MENU ‘My boyfriend poured acid in my eyes’

A visually-impaired bead maker, Mrs Latifat Adeleye has narrated how her ex-boyfriend made her lose her sight.

She was among the 1, 516 beneficiaries of N143 million disbursed by Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation on Sunday in Alausa, Ikeja.

In a phone conversation with Southwest Report, Mrs Adeleye said the incident occurred in 2011.

According to her, her ex-boyfriend, Michael (surname withheld) accused her of being proud and poured acid on her face to deform her beauty.

Mrs Adeleye said: “We met at Aboru in 2009 shortly after the death of my dad. He took advantage of my dad’s death to move closer because he knew my dad was very strict. He operates a football viewing centre behind our house and usually comes to eat in my mother’s shop after my dad’s death. I was running the shop for my mum because she was mourning the death of her husband.

“I accepted his love proposal in 2010 and we began dating. Towards the end of 2011, I wasn’t pleased with his attitude, so I started avoiding him.

“A day to that ugly incident, he sent my sister to me. I ignored his message. He called several times, I didn’t pick his calls. On my way to the Mosque the following morning, he ran towards me and poured acid on my face and ran away. I cried and called for help.

“I was first taken to Oke-Odo General Hospital; they rejected me and referred me to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). I was there from December 30, 2011 until February 4, 2012. There, I was told I can’t see with my eyes again. We had to visit a private medical centre. After some surgeries, I could only see light and reflection of the sun not objects such as humankind. Since then, I had to resign to my fate.”

Michael, she said, was traced and arrested in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital where he ran to after the incident.

Mrs Adeleye said Michael’s brother, who was arrested by the police led them to where he (Michael) was hiding.

“In his confessional statement, he wrote and told the police that he didn’t mean to make me blind completely but the acid went directly to my eyeballs. He said he wanted to disfigure my beauty,” she said.

Mrs Adeleye was pained that Michael was freed by the court for lack of evidence.

“His lawyer argued that he made the confessional statement under duress. That was how the court discharged and acquitted him. The judge said I don’t have an eyewitness,” she said.

The 33-year-old woman married two years ago to a visually-impaired and they are living in Badagry.

“My Dad’s relatives made all efforts to help me regain my sight but it appeared the acid has eaten deep into my eyeballs; though some people still told me that I could regain my sight if I get someone that would facilitate my foreign medical treatment,” she said.

Read also: Girl cuts off boyfriend’s manhood in Jigawa

During the disbursement of Zakat items, Mrs Adeleye’s pathetic case made many to betray their emotion as she was handed a grinding machine as a form of empowerment.

The dark-skinned bead maker brought her beautiful beads design which looks like a flower vase.

But she dreams bigger than being at home earning a living from grinding pepper. However, the visual impairment is obviously an impediment to the realisation of her dream.

Mrs. Adeleye said she would have loved to be a radio broadcaster if she had the chance of furthering her education and regaining her sight.

She said: “People are always amazed seeing my bead works but they rarely patronise me. They will say, ‘wao, wonderful’ and that is the end. I have done close to seven of these beads in different colours and designs which I have not been able to sell. The prices vary according to specifications. I sell this (the one she’s holding) for N5, 000. I also have small sizes for N3, 000.”