The shanty boy

BY PATIENCE OGBO

December 8, 2010 11:12PM


Five-year-old Ayo Olaniyi is not in school like other children.

At four he had started fending for himself, by running errands for adults at Otto/Ilogbo slum community in the Ebute Metta area of the state in exchange for a roof over his head. Ayo’s plight began at age two, when his parents separated. His father, Eweola Olaniyi, lost all his property and money to the fire that gutted the over hundred shanties at the slum in February this year. Mrs Olaniyi reportedly walked away from the marriage when things became too difficult, taking her one-year-old daughter along and leaving Ayo, then aged two, with his father.

And then, it got worse when Mr Olaniyi passed away in April 2009. Subsequently, Ayo was left with no family member to cater for him. He is surviving on the charity of the community, which has over twenty thousand slum dwellers. The residents were also affected by the fire that destroyed most of the shanties. They said they made frantic efforts to locate Ayo’s mother or any of his relations, to no avail. “Ayo stayed with me for a while but he is just roaming about in this place,” said Ishola Musbua, the Chairman of the Otto/Ilogbo Community Development Association. “And the residents take turn to cater for him. Today he will eat in this house, tomorrow he will go to another house to eat and bath so his situation is pathetic and we want the government to come to his rescue.”

Seeking government’s help

NEXT investigations revealed that Ayo’s father, the late Mr Olaniyi, was a native of Idanre in Ekiti State, while his mother, Zainab Olaniyi, is from Kwara State. Ayo is presently staying with one Oladapo Shodia, a father of three, who resides in a room shanty at Otto slum. “Ayo has been staying with me and my family for the past one year,” he said. “Our house is just a shanty because since the fire incident, we are barely surviving here at Otto. Initially, he was going to school, but I cannot cater for his schooling needs for now, because things are tight for me and my family. The boy needs a good home, and his mother is nowhere to be found. Every day, you see him wandering in the community and picking up dirt to eat, until somebody will take pity on him and give him something to eat. So life is hard for the boy and government should not neglect him. Since his father died, we have tried to locate his mother, and his family but no success yet, so government and good people should come and take Ayo to a better home.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5651145-146/story.csp

Are we posting this to do something about it? To help an orphan?

Or are we posting this t laugh and point fingers at a boy left without a home, with no parent to provide for him? Nigerians. Sighs and walk off.

This is really sad

May your God bless you, Mr Oladapo. For you to hear the cry of a young helpless child, may [b]your [/b]cries never go unheard.

Condition is not permanent. Every breath we take has its purpose. Who knows if you were created to see for that young boy. Ile aye ile asan.

So we have street urchins in Lagos metropolis?

Unbelievable.

What are they called again in Northern Nigeria?

Mrs Olaniyi reportedly walked away from the marriage when things became too difficult, taking her one-year-old daughter along and leaving Ayo, then aged two, with his father.

Nigerian marriage.

On a more serious note. . .people should not give birth to children they cannot afford to take care of. How can you be having sexual relations while living in a 'shanty park'?

There should be strict penalties in Nigeria for ANY one who decides to have irresponsible marital relationships without the financial means of maintaining such shabby unions.

Look at the result? Poor children brought into the world to suffer unecessarily. What a social menace. I think Nigeria should be like China. Any person that gives birth to a child he or she cannot afford, owes the government some penalties.

, Why not take the boy is a motherless home and give him up for adoption, I guess if anything happens to him, then we would know he has relations, What a start for this young man (man because he has learnt to survive against all odds),

How can I help this kid out? I'd donate money, but is there even a mechanism to ensure it reaches him and isn't stolen?

fummylolah:

, Why not take the boy is a motherless home and give him up for adoption, I guess if anything happens to him, then we would know he has relations, What a start for this young man (man because he has learnt to survive against all odds),

Do you realize how stressed those homes are at this point? We are speaking here of a system where the government cares little for the children and you think motherless homes will have all the needed resources to do a better job for them?

The government of Ekiti state should be forwarded this link.

Where are all those Ekiti breeding machines on NL and FB. . .?

