Our Monthly Feature...
Frederick's Story
By Becky Toyin Obarorakpor
Oghenemudia Frederick
In December 2013, Oghenemudia Frederick, then 4 years old, was found in Eku market in the late hours of the evening after news went round the community that there was a strange boy in the market. He was found with lots of sores and deep cuts all over his body . . .his head, back, legs etc . . . and he was taken to the Police Station and thereafter, to Eku Baptist Hospital for treatment.
It was later discovered that Mudia was tagged a wizard and was being pursued and stoned by adults and children in the market for several days without help and he kept running for his life with the injuries and pain before he was found and taken to the hospital.
Medical evaluations have revealed that Mudia suffers from Epilepsy and has series of consistent attacks. He cannot speak nor communicate properly. Most times, he speaks in unclear mono syllables and suffers from mental imbalance which affects his ability to socialize with the other children even though he likes to play.
He is always on his own and he communicates through gestures (pointing at people and things). Mudia cannot do basic things such as excreting, bathing and dressing by himself without help from the care givers.
Mudia is 11 years old now and stays at home most of the time because of his condition.
