"I Saved But Wasn't Up to N500,000," Husband of Late Pregnant Woman Replies Abati

Eric Patrick 

A Nigerian man identified as Akinbobola Folajimi has responded to public criticism from journalist and former presidential media adviser Reuben Abati after the heartbreaking death of his pregnant wife.

She passed away after allegedly being denied medical treatment because Folajimi could not pay an upfront deposit of ₦500,000.

During a segment on Arise Television on Tuesday, Abati raised concerns about Folajimi's financial readiness, implying that he should have planned and saved appropriately for the costs associated with childbirth.

Abati said, "You had nine months to prepare. You impregnated a woman and showed up at the hospital begging for care without a deposit. That’s irresponsible.

"The whole substance of this conversation is that according to Mr. Folajimi, when he got to Al-Salam Convalescent Centre, as the hospital is called, he was asked to deposit N500, 000 and the man was saying ‘please admit my wife; I will go and look for the money.’

“When you impregnate a woman, you can’t come at nine months, and you are saying, ‘Just treat her; let me go and look for the money.’ Many people do that. They put you under pressure.

“Mr Folajimi behaved in an irresponsible manner."

Reacting to Abati's statement, the grieving husband, Folajimi in a video shared on social media on Thursday, defended himself, saying he did his best with what he had.

Folajimi said, "With due respect, this is not my first child. When my wife was pregnant, we were taking care of her to the best of my ability and I never came public or to you to ask for you to borrow me money for antenatal or feed my children.

“Excuse me, Sir, I saved money, but I didn’t save up to N500,000. I saved money for that day but they asked for N500, 000 deposit, not full payment. I didn’t have that. All the money that I could have gathered that day wouldn’t have passed N100, 000.

"I don’t know if it is an offence not to have up to N500,000 when your wife is about to give birth. I don’t know if it is an offence to now live below N500, 000 but you are now saying it is the ‘highest irresponsibility' because I don’t have N500, 000. So it is even a crime to be poor in Nigeria."