Ajayi Babajide is from Ekiti but lives in Lagos. Ajayi Babajide an LL reader wrote in this morning asking that his mail be published. I almost over looked it, but the mail subject got my attention. A quick look at the story made me weak and at the same time happy. Ajayi is a sickle cell patient and himself and parents never knew till he was 11 and got into secondary school. His personal hospital had been treating him for malaria over the years, but his school saved him when they made it compulsory that all JSS 1 new intakes must go through different tests. Today, Ajayi is still living with it, but has a word for people in his shoes and even every Nigerian saying information is key. His story after the cut. Btw, we love you so much boy and our prayers are with you and your family!
I’m Ajayi Babajide Olusegun. Ekiti man born in Lagos state,
on the 19th of August 1991. I have always loved dogs. I and my parents never
knew my genotype was SS, we were made to believe it was AA at the hospital
where I was born, my first sickle cell crisis was when I was 6yrs old.
I was playing soccer with my friends in front of our block,
was about to score a goal when I felt a
sharp pain in my thighs and my back, had to sit down thinking the pain would go
, it did for some seconds and came back slowly, building up , really couldn’t
comprehend what was happening, I started feeling so much pain, started crying,
couldn’t stand up to go home because my thighs were hurting, had to scream for
my friends to carry me home, they all asked ‘ who beat you?’ And I would reply saying ‘ the pain is too
much’ several times, neighbours came around, they didn’t understand, it felt
like I was being possessed because touching me would hurt me and make me
scream, they all tried their best to comfort me till my Dad got back from work.
He saw me and encouraged me, he rushed me to the hospital, the nurses took my
vitals and the doctor examined me and said it was malaria, was given series of
pain killers, injections before I could calm down, my dad had always suspected
it was more than malaria but who was he to argue with the doctor, so he kept
close watch on me and has always encouraged me ever since.
was about to score a goal when I felt a
sharp pain in my thighs and my back, had to sit down thinking the pain would go
, it did for some seconds and came back slowly, building up , really couldn’t
comprehend what was happening, I started feeling so much pain, started crying,
couldn’t stand up to go home because my thighs were hurting, had to scream for
my friends to carry me home, they all asked ‘ who beat you?’ And I would reply saying ‘ the pain is too
much’ several times, neighbours came around, they didn’t understand, it felt
like I was being possessed because touching me would hurt me and make me
scream, they all tried their best to comfort me till my Dad got back from work.
He saw me and encouraged me, he rushed me to the hospital, the nurses took my
vitals and the doctor examined me and said it was malaria, was given series of
pain killers, injections before I could calm down, my dad had always suspected
it was more than malaria but who was he to argue with the doctor, so he kept
close watch on me and has always encouraged me ever since.
A couple months past and it happened again, also while
playing soccer, it didn’t warn me, it just happened, have never felt such pain
in my life, it was terrible, my mum was home, neighbours came around again,
called my mum and she carried me home to apply ROBB a popular brand of balm at
that time, she thought the pain would reduce after sometime since she applied
it but I kept screaming like a person undergoing deliverance in church, then
she knew this wasn’t just a case of leg n back pain, she carried me to the hospital,
I was on drip, malaria treatment and pain killers for 2 days before I was fine,
but this time around I knew in me this isn’t malaria, for a 6yr old I was too
inquisitive, so I stopped playing soccer indefinitely and wanted to find out
what was making me feel so much pain……
playing soccer, it didn’t warn me, it just happened, have never felt such pain
in my life, it was terrible, my mum was home, neighbours came around again,
called my mum and she carried me home to apply ROBB a popular brand of balm at
that time, she thought the pain would reduce after sometime since she applied
it but I kept screaming like a person undergoing deliverance in church, then
she knew this wasn’t just a case of leg n back pain, she carried me to the hospital,
I was on drip, malaria treatment and pain killers for 2 days before I was fine,
but this time around I knew in me this isn’t malaria, for a 6yr old I was too
inquisitive, so I stopped playing soccer indefinitely and wanted to find out
what was making me feel so much pain……
PART 2
I think like 9 or 10months had gone by but I remember it was
a month to my next birth day, was going to clock 7yrs old, Then it happened
again on a Saturday during breakfast, after eating my favourite meal yam , with
pepper spiced with corn beef, I had a strange feeling cos I had been eating yam
but was eating corn beef for the first
time, moment’s later, the pain was around again, I was just screaming
the word ‘hospital’ several times, my younger brother ran to my parents room to
call them, I cried so much, tears didn’t drop from my eyes at a point, was
rushed down to the hospital again, was given injections but it didn’t work like
the last 2 times, this time around the pain stayed longer, the pain killers didn’t
work on time.
