Why I picked up a two year old child abandoned by a mentally ill mother, I quit my job to take care of her -Law graduate from Enugu, Nwashara

On June 15, a 27-year-old law graduate, Benkingsley Nwahara, rescued a two-year-old child who had been abandoned by a mentally ill mother in Agabani town, Nkanu West LGA, Enugu State. He tells GODFREY GEORGE and TEMITOPE ADETUNJI why he did it and how the little girl is doing What is your name? My name is Benkingsley Nwahara. I'm 27. Am from Imo state but am based in Enugu. I am a law graduate from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani Campus, Enugu. It is said that you picked up an abandoned child from the streets of Enugu and took her to your home. Would you like to tell exactly how it happened? It's true. It happened on June 15, 2022. I was coming back from a night out with friends in the evening when I saw something that looked like a log of wood on the road. It must have been around or thereabouts. Some of my friends thought it was a snake, so I turned on my phone torch and shined the light on the area to be sure what it was. It was then that I saw that it was a child sitting helpless in the street. We moved closer to see that the child was just sitting. She had sores all over her head and rashes all over her body. Her clothes were dirty and akara balls littered where she sat. Maybe passers-by dropped them for her to eat. She neither spoke nor moved. She was just sitting there watching us. I approached her and spoke to her but she did not answer. I touched her and saw that she needed urgent medical attention. I decided to take the child with me. Where exactly did this happen? This happened in Agbani Town, Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu. Did you bring the child home? I asked first in the area and they told me that the child belonged to a mentally ill woman who had stayed in the area and that she (the child) must be about two years old and that 'she had been there for about three days without any help. The mother, too, had not come. In fact, they said the mentally ill woman had just given birth to another child a few days earlier and had not been seen since. Hearing that, I knew I couldn't let her stay there. It had started to drizzle as it had been raining non-stop for days in Enugu. I could not imagine how this child had survived these rains without any shelter. It saddened me. I directed my light at her again and her eyes shone. He was filled with hope that help had come. I quickly called my girlfriend and told her what happened and she told me to quickly take the child to the police station first, which I did. What did the police say? It was almost noon and the policewomen on duty told me that there was nothing they could do that night. They encouraged me to take the child home and come back the next day to make a formal report of what had happened. So, with the support of the officers, I decided to take the little girl home. You weren't afraid? Honestly, I was scared but I was filled with compassion and the fact that I was doing this for the good of the child and society. I just couldn't imagine how I could sleep that night knowing that this little girl would be out in the cold, exposed to danger from kidnappers and ritualists. Besides, that night, the people around encouraged me to take the child. She had been there for days and no one cared, so they would have no moral right to tell me to leave the baby there to die. What did you do when you got home? You know his body was full of sores and things. I was even confused. My girlfriend had come, so she bathed the child and covered her; we fed her and she slept. The next day, I quickly went out to get baby clothes and food for two-year-olds. In fact, I became a father overnight. I spent nothing less than N150,000 in two days. The next day I took her to a pediatric hospital and they told me she needed urgent medical attention as she would be placed in the intensive care unit for close monitoring. I had to make sure I was there for her. As I knew it would affect my work, I told my boss that I would need time off. Later, I just handed in my resignation. This child, for now, is my priority. I have to be with her 24/7 so I'm sure she's fine. I also had to hire someone to help me with the things I can't do for her (child). How did you take care of the child? It was not easy for my finances to take care of this child. I stretched my budget for the month. I also had to make a lot of sacrifices for her but that's not the point right now. I just want her to be okay and healthy. It would give me great joy. People contacted me online and offered to help me and did it any way they could. I am grateful to them. Some sent me baby clothes and packaged food to support me. Has anyone come to claim ownership of the child since she's been with you? To date, no one has come forward to say they know how to reach any of the mentally ill woman's family members. In fact, I thought then that when I saw one of his family members, I would sue him for neglect and child abuse. They know very well that the mentally ill woman cannot raise a child; why leave her with a child for two whole years? Now she gave birth to another and disappeared. Only God knows where she and this newborn baby are as we speak. Have you involved local government authorities? Of course, I went to meet the Local Government Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area. He invited me over and we spoke with child protective services but they still insisted that I keep the child for the time being. The President could not believe this was happening in his LGA. He was almost moved to tears. They said they wouldn't know how to take care of the child because she was too fragile and needed a lot of special care, which only I could give since I had shown interest. They also gave me some money to add to what I have to do to take care of the child. The DPO of the Agbani police station, where I had gone to report the night I found the child, called me later. When he heard my story, he was also moved and told me to continue to raise the child and report to him. He is a father himself and he supported me. He attached an escort for us and always called to make sure I was okay. Have you contacted an orphanage that can take care of the child? Those we contacted told me that the child was in danger of dying at their hands. Everyone was just scared. If you saw how the child was when I found her, you'd be scared too. What really fuels your compassion for this child? Do you have a child of your own? (Laughs) I'm still very young. I don't have a child now, but I want to have one when I need one and I wouldn't want any of them to go through what this little girl went through in this lifetime. Honestly, I saw hope in her eyes that night I saw her. In fact, it felt like it was divine. I knew it was orchestrated by God for us to meet in this way so that I could save this child. I have always loved kids, being a teacher in the childrens department of the Anglican Church. Are your family members aware of this? I told my mother but I didn't tell any of my siblings. But I'm sure they must have heard because my brother called me and was so proud of me. They were just glad it was me. What is the ultimate goal for you? What do you hope to accomplish with this? All I have in mind is to revitalize this child and make sure she's alive. I want her to find a good family who will take care of her and give her the best life she deserves. People have contacted me to get her adopted, but it's not in my power at the moment. But for now, she'll be under my direct supervision. Since even the orphanage and the government told me to take care of her, I would until I was sure she was safe with whoever decided to take her as theirs. What did it teach you about life in general? One important thing this taught me is to always do the right thing, regardless of what anyone is thinking or doing. I also decided to open a foundation for abandoned and destitute children who need help in order to be a beacon of hope for them. Do you have any words for the government and the general public on this? The government needs to do more to ensure that we no longer have these cases of neglect and abandonment. The mentally ill woman who also disappeared also worries me. For her, giving birth means that there are people impregnating her. It's a terrible cycle for these people, and the government needs to be more intentional. Society should also be kinder to these children, as they are the ones who can become the elements of crime if not taken care of at this stage.