Cerebral Palsy: Kuchi Kuchi Singer, Jodie Opens Up About Challenges Of Raising Her Special Needs Child As She Calls For Help
Singer, Joy Eseoghene Odiete better known as Jodie, has opened up about the challenges of raising her child, who lives with cerebral palsy, while calling for help from well-meaning Nigerians.
Cerebral Palsy is a group of disorders that affect balance, movement, and muscle tone. “Cerebral” means the disorder is related to the brain, and “palsy” refers to weakness or a muscle problem.
Jodie, best known for the song ‘Kuchi Kuchi’, spoke in a lengthy open letter shared via her Instagram page on Wednesday.
The mother of 6-year-old boy named Chinua recounted how she has worked tirelessly since the release of her hit song to fend for herself and her special needs son.
She spoke about how she has been a beneficiary to many charity organisations and also had to borrow money from several people to care for her son.
The singer revealed that some strangers even advised her to kill or abandon my son, “because such children are sent to swallow up finances.”
Jodie stated that taking good care of a special needs children is expensive as they have a special diet, need a lot of medical and emotional care.
She expressed;
Special Needs children require the help of well established world-class organisations, because it is not their fault that they were born that way.
Jodie went ahead to reveal that the hospital where she birthed her son for his condition, adding that she would have gone to a general hospital if she knew things would turn out as it is now.
The Kuchi Kuchi singer said because of her son’s disability, she cannot keep a relationship as her “soul is shattered“.
She further explained that her son’s health condition has turned her into a beggar, saying;
My finances have been swallowed. My friends have abandoned me because I’m a beggar. My debts are new every morning.
Read her full open letter below;
AN OPEN LETTER (Pardon) This message is not for the Kings, Queens or Men and Women of substance of Nigeria. This message is for the sons, daughters, servants, security agents, concubines….ANYBODY whom the Kings and Queens have a soft spot for their opinions.
I would have paid a media crew, to make a compelling and attractive video, but, please forgive me… I cannot afford it now.
I am not a lazy person. I sang a song, Kuchi Kuchi in 2010, which Kings and Queens have listened to and enjoyed. I am using the soft spot that song may have created to make this appeal.
In the past 6 years, I have hawked beaded jewellery in offices like Total, Noah’s Ark, DDB etc. I have sold hair care products. I have begged. I have borrowed. Nigerians are kind. Even Bellanaija has sent me 100k… I have been a beneficiary of Air Peace’s Thursday session with the Chairman as a social responsibility to help the less privileged – SEVERAL TIMES.
Jodie noted;
The truth is, I am a NOBODY, but I was inspired, years ago to sing a song even when I didn’t know myself – a song that still resonates till date. Who knows? Maybe the essence of Kuchi Kuchi was not for my popularity, but to respond to the silent cries of mothers who gave birth to special needs children.
Maybe its essence was to speak for the blood of the special needs children that has been spilled IN SECRET by helpless mothers who did not know what else to do. I know this, because some strangers have advised me to kill or abandon my son, because such children are sent to swallow up finances.
My finances have been swallowed. My friends have abandoned me, because I am a beggar. My debts are new every morning. But I am a mother who would rather DIE first before her son does not eat.
She further revealed;
Special needs children do not eat normal food. Special needs children need a lot of medical, emotional, etc care. Special Needs children require the help of well established world-class organisations, because it is not their fault that they were born that way.
In my case, the hospital I delivered my son had a hand in it. I blame myself for not going to a general hospital. It is past. There is nothing I can do about it now.
In the second part of the open letter, Jodie wrote;
I am unable to stay in a relationship, because my soul is shattered. I am a wounded animal, but love still lives in me. This public cry is not for me. This public and shameless cry of mine is for the SPECIAL MOTHERS OF NIGERIA. We have been ashamed for too long, because of the stigmatisation. Some people accuse you of trying to abort your baby, even though they have no proof. Some people call you an evil spirit. Many will hide their children from your own, because they are afraid that your “evil” child may give them “affliction”. It is true that some girls tried abort pregnancies, causing such, but what of the married women? What of the women who have 3, 4, 5 special kids? Did they all try to abort their
own too?
She stressed;
I am willing to show the public test results to prove that I did not try to abort Chinua. But that will not save the Nigerian Special
Mothers. Our fighting chance to the already-tough terrain of the country has been cut short, because we have to carry
over-grown babies on our backs. How can we hustle?
I plead to the powers that be to start one step at a time URGENTLY to do something.
Please consult Madam None of the Cerebral Palsy Centre – she is my mother in this plight.I need blogs to talk about this. I need celebs to talk about this. I need all the politicians who are trying to change Nigeria in 2023 to add this to their agendas. I need
musicians to sing about this. I need random strangers to give MONEY to every random special mother they know, because we are
now handicapped. We cannot work. I will continue fighting. My saving grace is that I have a roof over my head, a family
that cares (though they have their
challenges), a smart phone that was gifted to me by a total stranger – Mrs. A from Abuja.. goodwill. L.. etc. I have mercy, but
many special mothers do not have what I have.We are now shameless. We are now helpless. We have gone mad, so forgive us for not being able to comport ourselves sometimes – we are trying really HARD to
appear NORMAL. We need a permanent solution. Money is
not the only answer – the care a special kid requires is not from one person’s purse.
Concluding the open letter in the third part, she stated;
Please help me tag the
blogs I didn’t tag. I am recovering. I have been ill. I fall ill almost every 3 weeks due to stress
– even though I have help. THIS IS NOT A POPULARITY STUNT. Tag
EVERYBODY. I cannot do a video today. Please, media houses, originise yourselves and translate my message in ways that
people can UNDERSTAND.
I need to rest today. My head is heavy. My eyes hurt, because I cry every night. Don’t wait for the singer of Kuchi Kuchi to die
first before you do a memorial service, while her child is left to suffer. Do not spend a dime when I’m dead. Do ALL YOU CAN NOW about this while I’m ALIVE.
I beg you, Nigerians.
She then shared her account details to receive donations from well-meaning Nigerians;
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