a month to my next birth day, was going to clock 7yrs old, Then it happened
again on a Saturday during breakfast, after eating my favourite meal yam , with
pepper spiced with corn beef, I had a strange feeling cos I had been eating yam
but was eating corn beef for the first
time, moment’s later, the pain was around again, I was just screaming
the word ‘hospital’ several times, my younger brother ran to my parents room to
call them, I cried so much, tears didn’t drop from my eyes at a point, was
rushed down to the hospital again, was given injections but it didn’t work like
the last 2 times, this time around the pain stayed longer, the pain killers didn’t
work on time.
I was screaming on the hospital bed , the doctors had to
prescribe a stronger pain killer for me, but it took a while to get it, I felt
I was going to die, my aunt massaged me all over to help reduce the pain which
made me calm for a while but whenever she removes her hand we start with the
traumatic drama again, so my parents took shifts on who to massage me at each
point till the pain killer was administered with other treatments I presume, my
parents were always there to encourage me.
prescribe a stronger pain killer for me, but it took a while to get it, I felt
I was going to die, my aunt massaged me all over to help reduce the pain which
made me calm for a while but whenever she removes her hand we start with the
traumatic drama again, so my parents took shifts on who to massage me at each
point till the pain killer was administered with other treatments I presume, my
parents were always there to encourage me.
I was so sad and depressed when I recovered, I felt I was
being punished for something I didn’t do… Trust me it was horrible I can’t
even pray for my enemies to feel such pain.
being punished for something I didn’t do… Trust me it was horrible I can’t
even pray for my enemies to feel such pain.
Was so traumatised I stopped eating, meat, chicken,beef,
turkey etc I became what I’ll call a naija vegetarian because I blamed the meat
for what happened, what did I know I was just 6yrs going to 7yrs at the time.
turkey etc I became what I’ll call a naija vegetarian because I blamed the meat
for what happened, what did I know I was just 6yrs going to 7yrs at the time.
PART3:
I had always loved dogs, had a neighbour who had 2 dogs
suzie and chelsea, would buy biscuits for them and all, because they were both
females, anytime they had pups, would go and play with their pups and buy
biscuits along to give either suzie or chelsea, basically anyone of them that had pups at that point in
time, the owner ‘the ogunleye family’ encouraged me to get one but my parents
didn’t permit it because we were living in a flat then and they felt I couldn’t
handle the responsibility but they suspected the love and passion I had and
still have for dogs reduced my
depression and anxiety.
suzie and chelsea, would buy biscuits for them and all, because they were both
females, anytime they had pups, would go and play with their pups and buy
biscuits along to give either suzie or chelsea, basically anyone of them that had pups at that point in
time, the owner ‘the ogunleye family’ encouraged me to get one but my parents
didn’t permit it because we were living in a flat then and they felt I couldn’t
handle the responsibility but they suspected the love and passion I had and
still have for dogs reduced my
depression and anxiety.
I had it in mind I was going to die soon, after some months I dared to eat corn beef
again because I wanted to be sure if it was the corn beef that was causing it,
I tried it and it happened again but this time I was prepared, had told my aunt
to take me to the hospital but she wasn’t aware of my plan, she was living with
us back then, I got to the hospital, the nurses knew what to do already, the
doctor came and told them what to do, so I didn’t feel so much pain this time
and then I concluded I was allergic to meat…..
again because I wanted to be sure if it was the corn beef that was causing it,
I tried it and it happened again but this time I was prepared, had told my aunt
to take me to the hospital but she wasn’t aware of my plan, she was living with
us back then, I got to the hospital, the nurses knew what to do already, the
doctor came and told them what to do, so I didn’t feel so much pain this time
and then I concluded I was allergic to meat…..
