The Director, Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area (LGA) and National Coordinator, Association of Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disorder (APLSCD), Mrs Aisha Edward-Maduagwu has urged Governor Chukwuma to query his Women Affairs Commissioner, Ify Obinabo over the death of her relative, Miss Chilota Ezikwelu.
Ezikwelu, a native of Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area (LGA) where Obinabo is married to, reportedly died since November 2025 and was buried without informing the Sickle Cell Orphanage home she left to travel to her village before the incident.
Edward-Maduagwu, in a statement, is also not happy with how the two former commissioners in the ministry, Dr Mrs Ndidi Mezue and Mrs Victoria Chikwelu, who is also a relative of Chilota, had allegedly neglected the late orphan throughout her life and time on earth.
The statement read in full thus, "It is with heavy hearts, burning indignation, and profound sense of loss that the Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder and the Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home, Agulu, announces the untimely and avoidable death of Chilota Ezikwelu, a resilient sickle cell warrior and orphan from Ifitedunu, Dunukofia LGA.
"Chilota did not die from her condition alone, she died from the cold hands of abandonment, the trauma of rejection, and a systemic failure by those sworn to protect the vulnerable. For five years, Chilota lived at the Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home in Agulu, she was brought to the home by a pastor friend of her family in Ifitedunu, looking worn-out with visible signs of malnourishment like bloated tummy, jaundiced eyes, scrawny legs and feet etc. We cherished her dearly as a family, providing her with consistent medical attention, warmth, and high-quality nutrition, which saw her bounce back immediately to a more dignified and robust healthy-look.
"She was enrolled in a good school, because she never had the opportunity to complete a session, as she was being moved from place to place by her relatives to serve as house help to people who doesn't care much about her health condition. She thrived academically with the rest of the children under our care, and successfully sat for her WAEC exams, passing with flying colours, proving that sickle cell is not a barrier to excellence when a child is adequately supported. She was brilliant and sociable, taking the big sister role towards ensuring comfort to other children less her age at the home.
"Throughout her stay, no expense was spared. When she faced frequent gruelling sickle cell crises, the Association bore all medical bills totaling hundreds of thousands of Naira. During these five years, her extended family remained ghosts and incommunicado–never calling, never visiting, and never contributed a kobo towards her survival.
"It is a bitter irony that while Chilota suffered, her own blood relatives occupied and continue to occupy the highest offices of child welfare in the State. Her relatives includes Mrs Vicky Chikwelu, former Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, and Mrs Ify Obinabo, current Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs. These women knew Chilota in person, knew about her medical challenges and circumstances, yet did absolute nothing.
"The Association made countless, desperate appeals to both Mrs Chikwelu and Mrs Ify Obinabo in particular, begging them to assist their relative. These pleas for compassion were met with wall of silence. At one time, we came to a decision to publicly call-out Ify Obinabo for her total negligence and indifference towards not just Chilota, but to all the vulnerable children living with sickle cell, but were restrained against such plan by Mrs Amara Ezeokenwa, wife of the APGA national chairman, who pleaded with us that such an outburst would rub off negatively on the administration, but rather give Ify Obinabo more time to amend her ways.
"We want to unequivocally say that the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs has systematically relegated vulnerable sickle cell children to a life of a perpetual suffering. Whether due to stigma or selfish reasons interests, the Ministry from the days of Vicky Chikwelu, to Ndidi Mezue, down to the present Ify Obinabo, has consistently failed to provide a safety net for these children, leaving them to die in the shadows.
"When the Association couldn't bear the brunt of the neglect upon Chilota, we took her to seek help from her home LGA of Dunukofia, and the only hands extended were those of the former TC Chairman, Hon Onyemaobi Augustine Nonyelum, the current Mayor, Barr. Chijioke Ozumba, and Dr Okey Eze, from Ukpo. We are grateful and appreciate their support no matter how little. Chilota has also received assistance for blood transfusions from the current Mayor of Anaocha LGA, Com. Romanus Ibekwe, and Mrs Ijesunny Egbuna, the APGA Women Leader in Anaocha LGA. Categorically speaking, Chilota has received more support from Anaocha than her relatives, all through her five years stay with us punctuated with incessant health breakdowns.
"Driven by the trauma of being unwanted, Chilota left our facilities and returned home to ask a simple question: "Why does nobody care if I live or die?" While we expected her return to our facility, or perhaps a call from either of her relatives on the way forward, Chilota was bundled out by her relatives to fend for herself alone. This fragile girl, who required specialized care, was subjected to hard labour working as a sales person under harsh conditions, according to our findings and investigations. Weakened by exhaustion, removed from accessing quality healthcare and nutrition, and heartbroken by rejection, Chilota succumbed to death through pains and neglect. In the final act of disrespect, her family buried her immediately, quietly and moved on, failing to even notify the Home that has been her sanctuary and family for five years.
"The Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder, hereby calls for immediate intervention to unravel the circumstances that led to Chilota's death. We humbly appeal to Dr (Mrs) Nonye Soludo, to please rise to the occasion to protect orphaned children with sickle cell and to reign in the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. The Ministry must discharge their duties without discrimination or stigmatisation that killed Chilota.
"In the same vein, the church leadership in Anambra State should rise and demand accountability on what happens to their flocks in the most vulnerable state. Why has Ify Obinabo and her predecessors ignored the cries of vulnerable sickle cell orphans and underprivileged persons? The church must also ask why the burden of care falls solely on NGOs, while the likes of Obinabo in position remains indifferent to the unimaginable pains of these children.
"The State government should take deep consideration to humanity when appointing officers that would be incharge of the welfare ministry. We have suffered enough, and need individuals of proven characters rather than political correctness. Chilota Ezikwelu's blood cries out for a change in how we treat the "least of these." We will not be silent until the rights and lives of sickle cell warriors are treated with the dignity they deserve. "