society
Harvest of deaths: Ogun community where mothers, newborns die during childbirth
Harvest of deaths: Ogun community where mothers, newborns die during childbirth
In Igbokofi, a sleepy community nestled in the Yewa North Local Government of Ogun State, no functional healthcare facility exists, thus leading to high maternal and child mortality. SODIQ OJUROUNGBE writes on the harrowing experiences of residents, especially pregnant women and the high price they pay in this neglected enclave.
Behind the amazing greenery and quiet façade presented by Igbokofi, an agrarian community lays gloom, grief and deep-seethed anger that boil from being denied one of life’s fundamental rights – accessible healthcare.
Here, maternal and infant deaths appear to be a norm and a fate they have come to accept.
Governance, to Igbokofi’s residents, is just a mirage and one that happens in a faraway land.
The story of Tosin Ayeni breaks the heart because her death due to pregnancy-related complications was avoidable.
As she lay on a hard bed in a small, dark room that fateful night, all that this first-time mother (primigravida ) wanted was to cuddle her bundle of joy after going through the rigours of labour.
Drenched in sweat and shaking from the effects of excruciating pains travelling from her waist down to her legs, she looked at her husband with fear in her glazed eyes.
They would have rushed her to the nearest health centre had it not been abandoned years back by the state government and overtaken by thickets.
The nearest primary health centre to them is located in Ijoun, which is a two-hour ride on a motorcycle, on a rough, unmotorable road.
While another alternative, though shorter and could be life-threatening to a pregnant woman due to its mountainous layout is a hospital that can be annexed within 45 minutes in the Republic of Benin.
However, after considering the two options and realizing that they could be dangerous for Tosin, her husband, Sanjo and his father-in-law, Ayeni, had to make a last-minute decision to seek the assistance of a popular traditional birth attendant in the next community.
The elderly TBA after taking one look at the pregnant woman, told them she was in very bad shape and her life was in danger but assured them that she would try her best.
Sadly, the TBA skill was limited and could not do much without proper equipment.
After hours of groaning and grunting, she gave birth to a baby girl, but minutes later, life ebbed out of her.
As the family grieved, they also had to care for the newborn baby, who was a prototype of her later mother.
“I watched my wife suffer and then die. There was nothing I could do. She left a hole in my heart,” Sanjo said with bloodshot eyes.
Tosin’s father, PUNCH Healthwise learnt, never recovered from the death of his daughter.
And days turned into weeks, and rolled into months, overwhelmed by grief, Ayeni’s health deteriorated, and he became a shadow of his former self.
In early September of 2023, he slept and never woke up.
The deaths of Tosin and her father were just two among the long line of tragedies witnessed in the community.
Folakemi Olaniyi is yet to get over the death of her child after being mismanaged during childbirth in a private hospital.
According to her, she was later taken to Ijoun Primary Health Centre after her baby’s head and hands got stuck in the birth canal.
Olaniyi told our correspondent that she was referred to the Ayetoro General Hospital by the health workers when they realized that she had lost a large amount of blood.
The woman was later moved to Lantoro Hospital in Abeokuta, where a cesarean section was carried out to remove the baby, who had become distressed at the time.
“The doctors battled to save our lives but my baby did not survive. If the community had a working, well-equipped hospital, my baby would still be alive,” she cried.
However, PUNCH Healthwise learnt that Olaniyi not only lost her child, but she can no longer conceive as her womb was badly damaged due to a rupture during labour.
“I spent two months in the hospital. If there was a qualified government hospital here, I would have been attended to immediately.
“I have four children, and whenever they are sick, I take them to a health centre in Ijoun, which is very far, or to a hospital in Benin Republic. If there is no money, they are treated with herbs. The government should please provide the community with a hospital.
Another resident, Bernice Ogunyomi, said she always takes her child, who requires regular blood transfusions to the Republic of Benin for treatment.
She lamented that even the health centre in Ijoun could not attend to her child’s medical needs.
Expressing her frustration, She lamented, “Whenever we take our children there (Benin Republic), we pay through our nose. Many people have no choice but to go to Benin Republic for treatment, and as for me, my priority is to get good treatment.”
A community without primary healthcare
PUNCH Healthwise learnt that Igbokofi, a town with about 9,000 people, which borders the Republic of Benin, has witnessed decades of deaths, while residents face an uncertain future.
Some of the villages under Igbokofi are Bode-Igbokofi, OkeEyo-Igbokofi, Omilende-Igbokofi, Asaga-Igbokofi, Idigbo-Igbokofi, Owode-Igbokofi, Ipinle-Igbokofi, Igbonla-Igbokofi, Oosada-Igbokofi, Baginiwo, OriOke, among others.