Time to put your money where your mouths always is. . .

Come and claim one of your children.

Next, the government of Kwara state should be notified, since his mother is from Kwara state.

Both states need to pick up the tab for this little boy before he finds himself in some ritualist's pot.

Worse still. . .a pedo-philic tail.


This is frightening.

DapoBear:



How can I help this kid out? I'd donate money, but is there even a mechanism to ensure it reaches him and isn't stolen?

He is two years old, how will the money reach him?
The best that can be done is to find a trustworthy  Ekiti person in Lagos to send money to. We have to also be sure to not only see to the child's wellbeing, but also to the kind-hearted Oladapo that took Ayo under his wings.

Mrs. Olaniyi is just something else. I cant imagine leaving my child motherless and separating him from his sister. Nigerian women and their mentality that sons belong to their father while the daughters belong with their mother. I mean, how could you even leave your child behind? While many are praying for children. Makes no sense.

fummylolah:

,  Why not take the boy is a motherless home and give him up for adoption,  I guess if anything happens to him, then we would know he has relations,  What a start for this young man (man because he has learnt to survive against all odds),

Ehrmm, in Nigeria? hmm. So how are we sure the child will be [i]safe [/i]after the drop off?
When did Nigeria system started looking after "adopted" children?

Ileke-IdI:

Are we posting this to do something about it? To help an orphan?

Or are we posting this t laugh and point fingers at a boy left without a home, with no parent to provide for him? Nigerians. Sighs and walk off.

Like you knew Blazay would pop up & vomit all over the thread, as usual:

Blazay:

So we have street urchins in Lagos metropolis?

Unbelievable.

What are they called again in Northern Nigeria?


Nigerian marriage.

On a more serious note. . .people should not give birth to children they cannot afford to take care of. How can you be having sexual relations while living in a 'shanty park'?

There should be strict penalties in Nigeria for ANY one who decides to have irresponsible marital relationships without the financial means of maintaining such shabby unions.

Look at the result? Poor children brought into the world to suffer unecessarily. What a social menace. I think Nigeria should be like China. Any person that gives birth to a child he or she cannot afford, owes the government some penalties.

Ileke-IdI:

He is two years old, how will the money reach him?
The best that can be done is to find a trustworthy  Ekiti person in Lagos to send money to. We have to also be sure to not only see to the child's wellbeing, but also to the kind-hearted Oladapo that took Ayo under his wings.

Mrs. Olaniyi is just something else. I cant imagine leaving my child motherless and separating him from his sister. Nigerian women and their mentality that sons belong to their father while the daughters belong with their mother. I mean, how could you even leave your child behind? While many are praying for children. Makes no sense.

I facebooked Patience Ogbo. Maybe she will know of a way to make sure that money safely reaches him.

I honestly think he should be sent back to Ekiti State rather than living in Lagos, too.

DapoBear:

I facebooked Patience Ogbo. Maybe she will know of a way to make sure that money safely reaches him.

I honestly think he should be sent back to Ekiti State rather than living in Lagos, too.

Thank you jare.

_{Not a bad chap afterall. . .}  

ziddy:

Like you knew Blazay would pop up & vomit all over the thread, as usual:

Lucky ya. . .I am in a good mood today.



_*pukes*

DapoBear:

I facebooked Patience Ogbo. Maybe she will know of a way to make sure that money safely reaches him.

I honestly think he should be sent back to Ekiti State rather than living in Lagos, too.

awwww, that is so sweet of you. God bless.

Sent back to who?

Are you seriously willingly to help? I'm in.

Well, the "to who" part is still an open question. . .if the community has had such difficult time locating relatives, then perhaps this is for a good reason

But the likelihood of him growing up and becoming an area boy is less likely in Ekiti than in Lagos. Plus it is a bit cheaper to live and school over there, I think.

Anyway, let's see what this woman says (if she even responds to my message!)

Ideally there would be some sort of charity that you could directly send money to on his behalf, and that would spend the money on him for education, food, housing, etc.

Does such exist in Nigeria?

