Wen Ifiemi Dunu discover say her sister Joy Dunu get belle, e break her heart.
Di whole family bin dey devastated.
Dis na becos, not only say Joy na dia last born, she get special needs as she dey autistic and she no dey tok.
Di incident happen during di 2022 flood wey spoil Bayelsa State.
“We notice say she dey vomit but we think say she don get sickness becos of di flood becos we bin dey displaced so we come dey give her antibiotics and injection not knowing say na belle.
Na my sister husband wey be nurse na im say make e do all tests so e go know wetin e dey treat. Na dia e come reveal say na belle she get.”
Wen dem born Joy, she be di last born of five girls. Dem notice say she no waka di time wey pikin dey waka as she begin waka wen she dey three years old and she no dey tok but dem no suspect anytin as di parents tink say she go overcome as all pikin no be di same.
Dia father wey believe in traditional herbal medicine begin treat her wit herbs while dia mother feel say na spiritual problem so begin take her go church for prayers.
Wen e reach time for Joy to go school, dem enroll her for regular school but she no do well becos di specialised teaching wey she need dem no give her for di school.
Joy get a special way wey she dey use communicate and evri bodi for di family and neighbourhood dey understand wetin she dey tok wit di way she dey demonstrate to dem.
Not until Ifiemi enter university na im she realise say her sister na special needs pikin so na dat time dem take her go hospital and dem diagnose say she dey autistic.
“Joy dey very innocent and see dey like small pikin so we dey always protect her, afterall she be our last born di baby of di house, so belle na di last tin wey enta our mind.”
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‘Pipo wit autism also get human feelings’
Joy bin dey 21 years wen dem discover say she get belle and na big shock to di family as dem no know who be di father of di pikin.
Wen dem ask her who give her belle, she point one particular man but di man deny say no be im give her belle. E later agree say wen she born di pikin dem go do DNA test.
“Di DNA results show zero percent say dat pesin be di pikin papa so we tell Joy say medically no be im be di baby father but till today, she still dey insist say na dat pesin give her belle.
We as a family we don already decide say no matter di DNA results, di pikin she go born na our own and we go take care of am. We be five girls no boy so we no know di gender weda boy or girl, so wen she born boy we happy and we accept am as our own.”
Ifiemi Dunu say dis experience make her realise say pipo wit autism also get feelings as human beings and dem dey feel wetin oda pipo too dey feel.
She encourage pipo wey get brother or sister wit autism or oda types of special needs say make dem no shame but dey proud of dem and carry dem out.
Ifiemi also advice say make dem understand how di world dey so pipo no go take advantage of dia innocence.
“Recently, I lost a relationship becos my sister dey autistic. Di pesin say e no go marry me becos of my sister, say we fit born pikin wey go be like my sister becos e dey flow for blood.
Ha! E pain me and I cry well well… but I see am say, dat pesin no be for me. “
Now Joy don dey get specialised education and treatment from pesin wey specialise in dat area and dem don see a lot of improvement for her.
Ifiemi say di social media posts she make of her sister don help to raise awareness and many pipo don reach out to her say dem too get brother or sister wey dey like Joy.
She add say dem also don get a lot of support from pipo through social media.
But goment gatz to make deliberate effort to invest and make provision to care for special needs children.
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