Most of the residents told our correspondent that the death of Tosin and her father did not come as a surprise to them because such happens often.
They claimed that they have lost of the number of people that have died from preventable diseases and childbirth-related complications due to the absence of a primary health centre.
Maternal/infant death is a norm
PUNCH Healthwise investigation revealed that pregnant women and their unborn infants are at serious risk due to a lack of healthcare facilities and the absence of competent healthcare providers.
Speaking with our correspondent, a field missionary to Ohori Nations, and the proprietor of Christ Way Academy in Igbokofi, Pastor Kunle Garb, said the community once had a government hospital, which was eventually shut down due to a lack of health workers and government failure to provide necessary amenities.
He revealed that another hospital constructed by the National Boundary Commission, and handed over to the Ogun State government was never put to use, lamenting that residents now deal with high rates of maternal and child mortality.
Tortuous road
For Igbokofi residents, the lack of a functional health centre is just part of the many challenges they are faced with as the community lacks other infrastructure like good roads, electricity and potable water.
Accessing the place from Ayetoro, a major town, was treacherous.
The main artery leading to the community was unpaved and narrow and often became impassable during the rainy season.
PUNCH Healthwise observed that the road was uneven and lined with deep potholes filled with murky water.
Travelling on the road, our correspondent observed, would be dangerous for pregnant women or those in need of urgent medical care.
The residents told PUNCH Healthwise that they have over the years lost many of their loved ones while transporting them to the health centre in Ijoun.
They described the road as a source of great frustration and appealed to the state government to intervene.
Garb, who is also one of the community leaders in Igbokofi said during the last campaign, the state government promised to repair the road leading to the community as well as other roads, and lamented that the indifference to their suffering after the election is mind-blowing
“Despite being a community of about 7,000 registered voters, we have not felt any evidence of good governance.
“The only time we see any government official is during election season when they come to the village to make empty promises.
“But after the elections, they would disappear, leaving the people of Igbokofi to fend for themselves.
“The lack of government support is a major factor in the community. Without access to education or healthcare, many people will struggle to find jobs or improve their living conditions.
“Without proper roads, we are isolated from the outside world and can’t access markets or other opportunities. The cycle of poverty will be difficult to break. The people of Igbokofi feel trapped,” “ he blurted in anger.
Child deaths high in Ogun
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund infant and under-five mortality rates have remained steady in Nigeria, at 74 and 117 deaths per 1,000 live births, respectively.
UNICEF noted that at these mortality levels, one Nigerian child of every 13 born dies before reaching age one, while one in every eight does not survive to their fifth birthday.
Meanwhile, a UNICEF report released in 2022, revealed that Ogun State recorded the highest number of children’s deaths in the southwestern part of the country.
The survey conducted by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners indicated that Ogun recorded the highest figures in neonatal mortality, infant mortality, and postnatal care for newborns, among others in the region.
The Social Policy Specialist of UNICEF, Mohammed Okorie, while speaking on this at a two-day media dialogue on the 2022 Multiple Indicator Clusters, explained that the estimations were “part of the MICS 6 results released by the NBS on August 16, 2022.”
Quoting the NBS, he said, the survey estimated that 56 out of 1000 children between the ages of zero and 11 months died after birth in Ogun State.
Okorie stated further that 68 out of 1000 children between the ages of 0 and less than one year died after their birth in Ogun State.
He noted that the state has also ranked the highest in deaths of children under five years with a record of 85 deaths out of 1000 children.
He further said that Ogun also recorded the lowest newborn care with an estimation of 77 per cent.
According to the World Health Organisation, as of 2017, Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate was estimated at 917 per 100 000 live births and increased by nearly 14 per cent in 2020 to reach 1047 deaths.
Ogun State Government refused to save us – Community leader
Corroborating this data, the acting Baale of the community, Pa Jacob Ogunyomi stated that in the last two years, childbirth complications claimed the lives of about five pregnant women, while more than 20 children have died before they clock five.
He said several letters have been written to the government highlighting the community’s dire predicament, but none of them have been treated as urgent or important.
“The greatest challenge we have is that we don’t have a hospital, those that were working have been abandoned and were later closed.
“When we try to patronise private hospitals, we don’t get good medical treatment and they are very expensive. The other option we have is to take those who are sick and pregnant women to Ijoun, which is a two-hour journey from Igbokofi.
“The government should provide a good hospital, health workers, and a motorable road. One of the issues is that whenever they transfer new health workers here, they will stop coming because of the bad road. If there are good roads, then it will be better,” he explained in smattering English.
