Former Miss Universe, Olubummi Akinyosoye Down With Partial Stroke, Cries Out For Help

Former Miss Universe and astute businesswoman, Olubummi Akinyosoye has cried out to well meaning Nigerians for help as she is down with partial stroke.

In an interview with this publications, She spoke extensively  about everything that occurred with her, how she thrived as one of the top secretaries in the country, how she suddenly fell ill three years ago and how she has been battling with it

Excerpts below:

Can we meet you?

My name is Olubummi Akinyosoye I will be 60 years next month, the first born in the family of 5, my parents are late. I became ill three months before my mum died three years ago. I started my career in NTA in 1979 July, after that I went to a secretariat school where I qualified as a confidential secretary, from there I got a job with Phillip Moris Nigeria and after a year, I went back with NTA to work at the corporate affairs department. I was with NTA till I travelled in 1984. Before then in 1979, I did a modelling job for a magazine, I was on a cover, in 1980/1981, we had the first miss universe competition in Nigeria, I took part, I came first in it.

When I left NTA I worked with chase merchant bank, also as a secretary,.I worked in John Holt, worked in a company called Nandina industries , I was PA to the executive director, I was also into dress making, there was a magazine called Times magazine international, I had interviews with them every month, I was into art making as well and I have been all over. There was a bank called UCB, I was the first person there, it was even on CNN, I did a job for Zain too, in between I went to Northampton  for a 6-months course later, I moved into food business, I have been so versatile, before my ailment, I was doing health business with a company with a Philippine company, alliance in motion global , because I was doing well, I had to open a branch office on ipaja road, it was working out well for me, suddenly I broke down with partial stroke, it’s going to be three years next month. I give God the glory that I am looking better now, I thank God my old school mate has been there for me. My kid sister died, I have been taking care of my mum and in between, I developed this problem, I just need help, I need to get back on my feet (Sobs)

What exactly is the diagnosis?

Initially, they said its partial stroke, that’s what I was told. I sold my business, sold lots of things for treatment, I have been living on a drug that is so expensive, God is doing his own but the drugs has helped a lot, I had therapy, a class mate came and sponsored it for three months in LUTH, I was going twice a week from Ipaja to Mushin, I was paying 12,000, there is a trado therapy which is what people are suggesting, my legs were almost apart. It has taken so much of me but to God be the glory, he is working, I have been trying all necessary things, I need to try more to get back on my feet.

To what extent will you say this ailment has affected your career?

Three years I have been like a pauper. I have become a total beggar, I was up there, do you know what it is to be PA to number 2 in the whole of John holt? I have not even been able to reach out to those I have worked with, I have not been able to go out, in the first place I was staying in town, but when my baby sister died, my mother fell down, she broke her hips, she had to be in Igbobi for 9 weeks for surgery, I was the one taking care of her so I didn’t have a choice, I had to move down to Ipaja, I have been out of where people can reach me. The only luck I had was that someone came for a program at a church someone took me to, a woman saw me, I didn’t see her, she is a wife to one of my class mates because I have always been active in my old school, she told her husband, and that was how my national president, my set governor, and some executives came to see me, they put it on the school platform so that’s how I have been sustaining myself, most people don’t know.

Was there a time you lost hope?

No, sometimes I sit down and I start thinking, I used to wear 6-inches foot wears, I wasn’t a happening babe in the real sense, I knew my onions and very good at my job, when my boss in John holt was leaving, he gave me a letter of recommendation incase I have to get a job somewhere. I would just sit down and say God, I can’t remain like this.

I didn’t give up because I discovered that I wasn’t in Christ and a life that isn’t in Christ will be full of crisis, when God came into my life and I sent everything to his court, I had peace  but even with the peace, how long will I remain like this? I have to go to the clinic every Tuesday , each time I go, the cab alone takes N10,000. I can’t walk to the road so I am just home.

Through it all, what will you say is the greatest lesson you learnt?

My greatest lesson and regret is that I didn’t have any commitment with my creator, if I had, something like this wouldn’t have happened, I don’t want to say I am a spiritualist, In the course of this, I discovered so many gifts I had always known. I don’t know the English word but I call it Deja Vu, its not even Deja Vu, it’s God speaking to you , directing you but if you don’t have him, you wont be able to recognize his voice, now I know when I hear, when I see, all these things I can identify and I know that God lives in me. I was a church goer but I wasn’t committed. It’s not about going to church, commitment to God happens in the heart, it’s about having relationship with God, this is God in me, it’s not man.

How would you want Nigerians to help?

I’m just thinking about retirement now, I’m into networking now, there is a company I am involved in already but I need to be a big distributor because I need to help people with the drug I used when I was really down, I have been through it so when I tell you it will work for you, it will definitely because I have been there, although it’s God that heals .