Afe Babalola reunites mental patients with families after 15yrs

From Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) has rehabilitated two mentally ill persons   from Ondo and Kogi States and reunited them with their families after 15 years of separation.

The project was undertaken by the legal luminary and a psychiatric,  Dr. Joshua Falade

Speaking at the unification ceremony held at the campus of the university, Babalola appealed to the people not to stigmatise patients suffering from mental illness.

He explained that ABUAD had got approval from Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi over its intention of the university to take lunatics off Ekiti streets for rehabilitation .

He said he had to show pity after discovering them in their lunatic state and brought them for intensive medicare at Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH).

The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Sylvester Ojo, said Babalola has replicated the same gesture through contributions to the society in terms of scholarships, free legal services to the oppressed and giving of funds to farmers across the 16 local governments to advance food production.

Giving a tip on how to demystify mental illness, the psychiatric expert, Dr. Falade, revealed that the victims were brought to life through Babalola’s instrumentality after sleeping in the forest and roaming the streets for years.

Speaking on behalf of the families, Mr.Ojo Bamidele and Nurudeen Subair, said they never knew they could reunite with the victims, having lost contact with them for years.