Hospital built by National Boundary Commission rots
PUNCH Healthwise further gathered that a health facility built by the National Boundary Commission in 2010 was abandoned.
Our correspondent learnt that it the commission handed over a five-in-one project which included a hospital, school, market, police station, and workshop to the state government.
However, while the market, police station, and school were put to use by the residents, the hospital was shut despite the state government being aware that one of the main reasons for building the hospital was to curb the high rates of maternal and child mortality recorded in the community.
During PUNCH Healthwise visit, it was observed that the building was already falling apart, while the paints had practically washed off, revealing just bare cement.
It was clear that no one had set foot in the building for years.
The residents said the hospital was built to bring healthcare closer to them but that the aim was never actualised.
While inspecting the abandoned hospital, our correspondent discovered that the damage went beyond the peeling paints and broken windows, as it was discovered that the floorboards were rotting.
Ambulance taken away
Garb told our correspondent that some of the burglaries had been stolen.
He said, “The last time government officials came was the day the Boundary Commission came to hand these properties to them. They did not do anything since then. The ambulance that was handed over to the government with the name of Igbokofi inscribed on it was taken away that same day.
“The hospital was never equipped and the building was left to rot since 2010, and nothing has been done about it. Several efforts to get the attention of the government have not yielded any positive response.”
Corroborating Garb’s claims, some residents claimed the state government took away an ambulance donated by the Boundary Commission and gave it to the Ayetoro General Hospital.
They accused the state government of turning a blind eye to their plight and exposing them to needless deaths.
The residents insisted that the Toyota Hilux ambulance would have been a lifesaver, as it would have been used to transport sick people to the nearest hospital within minutes.
They also claimed it was taken away because there was no intention to equip the hospital or provide an alternative one – a primary health centre in the community.
They lamented that in the absence of an ambulance, they use other crude means to transport the sick and injured, and in most cases pregnant women to the Ayetoro General Hospital.
Dilapidated primary healthcare
PUNCH Healthwise observed that the only Ogun State Primary Health Centre in Igbokofi is overgrown with weeds, and according to the residents, it stands as a stark testament to years of indifference.
Garb told our correspondent that the health centre, which serves about 16 villages around Igbokofi, was shut down 12 years ago because of the bad road.
“The hospital was closed down 12 years ago and people left in the hands of quacks who claim to be doctors.
“People have died due to lack of health facilities in the community and around. Even the Ijoun community that we usually rush to doesn’t have a well-equipped primary health centre. It is just so unfortunate.”
Left in the hands of quacks
Residents of Igbokofi revealed that they are forced to rely on traditional healers and quacks who operate private clinics, lamenting that they do more harm than good.
A Cocoa farmer and resident of Igbokofi, Ogunyomi Benjamin, said they prescribed drugs without proper medical tests.
He said, “My wife gave birth at home, and that is the same for others here. Most women give birth by themselves at home, and this has resulted in many deaths because there is no doctor to take care of them.
“Also, when our people get sick, we don’t have anywhere to take them for treatment and many of our women have died from being prescribed the wrong medications after childbirth.
“It is only God that is taking care of our children because there is no hospital and no qualified doctor. We just mix several drugs and give them to take. God is the only one helping us.
“We want the government to give us a good general hospital and they should put enough drugs there for us to use, with a qualified doctor.”
Quacks contribute to high maternal and child mortality
A study titled, ‘The Impact of Quackery and Unreliable Health Facilities on Maternal and Child Mortality in Nigeria’ by Dr Abibat Fakunle of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, found that lack of trained healthcare professionals and unreliable health facilities are major factors contributing to high maternal and child mortality in the country.
The study discovered that the prevalence of quackery in the healthcare sector was a major factor contributing to high maternal and child mortality.
While describing quacks as unqualified or untrained individuals who practice medicine without proper training or certification, the study noted that such people often provide substandard or even harmful care, leading to poor outcomes for patients.
The study found that this practice was common in rural areas, where access to qualified healthcare professionals is limited. It also found that many patients were unaware of the risks of seeking care from unqualified practitioners.
The study recommended increased funding and regulation of the healthcare sector to ensure that quality healthcare is available to all Nigerians.
According to a gynecologist and reproductive health expert at Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Dr. Adetola Olayinka, quackery and inadequate healthcare facilities are major factors contributing to maternal and child mortality in Nigeria
He, however, pointed out that quackery is not the only factor contributing to maternal and child mortality, adding that environmental factors such as poor sanitation, lack of access to clean water, and exposure to toxins can also have a major impact on health outcomes.
