Osatohanmwen Okoh was once a vibrant, beautiful police
officer cum business woman. Life was rosy and sweet for her as she had her
husband and children, a home to call her own and her job. All these necessities of life
disappeared overnight and she was left with nothing except two out of three
children to take care of despite her zero financial level. It wasn’t a fire
disasterbut more devastating stages of frustration and calamities.
Peoples Daily Weekend encountered
Osato as she is fondly called, at the 10th year anniversary of Kapital FM,
where an anonymous philanthropist had used the platform to donate another
N2million to widows gathered within Abuja.
This intervention wouldn’t have reached
Osato who roams the street of Abuja with her children without a roof over their
heads, and takes solace in parks and Christian convention venues to lay her
head at night. She was however able to know about the good gesture, thanks to
her old worn transistor radio which is her only link to social life.
Osato who roams the street of Abuja with her children without a roof over their
heads, and takes solace in parks and Christian convention venues to lay her
head at night. She was however able to know about the good gesture, thanks to
her old worn transistor radio which is her only link to social life.
On hearing about the donation that
was going to be made to widows, she rushed to the venue. Not knowing that this
writer is a journalist, she approached her and asked where the list of
beneficiaries was. It was immediately suspected that her case was different
from the rest of the widows, who definitely had the grace to wear their best
outfit and had been despite all odds able to feed their selves and the children
they left at home.
was going to be made to widows, she rushed to the venue. Not knowing that this
writer is a journalist, she approached her and asked where the list of
beneficiaries was. It was immediately suspected that her case was different
from the rest of the widows, who definitely had the grace to wear their best
outfit and had been despite all odds able to feed their selves and the children
they left at home.
However, Osato was not disconcerted;
she was breathing heavily which gave the hint that she was not medically fit.
she was breathing heavily which gave the hint that she was not medically fit.
Though she was shown how she could
get enlisted but she was already late for the full package, she had to make do
with half. She told Peoples Daily Weekend that in her condition, a quarter or
any amount will be appreciated by her as she was not even expecting any good to
come her way again.
get enlisted but she was already late for the full package, she had to make do
with half. She told Peoples Daily Weekend that in her condition, a quarter or
any amount will be appreciated by her as she was not even expecting any good to
come her way again.
This statement prompted our reporter
to further urge her to tell her story which she relayed in fluent English, but
with tears streaming down her cheeks.
to further urge her to tell her story which she relayed in fluent English, but
with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Her story
I was living at Jikwoyi phase
4, Dagbana near Catholic Church in Jikwoyi. All of a sudden, I lost my husband.
Then there was the demolition exercise in the area. I was not at home when they
did it, my neighbours phoned me and when I came they said a woman claimed she
owned the place. In fact the case is in court between people that own the place
and the woman.
4, Dagbana near Catholic Church in Jikwoyi. All of a sudden, I lost my husband.
Then there was the demolition exercise in the area. I was not at home when they
did it, my neighbours phoned me and when I came they said a woman claimed she
owned the place. In fact the case is in court between people that own the place
and the woman.
When I came, I saw that most of my
properties were vandalized by Babbanboola(waste disposers) though my neighbours
helped me packed some. Since then I have had no place to sleep; I started
moving around with my baby which I had after my husband’s death. My husband had
died before the demolition incidence. Iwas moving around with my three children
in tow but the baby died; she could not survive the malaria and cold she was
exposed to. I was taking her from one hospital to another but she didn’t make
it. I took the other two to the village after her death.
properties were vandalized by Babbanboola(waste disposers) though my neighbours
helped me packed some. Since then I have had no place to sleep; I started
moving around with my baby which I had after my husband’s death. My husband had
died before the demolition incidence. Iwas moving around with my three children
in tow but the baby died; she could not survive the malaria and cold she was
exposed to. I was taking her from one hospital to another but she didn’t make
it. I took the other two to the village after her death.
By that time, I had spent all the
money I had on her illness. I was selling foodstuff (gari, palm oil etc). I
used to go to the village to buy those things to sell. I was selling both
wholesale and retail.
money I had on her illness. I was selling foodstuff (gari, palm oil etc). I
used to go to the village to buy those things to sell. I was selling both
wholesale and retail.
The death of the baby, loss of job
and capital, loss of roof over my head and the absence of my husband who was supposed
to stand by me, all these led to high blood pressure for me. My B.P. rose even
to almost 300. I even had partial stroke but I was able to survive it. Since
then I’ve not had a place to sleep; I just hang around at places; wherever
there is night vigil, I go there to stay; I stay at motor parks and places like
that.
and capital, loss of roof over my head and the absence of my husband who was supposed
to stand by me, all these led to high blood pressure for me. My B.P. rose even
to almost 300. I even had partial stroke but I was able to survive it. Since
then I’ve not had a place to sleep; I just hang around at places; wherever
there is night vigil, I go there to stay; I stay at motor parks and places like
that.
I cannot really stay in the village
because I was not like this before, I was better off, I was a police officer
before I was dismissed from duty on the basis that I was absent from work.
because I was not like this before, I was better off, I was a police officer
before I was dismissed from duty on the basis that I was absent from work.
