One question that has been begging for an answer for over 9 months is: who impregnated Ruth Gure Chabani, a mentally-unstable indigene of Kabba Local Government of Kogi State?
Ruth, 28, who was shortlisted for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, gave birth to a boy through Cesarean Section (CS), on July 22, 2023, at the Gwarinpa -Life Camp General Hospital, Abuja.
The travails of the graduate of Public Administration from the Kogi State Polytechnic, Idah, started in 2021, when she started acting in a mysterious manner. Like Ruth, many young Nigerians are roaming the streets from treatable mental disorders, often from drug abuse or bipolar-related issues. The father, Williams Chabani explained that his daughter was at the verge of completing the NYSC registration process before she unceremoniously stopped. The 67- year-old narrated that since then life has never remain the same for him and his family due to the erratic behaviour of his daughter.
Also, the embattled father said he was shocked when he lured his daughter to a hospital and the doctor confirmed that she was five months gone. He said even his daughter denied being pregnant as she flaunted her tummy to the public glare. For the black-skinned Chabani, the joys of fatherhood has sagged going by the stress of minding a daughter who is sick, a new born baby, and the economic hardship, at his age. He narrated how he had traveled from Nasarawa State to Niger State back, then back to Kogi State, all in search of his daughter’s remedy. Looking confused, he explained how he had visited almost all the churches in search of a miracle for his daughter. According to him, the burden would have been reduced if his wife was alive. He disclosed that his wife died 20 years ago, living behind six children to cater for. And because of the fear of a another woman maltreating his children, he refused to remarry, just to ensure that all his children got the best of life.
“She just finished her HND at the Kogi State Polytechnic. She travelled that day to collect her certificate. When she got to Abaji, she came back. The following day she went again and collected the certificate.
“The next she started behaving abnormally. She started talking strangely. That was in October. She was supposed to go for service.
“She finished school in 2020. But because of the COVID-19, her batch was shifted to allow those that graduated before her set to go for service.
“Her name had been shortlisted. In fact, her name was number 11 on the NYSC list in 2022. That was when the sickness started. I took her to Niger State in a place called Kafin Koro. We did 3 months and all appeared fine.
“But the illness started again. I took her to Nasarawa State in a place called Takalafiya after Karshi, we spent about 3 months nothing happened. In fact, we have gone to all the churches yet no tangible result.
“I took her to Lokoja, Kogi State. We spent about a month and came back without solution. I took her to Kunkuti in Niger State where we spent 5 months. Yet there was no result.
“When we were in Kunkuti, I just left to pick some things in Gwagwalada and as she did not see ne, she followed me home on her home. In fact, I did not even know she was pregnant because she is chubby.
“It was when I took her for a check up that it was confirmed that she was pregnant. She has not been able to point out the person. She used to go out and come back within Gwagwalada.
“About 4 days around 4 p.m as if she would go out and return. When I waited for her till 9p.m and I did not see her, I went inside believing that she would return as usual. About 3:19 a.m I received a call from her and she was shouting and crying that ‘Baba, it is Kura, I am dying.’
“At least, she was able to give my number to somebody to reach me. I had to beg the taxi to help me to take care of her because it was not possible for me to leave Gwagwalada to Jabi expressway, at that time.
“I was dumbfounded and wondered how she was able to find her way to Jabi Expressway. I begged the driver to take him to the police or Federal Road Safety Corps or Civil Defence, any of them to help.
“At about 4 a.m I called, he did not respond. About 5:10a.m was when he responded. He said he went to the police, there was no vehicle. It was the FRSC that had a vehicle and assisted him to take her to the Gwarimpa-Life Camp General hospital. The doctors accepted her.
“About 6a.m and entered the rain to the hospital. Before, I was approached Berger Junction, the hospital called me and asked if I knew Ruth, I answered in affirmation.
“The nurses and doctors tried to persuade her push for the baby to come out, it was impossible. Around 11:30 a.m, the doctors said they would take her to the theatre and that I should sign for Cesarean Section (CS). I did.
“I was crying. No too long after, the doctors and nurses told me that she had given birth to a baby boy. They brought the baby to me. She does not agree with anybody. Anyhow she treats me as a father, I cannot give up. She is my daughter. To God be the glory, she is still alive,” he recalls.
Continuing, he said: “l have spent a lot of money. It Even it would warrant me to sell my house, I will do it for her to get better. We still have good people who are helping me out with loans. It is getting better now.
“Before now, she would not want to see me. I don’t know the person that impregnated her. I have handed over the person to God.
“Their mother died in February 2, 2003. She gave birth to 8 children. Two died before she died.
“Ruth is the second to my last child. My last child is writing her final examination at the Federal Polytechnic, Idah. I cannot give up on her.