Healthcare is every Nigerian’s right – Physician
The medical practitioner underscored the importance of access to qualified healthcare professionals and the need for better regulation of the healthcare sector.
“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. All Nigerians, regardless of their socioeconomic status, deserve access to quality healthcare. I call on the government to invest in healthcare facilities, train and retain qualified healthcare professionals, and regulate the healthcare sector to ensure that the people are protected from quackery.
“Poverty and poor health go hand in hand. Children who live in poverty are more likely to suffer from malnutrition, which can lead to lifelong health problems. We must do more to address the underlying causes of poverty and improve access to basic needs like health,” he noted.
Govt keeps mum
When our correspondent reached out to Lekan Adeniran, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, he was directed to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker.
However, the commissioner’s number was not reachable but four messages sent to her WhatsApp indicated that they were read.
When our correspondent reached out again to the governor’s CPS, Adeniran, he was told to either go to the commissioner’s office or wait for the commissioner’s response.
society
OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture: Sheikh Jamiu Asanbe Urges Muslims to Avoid Showboating in Worship
OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture: Sheikh Jamiu Asanbe Urges Muslims to Avoid Showboating in Worship.
The Chief Imam of Agelete Central Mosque, Ikoyi Lagos, Alhaji Jamiu Asanbe, has urged Muslims to remain sincere in their acts of worship and avoid the temptation of seeking public praise for good deeds.
The respected Islamic scholar gave this admonition while delivering a lecture at the OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture, held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, in Lagos.
Speaking on the importance of sincerity in Islam, Sheikh Asanbe cautioned Muslim faithful against what he described as “showboating” — the practice of performing charitable acts or religious duties merely to gain recognition or admiration from others.
According to him, every act of worship in Islam must be done purely for the sake of Almighty Allah.
He explained that while acts such as prayer, fasting, and charity are fundamental pillars of faith, their true value lies in the intention behind them.
The cleric therefore encouraged Muslims to remain genuine in their devotion and avoid mixing their faith with the desire for worldly praise or attention.
Sheikh Asanbe also reminded the faithful that the holy month of Ramadan presents a unique opportunity for spiritual renewal. He urged believers to increase acts of generosity, particularly by supporting the needy, vulnerable members of society, and orphans.
Earlier in her remarks, the Convener of the Ramadan Lecture and CEO of OWUTU FM, Hajia Adejoke Muyibat Balogun, encouraged attendees to use the sacred month as a time for reflection, self-improvement, and community development.
She described the lecture theme as carefully selected to promote spirituality, strengthen faith, and encourage peaceful coexistence within the community.
Balogun expressed appreciation to the numerous guests and supporters who attended the event, noting that their presence reflected the strong bond within the community.
She further reaffirmed OWUTU FM’s commitment to sustaining the annual Ramadan Lecture, praying for Allah’s continued guidance and mercy in the years ahead.
The 2026 edition of the Ramadan Lecture attracted dignitaries and representatives from various organisations including Uzamot Communications, Okutex Fabrics, and the Yeye Asiwaju of Ojota Kingdom.
The event also featured engaging activities such as a quiz competition, where winners were presented with gifts. In the spirit of Ramadan, iftar meals were shared with guests, reinforcing the values of unity, generosity, and compassion that define the holy month.
Through initiatives like this, OWUTU FM continues to play a vital role in promoting faith-based dialogue, community engagement, and social harmony.
Tinubu Abroad, Nigeria in Chaos: The Spectacle of Elite Excess
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
“Government officials queue to bid him farewell as he departs, only to rush ahead and line up again to welcome him at his destination; a stark display of misaligned priorities in Nigerian leadership.”
Wednesday, March18, 2026
In a spectacle that has plunged Nigeria’s political class into fresh ignominy, a long line of federal ministers, governors, senators and political hangers‑on queued outside a London hotel this week to welcome President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR upon his arrival in the United Kingdom for a two‑day state visit.
Not only did these government officials send off Mr. Tinubu as he departed Nigeria (a ritual in itself excessive given the scale of pressing national crises) they rushed ahead to London to line the halls of his hotel, applauding and greeting him like conquering heroes arriving on foreign shores. This is how Nigeria’s elites now comport themselves while millions of citizens endure ever‑deepening hardship.
A Travesty of Priorities
Tinubu’s visit to the UK, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, is officially billed as an effort to deepen trade relations, attract investment and strengthen bilateral cooperation between Britain and Africa’s most populous nation. While those diplomatic objectives in theory could benefit Nigeria, the optics of an entire political class fawning over a president abroad are unbearably grim against the backdrop of domestic suffering.
