http://www.punchng.com/news/why-i-abandoned-my-kids-for-eight-years-father/

Mr Segun Adepegba, the father of the three children abandoned in a boarding school for eight years in Abule-Iroko in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mr Segun Adepegba, on Wednesday, reached out to PUNCH Metro.

Adepegba said hardship pushed him to the wall and that was why he could not take care of his children. He, however, promised to visit them before the end of the week.

The father of three, in a telephone interview with PUNCH Metro, recounted his ordeal, saying, “life has been very tough for me.” He said he left the children because he was jobless and had no house to accommodate them.

PUNCH Metro had on Tuesday reported that Adepegba’s children-Seun, 14, Titilola 13, and Seyi, 10, had been abandoned since 2007 at Solid Rock Model College in Abule-Iroko. The children, who had been eager to meet their parents, said the absence of their parents was affecting their studies.

For many years, the school authorities had been trying to reach Adepegba to no avail. The proprietor of the school, Mr Samuel Ayegbusi, had told our correspondent that any time he called Adepegba and he realised it was him, he would switch off his phones.

Adepegba, however, bowed to pressure on Tuesday after reading the report by PUNCH Metro. He told our correspondent that abandoning his children was inevitable, promising that he would visit the school.

While narrating his ordeal to our correspondent, he said, “In 2007, my wife and I had a misunderstanding and she told me she was leaving me. I was frustrated and the children were little. Seyi, the youngest was just two years while Titilola was just five.

“There was no way I could give them motherly care. I had no job. As a man, I needed someone to help me take care of them and that was why my sister suggested that we enrol them in a boarding school.”

Adepegba told PUNCH Metro that when the children’s bills kept accumulating and he had no means of paying, he was afraid that if he came to the school, the proprietor would get him arrested.

He said, “I feared that if I suddenly appeared at the school, the proprietor would get the police to arrest me. I really appreciate the proprietor of Solid Rock Model College, for coming to my rescue and accepting the responsibility to help me take care of my children. The truth is this: I was pushed to the wall. I didn’t want my children to be beggars on the street.

“All these years, I have been jobless. I had no house to live in. I was putting up with someone. I just rented a one-room apartment and just got a job. I am not a wicked father. I really miss them but I am gradually overcoming the challenges I have been facing. I did not abandon them in that sense. I can assure you that before the week runs out, I will visit them.”

Asked whether his wife had called him about how the children were doing, Adepegba said since she left him in 2007, he had not heard from her.

“The last time we saw each other was probably in 2007 when she left me. I have been trying to reach her but my search has not been fruitful. I heard that she is somewhere in the northern part of the country,” he said.

However, the school proprietor told PUNCH Metro that the school authorities had no intention of getting Adepegba arrested for his debt .He said he reported the matter to the Ogun State Police Command because he was fed up.

He said, “I have nothing against Mr Adepegba and I understand his plight. My grievance was that he kept on rejecting my calls and abandoned his children. How could he as a father leave his children for this long? It is not a good thing.”

Our correspondent learnt that the news of their father’s return had lifted the heart of the children. The children were all smiles when they were told that their father had promised to return before the end of the week.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro on the telephone on Wednesday, Seun, the eldest of the trio said, “I am very happy that daddy has promised to come back. It means I would not have to spend my holidays in the school again.”

Titilola added, “I hope this is not another promise that will fail. I am really looking forward to seeing him because it will make me very happy.”

Hardship ? I thought he was heartless I just realize he's afraid of his responsibilities , Sir please next time go for kids according to ur income. "Nigeria shaa"

So τ̲̅ђe man still D̶̲̅ε̲̣y exist...

He have shown up

To me, this man hasn't done what is right.

How could He have loved his Kids and yet left them for Eight years?

I really don't know......

Na wa Yoruba women sha. To them for better for stay for worse for running away to another man.

This man needs to be shot,why give birth to them if u are not ready to take care of them....i would rather sell my kidney or be used as lab-rat than to see my kids suffer

He has finally shown up

Ide4u:
To me, this man hasn't done what is right.


How could He have loved his Kids and yet left them for Eight years?

I really don't know......

please stop blaming the man. The heartless mother who first abandoned the man and her kids to run to another man because her huband is jobless should be blamed. How can a woman be so heartless not to ask after her kids for the past 7years? The man was wise enough to have enrolled them in school even though he messed up too for abandoning them for that long. Infact,both parents and their relations are very heartless for not asking after the kids. Some people get mind sha.