DapoBear:

Well, the "to who" part is still an open question. . .if the community has had such difficult time locating relatives, then perhaps this is for a good reason

But the likelihood of him growing up and becoming an area boy is less likely in Ekiti than in Lagos. Plus it is a bit cheaper to live and school over there, I think.

Anyway, let's see what this woman says (if she even responds to my message!)

Ideally there would be some sort of charity that you could directly send money to on his behalf, and that would spend the money on him for education, food, housing, etc.

Does such exist in Nigeria?

No, 75% of the charity usually helps those greedy ppl's belly get rounder. I dont trust them.
That wont do it! ^{*stumps foot*} sigh

But let's wait and see. Keep me updated!

I need two people to join me in rehabilitating this child. Please!

We need to get him back to school and perhaps his mother

Mail: oladapo@usa.com

N.B: I'm not Mr. Oladapo Shodia

Up Ekiti state!

Not for mouth o. . . let us see some action.

Governor Fayemi should be notified asap.

We are watching all of you. . .this boy must not go missing.

I will hold you all responsible.

dappssee:

I need two people to join me in rehabilitating this child. Please!

We need to get him back to school and perhaps his mother

Mail: oladapo@usa.com

N.B: I'm not Mr. Oladapo Shodia

Do you think you're funny?

You ppl are so disgusting. Dont you know when to stop scamming? Kai.

Ileke-IdI:

Do you think you're funny?

You ppl are so disgusting. Dont you know when to stop scamming? Kai.

You must be very stup!d. If you don't want to help this child you shut the f*ck up. You're an id!ot for that.

I have a job and a family. Go get yours loser

@dapsee: Are you on Yahoo Messenger? I just messaged you.

DapoBear:

@dapsee: Are you on Yahoo Messenger? I just messaged you.

dappssee.

I'm thinking of paying his school fees and clothes. I need someone that can help trace his mother and someone for his feeding.

I'll contact 234Next. Don't even have an idea where that slum is

I think she was confused by the @usa.com email, I've never seen one like that before in my life

dappssee:

You must be very stup!d. If you don't want to help this child you shut the bleep up. You're an id!ot for that.

I have a job and a family. Go get yours loser

"@usa.com"

ehrrm yea.

Dapo, plz let me know when the lady replies you.

DapoBear:

I think she was confused by the @usa.com email, I've never seen one like that before in my life

I've been using that e-mail addy for over 7 years now

The mother and sister are prolly dead.

Anyone notice the boy's last name is "Olaniyi"?

Very omninous.

Hmm!

dappssee:


dappssee.

I'm thinking of paying his school fees and clothes. I need someone that can help trace his mother and someone for his feeding.

I'll contact 234Next. Don't even have an idea where that slum is

Why would you want to take him back to the woman that left him? Dont you think if she cared, she would have taken him along?

Trace the child back to his father's house. We take care of our children. No Ekiti woman would leave her child.

Thank you.

dappssee:

I've been using that e-mail addy for over 7 years now

@IlekeIdI: Yeah, I checked it out, it looks legit. www.email.com offers different free email address domains, one of which is usa.com. Just seemed weird, I've never seen it before in my life.

Ileke-IdI:

Why would you want to take him back to the woman that left him? Dont you think if she cared, she would have taken him along?

Trace the child back to his father's house. We take care of our children. No Ekiti woman would leave her child.

Thank you.

She left with one of the children didn't she?

There is always an air-headed confusionist in the midst of things.

Whoever heard of the NL "blonde" from Ekiti State?.

Fake ars*e

Phoooeeee!!!

DapoBear:

@IlekeIdI: Yeah, I checked it out, it looks legit. www.email.com offers different free email address domains, one of which is usa.com. Just seemed weird, I've never seen it before in my life.

Yea, just be careful.

1. The name [oladapo], coincidence that it's same name?

2. If you're in Nigeria, why "@usa.com"?

Something is very fishy.

dappssee:

She left with one of the children didn't she?

Makes no difference if she left with 1 1/2. Point is, she left her child behind, and she separated two siblings who prolly didnt want to be separated.