According to recent economic analysis, despite macroeconomic adjustments such as ending fuel subsidies and floating the naira, more than 60% of Nigerians still live in poverty and daily hardships are rampant. Security remains a grave concern with violence and banditry destabilising large swathes of the country. Instead of addressing these crises with urgency, Nigeria’s leadership appears fascinated with photo‑ops overseas.
“A System of Self‑Centred Elites”
Critics within Nigeria have not minced words. Political observers describe the spectacle as a display of self‑centred politics divorced from the realities facing ordinary citizens. One observer on social platforms summed up the broader sentiment: “Tinubu represents a system of self‑centred elites (elite consensus over popular will) and this is exactly the performative politics that lines like these embody.”
Dr. Godfrey Mwakikagile, a respected African scholar on post‑colonial governance, has long warned that bad leadership and lack of accountability are Africa’s greatest challenges. “Power in many African states is too centralised and concentrated in the hands of elites who use it to perpetuate themselves at the expense of the public good,” Mwakikagile recently argued; a critique that resonates all the more when ministers fly abroad not to pursue tangible policy but to line up like admirers.
The Cost of Foreign Pageantry
This isn’t the first time Tinubu’s foreign engagements have attracted scrutiny. His administration’s frequent travels (often with large entourages) have drawn criticism for prioritising optics over outcomes, especially when Nigeria’s economy contracts and its people struggle with food inflation and insecurity.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has been among the most vocal domestic critics of these priorities, noting that Tinubu’s extensive foreign travel (including to the UK) distracts from urgent national needs and has become a “matter of grave concern.” Obi insists that such actions reveal a leadership more interested in global visibility than domestic wellbeing.
Nigeria Jagajaga!
The phrase “Nigeria jagajaga” (loosely translated as Nigeria being in disarray) has never felt more apt. A nation where ministers greet presidents in plush foreign suites while citizens queue for food and services is a country deeply out of balance.
Instead of being welcomed like dignitaries abroad, ministers and governors should be at home addressing the root causes of Nigeria’s struggles: insecurity that displaces communities and kills livelihoods, an economy that leaves the majority impoverished despite reforms, and the persistent failings of governance that erode public trust.
What Nigerians Deserve
President Tinubu and his entourage should be judged not by the number of ministers who lined up to greet him in London, but by the lives changed back in Nigeria.
As scholars like Mwakikagile and critics like Obi remind us, political leadership must be accountable and grounded in service, not spectacle. Nigeria’s leaders owe the people more than applause at international hotels; they owe them safety, economic opportunity, and genuine progress.
If this nation is ever to break free from the cycle of “jagajaga,” then those in power must demonstrate sincerity, not pageantry; action, not admiration. The lines outside a London hotel are not a testament to leadership; they are a testament to where Nigeria’s priorities have tragically come to rest.
GENERAL BULAMA BIU MOURNS VICTIMS OF BORNO ATTACKS, CALLS FOR UNITY AND VIGILANCE**
In a solemn and heartfelt message, Major General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu (Rtd), mni, the Sarkin Yakin Biu, has expressed profound grief over the recent tragic incidents of bomb explosions in Maiduguri and renewed violent attacks in several communities across Borno State.
This was contained in a statement he personally signed and made available to the press.
The retired senior military officer described the assaults which affected areas including Ngoshe, Mandiragirau, Ajiri, and Buratai as “cruel and most barbaric,” particularly as they occurred during a period of deep religious observance for many residents. General Biu extended his condolences to His Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, the Executive Governor of Borno State, the people of the state, and especially the immediate families of the victims.
“These unfortunate attacks have painfully led to the loss of innocent lives and destruction of properties, a painful reminder of the challenges we continue to face as a people,” he stated.
General Biu prayed that Almighty Allah grants the deceased eternal rest (Jannatul Firdaus) and grants the injured a speedy recovery. He also commended the bravery and swift response of security agencies and emergency responders, acknowledging their tireless efforts to protect lives and restore peace in the state.
Addressing the resilient people of Borno, including elders, community leaders, associations, and the vibrant youth, General Biu urged steadfastness, unity, and increased vigilance. “Let us once again rejig our commitment and ensure we overcome this development. We have done it in time past, we can still do it now together,” he emphasized.
He further called on citizens not to allow “these cowardly acts to break our spirit or weaken our collective resolve to achieve lasting peace and stability.”
In strong terms, General Biu declared his solidarity with Governor Zulum, the state government, stakeholders, and all well-meaning citizens in condemning the attacks. He concluded his message with a prayer: “May Allah (SWT) bring lasting peace to Borno State and the entire nation.”
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