My boss personally defaulted me,
tried me which is actually against the ethics of the job even if I was guilty,
I pleaded with him but he wouldn’t listen. The reason I was absent from duty
was due to an accident I had, and I went and showed him my injury, he said I
should go and treat myself only for him to accuse me of being absent from duty
afterwards.
tried me which is actually against the ethics of the job even if I was guilty,
I pleaded with him but he wouldn’t listen. The reason I was absent from duty
was due to an accident I had, and I went and showed him my injury, he said I
should go and treat myself only for him to accuse me of being absent from duty
afterwards.
He picked on me because he had
previous problem with me; he insisted that I should be tried. I requested for a
neutral body to try me as the ethics demand.
previous problem with me; he insisted that I should be tried. I requested for a
neutral body to try me as the ethics demand.
Despite having all the proof of not
being guilty, he went ahead and recommended me for dismissal. I wrote an appeal
through him because he was my direct boss. He withheld the appeal,
instead of giving it to the C.P. It was after everything had happened that
people started telling me I should have sent an advance copy to the C.P. I
didn’t know because I have never been involved in such crisis before.
being guilty, he went ahead and recommended me for dismissal. I wrote an appeal
through him because he was my direct boss. He withheld the appeal,
instead of giving it to the C.P. It was after everything had happened that
people started telling me I should have sent an advance copy to the C.P. I
didn’t know because I have never been involved in such crisis before.
It was after this that I knew the
whole procedure so I wrote an appeal to force headquarters three times; unknown
to me that, he had a squad mate there that was hijacking the appeal. There was
a time one of my former bosses came to police headquarters, he saw me roaming
around and asked me what the matter was. I told him everything and he took me
before the O.C provost who sent for the officer.
whole procedure so I wrote an appeal to force headquarters three times; unknown
to me that, he had a squad mate there that was hijacking the appeal. There was
a time one of my former bosses came to police headquarters, he saw me roaming
around and asked me what the matter was. I told him everything and he took me
before the O.C provost who sent for the officer.
The squad mate sent a message that he
was not on duty which was a lie because I saw him few days before that day. He
was even making jest of me calling me a civilian. I went to his squad mate and
asked why he said the man was not on duty. He said, why would he want his
friend dismissed? That didn’t I know they are squad mates? He said I should go
and do my worst; he would not present his friend for trial.
was not on duty which was a lie because I saw him few days before that day. He
was even making jest of me calling me a civilian. I went to his squad mate and
asked why he said the man was not on duty. He said, why would he want his
friend dismissed? That didn’t I know they are squad mates? He said I should go
and do my worst; he would not present his friend for trial.
I continued to go but eventually, my
file was declared missing and it became a matter of ‘who do you know?’ since I
didn’t know anybody there, there was nothing I could do. He even suggested I
slept with him or give him money but I declined both options and that was the
end of my career as a police officer which was when I was about getting
promoted to a corporal.
file was declared missing and it became a matter of ‘who do you know?’ since I
didn’t know anybody there, there was nothing I could do. He even suggested I
slept with him or give him money but I declined both options and that was the
end of my career as a police officer which was when I was about getting
promoted to a corporal.
I sold my land in the village which I
used to start the raw food business which later collapsed due to the demolition
and the illness of my baby and her eventual death.
used to start the raw food business which later collapsed due to the demolition
and the illness of my baby and her eventual death.
To make ends meet. I pick empty water
containers, empty malt cans which I break and sell at N40 per kilo. Some will
collect 28/30 of 75cl water bottle container from me for N100.
containers, empty malt cans which I break and sell at N40 per kilo. Some will
collect 28/30 of 75cl water bottle container from me for N100.
This is how I have been surviving and
managing to look after my children.
managing to look after my children.
If they give me this money, supposing
it will be enough to rent a house, I will love to sleep in a house again and if
it will be enough for me to do the business I was doing before, I will like to
continue with the business since I don’t know how much, whatever it is enough
for me to do, I will do it.
it will be enough to rent a house, I will love to sleep in a house again and if
it will be enough for me to do the business I was doing before, I will like to
continue with the business since I don’t know how much, whatever it is enough
for me to do, I will do it.
My B.P is always rising, the doctor
at the last hospital I went to in Nyanyan where I was even admitted always tell
me to take my medicines but I can’t afford to buy it. He said I should be
staying at places where I will not be thinking because of the partial stroke I
had so I try to look for how to make myself happy but it’s not that.
at the last hospital I went to in Nyanyan where I was even admitted always tell
me to take my medicines but I can’t afford to buy it. He said I should be
staying at places where I will not be thinking because of the partial stroke I
had so I try to look for how to make myself happy but it’s not that.
Life has been so difficult for me. I
will like to start business again, sleep in a room again because am tired of
being on the street, carrying all these rubbers on the head. Said Osato.
will like to start business again, sleep in a room again because am tired of
being on the street, carrying all these rubbers on the head. Said Osato.
