By Chioma Obinna Emotions ran high at the headquarters of Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB, Lagos as Oritoke Aluko-Olokun, the mother of a 38-year-old man, Oluseun, born with autism spectrum disorder, a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates with people around him, narrated her heart –rendering story. Oritoke spoke at an event to announce the 7th edition of the Annual Autism Conference held under the theme: ‘Childhood to Adulthood: Communication and Social Development’. It was a morning of testimonies but the account of Oritoke was the most gripping. The Retired Chief Radiographer and others trained under the Initiative found their voices and recounted their stories on the life – changing condition which medical experts say, with structured support, victims can live a good life into adulthood. One after the other, the mothers took turns to narrate their stories. Tears flowed freely as Oritoke recollected how she was abandoned by her husband and forced into carrying the burden of her child’s condition alone. According to her, all was well with her marriage until she had what she described as her “beautiful boy”, Oluwaseun. “My son, Oluwaseun, walked at 11 months. He started talking and interacting with the father who was very happy with him initially. Anytime the father was coming in and knocked the door, the boy will ask, ‘who are you?’ He started saying A for apple and B for ball until when he was one and a half years”, the retired radiographer narrated. However, the mother’s travails began when the little boy was hit by measles. “I worked in the hospital because I happened to be a radiographer with a hospital in Lagos. I took him to the hospital for treatment and he was okay. “Shortly thereafter, Oluwaseun had chicken pox. That was when real trouble started. Later, we noticed that he became hyperactive and he wasn’t hearing. Then the hearing was restored but his hyperactivity continued. We want back to hospital; unfortunately, nobody could diagnose the problem at that time. He was born in 1979″. Oritoke’s husband became agitated, asking questions and making false allegations against her. “I started hearing stories about the condition. My husband said they didn’t have this kind of............... www.bulletin.com.ng/2017/07/i-was-called-witch-and-my-husband.html

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