“Sometimes, she will leave the house for 3 weeks and when you ask her about her whereabout, it would not talk.
“Somebody needs to be there to watch her and the baby because she is abnormal. She can do anything to the baby.”
Similarly, Ruth’s elder sister, Grace, in shock, said her sister, while in school never for once brought home a man as a lover that they could have suspected to be responsible for the pregnancy. She added that efforts to persuade her sister to disclose the identity of man had been futile as she has refused to disclose the identity of the man. According to her, her father gave her sister anything she asked for without hesitation. She said the sister would leave the house for days and even weeks without telling anyone due to her condition until she gave birth. One of the nurses, who spoke in confidentiality, said even after putting to birth, Ruth has remained resistant to drugs and antibiotics. She expressed fear that the wounds as a result of the CS could lead to serious complications, if she remains adamant to treatment.
“There is nothing you will say to her for her cooperate. The family needs serious help. Normally we have philanthropic organisations like Saint Vincent De Poor and individuals that come around.
“Some people will just come and ask those that needed help and they will pay. Some give N100,000. Some give N200,000. So, the day they came was the same day she was admitted.
“We are still hoping that the next time they come, we will make a case for them. They are in the hospital on credit. The man has not paid anything substantial.
“The first day he said he had N5,000 with him and he needed some money to pay for his transport back to Gwagwalada.
“I told him that we needed some injections on the ground so that in case of any emergency we can give it to her.
“Because of her condition, she will abuse us saying that we should not use her to learn work.
“The hospital does not have an option. If they cannot pay, the management of the hospital will wave it. Our hospital is very kind. This morning when I came I bought some antibiotics. If not that she refused, I would have given her some,” the nurse narrates
Murtala Adamu, a commercial taxi driver, narrated how and when he me her. He said he met her at a spot that is very close to the Airport Junction bridge, in Abuja, naked. He said most of his colleagues refused to touch her because of the blood coming out from her and the fear of being roped in by the police in case anything happened. Adamu narrates: “I saw her close to the bridge. You know that in the night, we (taxi drivers) sleep in our vehicles. I just heard her shouting ‘Jesus, help me.’ I opened my vehicle in the night.
“I called two of my colleagues. When we went there she was shouting. She was naked. We are all men and we did not know the kind of help to render.
“I asked them if we could report the matter to the police because if we take her to the hospital at that time, they might not accept her because of police report.
“They did not support me. I asked her if she had a number of any of her family members. She gave me the number of her dad. And I called him.
“At that time, I was not having a cab. I asked my brothers if they could put her in their vehicle for the night, they refused.
“I begged another if he could help me with his carpet for her to sleep on top in his vehicle, he refused. It was about to rain.
“So, I begged another person to help me to take her to the bridge and it was a bit difficult because she was unable to walk.
“We tried and lifted her to the bridge in the rain. So, very early in the morning, we reported the matter to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
“The personnel took her to the hospital. I called the dad and directed him to the hospital. I did it because of God regardless of religion.”
Mental disorder in Nigeria
According to the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), more than 60 million Nigerians are suffering from mental ailments.
Prof. Taiwo Obindo, President of the association disclosed that “mental healthcare is in a sorry state given that we have more than 60 million Nigerians suffering from various mental illnesses and the fact that only about 10 per cent of them were able to access appropriate care.
“We are left with more than 90 per cent who are unable to access care and this group is called the treatment gap for mental illnesses,
“Knowing that 60 per cent of Nigerians live in the rural areas, they do not have access to appropriate care and have to travel long distances to access facilities.
“The environment in which we practice, the security situation and the remuneration that people were given in the country tend to push them out.
“And then, of course, the pull factor from the developed countries where they tend to poach on the already trained medical practitioners in the country, particularly the psychiatrists.”
Recommendation
A number of workable solutions have been provided. But for key healthcare providers, there is the need to do more. First, there is the need to get the government convinced and committed to the importance of delivering adequate mental healthcare at the primary care level.
There is also the need to educate the populace on the nature of mental illnesses, to ensure the availability of effective treatment and the provision of adequate facilities.
More importantly, there is the need to design a suitable model of mental health care and linkage that will be cost effective, cutting through the primary and secondary care levels to the tertiary/specialist centres.
Similarly, there is the need to reduce destitution among people with mental illness through rehabilitation and reintegration with families. This can be achieved through the provision of affordable and accessible mental healthcare for people with mental disorders in economically disadvantaged communities.
Conclusion
In many cities across Nigeria, including the nation’s capital, Abuja, mentally-unstable people roam the streets. They’re often victims of sexual molestation, especially women. While the government has the responsibility to keep the streets free from urchins, it needs to do that with a human face.