I avoided sporting activities and was vegetarian, was
chilling till I clocked 11yrs old, it happened but this time it wasn’t by any
form of stress or food, I had a bath with cold water and the weather was cold,
was about wearing my clothes when I screamed JESUS!!!! The sharp pain I felt in
my legs, thighs especially running up to my spine was unimaginable, I fell to
the floor and was naked screaming n moving like a mad man, was lucky my aunt
was at home, because we didn’t have any telephone then, there would have no one
to contact, my aunt tried to massage me but it didn’t work, so she had to rush
me to the hospital, it was intense, I was on drip, medications etc, by the time
my parents got to the hospital, I didn’t have the energy to talk was just
crying, I could feel my heart pounding so fast , I was almost praying for death
to come quick, jeez, but something happened, my aunt told me ‘Suzie and Chelsea
are waiting for me at home , get well soon so you would go n play with them’
then my sorrow increased because the thought of leaving this earth without
seeing those two dogs made me sad for a while but gave me courage and guts to
scream in my heart to say I WILL NOT DIE!!! GOD really had a plan for me.
chilling till I clocked 11yrs old, it happened but this time it wasn’t by any
form of stress or food, I had a bath with cold water and the weather was cold,
was about wearing my clothes when I screamed JESUS!!!! The sharp pain I felt in
my legs, thighs especially running up to my spine was unimaginable, I fell to
the floor and was naked screaming n moving like a mad man, was lucky my aunt
was at home, because we didn’t have any telephone then, there would have no one
to contact, my aunt tried to massage me but it didn’t work, so she had to rush
me to the hospital, it was intense, I was on drip, medications etc, by the time
my parents got to the hospital, I didn’t have the energy to talk was just
crying, I could feel my heart pounding so fast , I was almost praying for death
to come quick, jeez, but something happened, my aunt told me ‘Suzie and Chelsea
are waiting for me at home , get well soon so you would go n play with them’
then my sorrow increased because the thought of leaving this earth without
seeing those two dogs made me sad for a while but gave me courage and guts to
scream in my heart to say I WILL NOT DIE!!! GOD really had a plan for me.
I was having happy thoughts of those dogs and the love I had
for them both gave me a purpose to live, I gradually got better, it was the
thought of those two local dogs that got me going through that traumatic
experience at the hospital, i got better after some days and went home, was so
excited when I got home, I went to see Suzie and Chelsea, but could only find
Chelsea, was so happy I took a pack of biscuit from home to give them, I called
out for Suzie for some time with no response, till I knocked on the ogunleye’s
door to ask for Suzie only for them to tell me Suzie died a day before, she had
a bone stuck in her throat and it wasn’t easy to remove, any attempt to remove
it would hurt her, I was so sad, didn’t talk to anyone for a while…
for them both gave me a purpose to live, I gradually got better, it was the
thought of those two local dogs that got me going through that traumatic
experience at the hospital, i got better after some days and went home, was so
excited when I got home, I went to see Suzie and Chelsea, but could only find
Chelsea, was so happy I took a pack of biscuit from home to give them, I called
out for Suzie for some time with no response, till I knocked on the ogunleye’s
door to ask for Suzie only for them to tell me Suzie died a day before, she had
a bone stuck in her throat and it wasn’t easy to remove, any attempt to remove
it would hurt her, I was so sad, didn’t talk to anyone for a while…
It was September, I gained admission to jss1 at Doregos
Private Academy, principal was Mr. Olajide Adebayo at the time, during the
first term a general genotype test was carried out for Jss1 students, blood and
urine samples were collected from each student, it was all fun and all till the
end of first term when everyone got their medical reports and academic results,
that’s when I saw that my genotype was SS.
Private Academy, principal was Mr. Olajide Adebayo at the time, during the
first term a general genotype test was carried out for Jss1 students, blood and
urine samples were collected from each student, it was all fun and all till the
end of first term when everyone got their medical reports and academic results,
that’s when I saw that my genotype was SS.
I was confused and all, till I got home and showed my
parents the results, I could see the confusion on their faces. My parents took
me to different hospitals apart from the one we use , to confirm my genotype
and they all came out with SS..
parents the results, I could see the confusion on their faces. My parents took
me to different hospitals apart from the one we use , to confirm my genotype
and they all came out with SS..
I was confused, sad and depressed and it all made sense to
me, have had class mates who died of the same thing and was always pitying
them, little did I know I was also SS, I was depressed again for some time,
would play with Chelsea in the evenings to cheer me up for some time till I go
home.
me, have had class mates who died of the same thing and was always pitying
them, little did I know I was also SS, I was depressed again for some time,
would play with Chelsea in the evenings to cheer me up for some time till I go
home.
