#SaveMayowa Ahmed: The generosity of Nigerians and the rot in the system

Within three days, kind Nigerians had come together and donated 85 million Naira to a stage 4 cancer patient, Mayowa Ahmed.

I have never seen such benevolence before. This noble gesture exonerates Nigerians mostly portrayed negatively in the media abroad. It also shows that Nigerians both home and abroad, can set positive examples in all spheres of our society.

Unfortunately, most times, anything to do with huge amount of money ends up in a mess. I am not particularly going to express my opinion about the alleged scam involving the Ahmed family, but what concerns me is the rottenness exposed by this mess.

The campaign led by the "Alakada" actress Toyin Aimakhu with the trending hashtag #SaveMayowa exposed the level of decay in our country, which can be traced to poor governance in the past. Government of any country must ensure they put in place necessary infrastructures for its citizens; such as good hospitals, roads and transportation. The saga highlights the need for transparency not just for those in government but every citizen of our great nation. The APC led government is working tirelessly to achieve this.


Why are we unable to get definite answers from our doctors within the country and there is always the need to get second opinion abroad. In western countries like the United Kingdom, statistics shows that up to 5,000 doctors are Nigerians. These countries including the United States have many Nigerians occupying positions as  top doctors, matrons, lawyers, teachers, politicians and are leading in their various fields.

Fighting corruption certainly does not end with the government alone, but citizens ought to be honest in their dealings. I pray for Mayowa Ahmed. God certainly still is in the business of healing people and will heal Mayowa totally. I just hope the funds are used for its sole purpose.

By Adenike Lucas