God bless the proprietress and the school for taking care of the kids.

Lo

So what of the money his sister based abroad sends for the kids..


Lets see if he will come as he said

The sister should send the money to the school directly


But.........People can lie ooooo

SMH at Yoruba people's mentality.


God bless the school.

Space booked incase mods do d needful

The guy said "hez scared of being arrested" so he cares more about himself than his kids? That's selfish. That's what happens when people who are managing the little they have be giving birth to kids anyhow like say 2moro no dey without thinkn of the future.

Hmmmm (Big Sigh). May God help us all

Good to know that their father is still alive: hope rekindled for those children.

Let's await their mama's response to the story, too after 7Years....(Sighs) It's unimaginable what those three children must have gone through -the trauma.

Thanks to PUNCH Metro for doing the needful.

Power of the MEDIA!!! I LOVE MY FIELD mehn.... Long live the fourth estate!!!!

the man bleeped up but Nigeria has a greater blame

ChiSun27:
SMH at Yoruba people's mentality.


God bless the school.

What has tribe got to do with this, dumb head?

2cato:
Na wa Yoruba women sha. To them for better for stay for worse for running away to another man.

You guys can't comment without tribal/religious colorations!

sademola:


You guys can't comment without tribal/religious colorations!

to prove to you that i dont hate Yoruba people i will like to ask for ur hand in marriage.
Please kindly accept

Lacomus:
Hardship ? I thought he was heartless I just realize he's afraid of his responsibilities , Sir please next time go for kids according to ur income. "Nigeria shaa"

My man having a maximum no. of 3 kids is not really BAD..
EXCEPT he has more within...
EVEN KE-KE RIDERS can carter for more than 3 kids since they make up to at least 18k/per week ....
Most times MEN of such nature are BED-RIDDEN by ALCOHOL and WOMEN.
WHEN u possess these 2 GIFTS , hardly can u leap to the next level of life...

That murrafuka is on drugs no doubt. He should give accont of the money sisters abroad send to him for the children's upkeep. Nonsense! Naija hard but I don't believe a well spoken man like that could not have gotten something, no matter how little to do for 8years! Haba! Na cocaine dey run dat body. Those kids are not safe with him at all, government should adopt them.

kayciano:

My man having a maximum no. of 3 kids is not really BAD..
EXCEPT he has more within...
EVEN KE-KE RIDERS can carter for more than 3 kids since they make up to at least 18k/per week ....
Most times MEN of such nature are BED-RIDDEN by ALCOHOL and WOMEN.
WHEN u possess this 2 gifts, hardly can u leap to the next level of life...

LoL gift indeed

It is not compulsory to have kids. It is not even necessary. The planet is already over-populated, its best for certain people to just stop raising babies, you can get married but dont raise kids if you cant afford to. Please.

Shame! He should go and watch "my dad, my supermom" tv series and see what Nigerian dads went through raising their kids all alone.

If you cannot make sacrifices for your kids, I wonder....

berem:
please stop blaming the man. The heartless mother who first abandoned the man and her kids to run to another man because her huband is jobless should be blamed. How can a woman be so heartless not to ask after her kids for the past 7years? The man was wise enough to have enrolled them in school even though he messed up too for abandoning them for that long. Infact,both parents and their relations are very heartless for not asking after the kids. Some people get mind sha.

God bless the proprietress and the school for taking care of the kids.

Nwanne, God bless you too much. You spoke my mind here completely.
You should leave politics section ooo, lolzzzz,
This is one of the reasons I fell in love with you.

BTW where is TEHN when you need them please, I wanna donate a token to those kids

No excuse is acceptable.... You are a disgrace to fatherhood and the human race entirely!

The school deserves some kind of national award on the ground that they weren't using the children for slave labour.

Some adults in Nigeria are like sharks that leaves their offsprings to fend for themselves on the first day of birth.

Gabbysky:


Nwanne, God bless you too much. You spoke my mind here completely.
You should leave politics section ooo, lolzzzz,

This is one of the reasons I fell in love with you.

BTW where is TEHN when you need them please, I wanna donate a token to those kids

why should I? Your reasons please.