when she gained her sanity.

“We have a rehabilitation centre at Ilobu during the last administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. This is where such illness was being treated. Hardly will you find people with this kind of challenge going around naked on the street.