At night I cried without letting my parents know what I was
going through, was fixed in my mind that I was going to die before I leave
secondary school, Till one day something happen, my dad’s friend who was a
bricklayer( uncle gbenga aka Fregene) then, brought a white and brown puppy for
me, I was so excited I forgot for a moment why I was depressed and sad, uncle
gbenga had known about my interest for dogs right from time, I was so happy, I
gave the pup a bath and fed her for almost a week without my parents knowing
because they wouldn’t approve and uncle gbenga didn’t tell them, God just used
him to give me that pup which brought a lot of joy to my life, I named the pup
jasmine, she was a local dog (mongrel).
going through, was fixed in my mind that I was going to die before I leave
secondary school, Till one day something happen, my dad’s friend who was a
bricklayer( uncle gbenga aka Fregene) then, brought a white and brown puppy for
me, I was so excited I forgot for a moment why I was depressed and sad, uncle
gbenga had known about my interest for dogs right from time, I was so happy, I
gave the pup a bath and fed her for almost a week without my parents knowing
because they wouldn’t approve and uncle gbenga didn’t tell them, God just used
him to give me that pup which brought a lot of joy to my life, I named the pup
jasmine, she was a local dog (mongrel).
So after some time I couldn’t hide her again, I placed her
on the dinning table for my parents to see , when they got back, my dad was so
mad at me, his driver and had to beg him and make him realise this made me
happy , so he eventually calm down with my mum and that’s how my dog owning
days began and had more dogs over the years and in some ways God has used dogs
to make me stronger, the love I had for dogs wasn’t a coincidence right from
time, my doctor still tells me i don’t look like a SS patient, I know in me I
have the blood of Jesus in me.
on the dinning table for my parents to see , when they got back, my dad was so
mad at me, his driver and had to beg him and make him realise this made me
happy , so he eventually calm down with my mum and that’s how my dog owning
days began and had more dogs over the years and in some ways God has used dogs
to make me stronger, the love I had for dogs wasn’t a coincidence right from
time, my doctor still tells me i don’t look like a SS patient, I know in me I
have the blood of Jesus in me.
I didn’t have crisis for 10yrs after jasmine stepped into my
life with her paws, oh! Am more enlightened now on sickle cell diseases /
sickle cell anaemia, only your blood cell is sickled but the rest of you is
strong, only you can make yourself weak, don’t get me wrong, I had partial
crisis from time to time but with the information I have and enlightenment, I
didn’t even have to go to the hospital because of crisis, I was able to get my
body back to normal in 15minutes.
life with her paws, oh! Am more enlightened now on sickle cell diseases /
sickle cell anaemia, only your blood cell is sickled but the rest of you is
strong, only you can make yourself weak, don’t get me wrong, I had partial
crisis from time to time but with the information I have and enlightenment, I
didn’t even have to go to the hospital because of crisis, I was able to get my
body back to normal in 15minutes.
Now am 24yrs old ,an architect, graduate from the university
of Lagos, Nigeria and an upcoming dog breeder and founder of AJÁAJÍDÉ KENNEL
… Empower yourself with information.
of Lagos, Nigeria and an upcoming dog breeder and founder of AJÁAJÍDÉ KENNEL
… Empower yourself with information.
Please if you are SS endeavour to marry a person that has AA
genotype, stop the sickle cycle so your kids won’t suffer, being SS doesn’t
make you less fortunate, back then the enlightenment wasn’t so much but now
there are sickle cell foundation’s and clinics everywhere and also my love for
dogs really played a large role in helping me over come depression and crisis,
find your passion , turn your weaknesses to your strength, this cut’s across to
every living being, we all face challenges and with God you will prevail in
Jesus name. Amen.
genotype, stop the sickle cycle so your kids won’t suffer, being SS doesn’t
make you less fortunate, back then the enlightenment wasn’t so much but now
there are sickle cell foundation’s and clinics everywhere and also my love for
dogs really played a large role in helping me over come depression and crisis,
find your passion , turn your weaknesses to your strength, this cut’s across to
every living being, we all face challenges and with God you will prevail in
Jesus name. Amen.
P.S- don’t get me wrong I believe and have seen God perform
miracles, heard about so many whom testified that their genotypes changed, pray
and believe it is not your portion and God will do it like HE has done mine, am
a living testimony…
miracles, heard about so many whom testified that their genotypes changed, pray
and believe it is not your portion and God will do it like HE has done mine, am
a living testimony…
– AJAYI BABAJIDE OLUSEGUN
IG: @ajayibabajide
Twitter: @jdogfather
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