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| Eni Robert via Facebook |
I have never told my story like this. Many parents in Nigeria prefer to keep their names anonymous. Autism STOPPED me in my tracks and I gave up everything for my child. Those of you there know how it took my livelihood. Eni has been on AC360 with Anderson Cooper and spoke to the Toronto Sun and Star. They even called me a wanted fugitive at one tome. They also locked me up 6 mos in jail because I fought discrimination. One of my kids was even sexually abused in foster care in the ordeal. The parents here need to open up!! They need GOVERNMENT intervention like we fought for in the US congress. I will create a new organization nationally and fight for other kids to get funding in Abuja. We HAVE THE MONEY! Just like gays and lesbians, Many Nigerians have no idea what Autism is. The President of PAAI (Parents Against Autism Initiative) had no idea on Friday that they could be funded by GOVERNMENT when I told her. She said they have had nobody outside the shores of this country talk like this.
My ordeal is over. Eni is doing well, talks, high functioning and lives independently, no longer violent and thriving. While some of these Nigerian parents thing abroad, overseas is where the help is, they dont know that is where their families could be ultimately destroyed. I am prepared to fight this fight for them via #HNNHealth and creating a national initiative along with the smaller groups. I am a health professional, a mother and the day they took Lade away at 8yrs old is one I will not forget. Lade is now 23 and I have not seen him since 2003. They said his autistic brother was a danger to him. I hope to see my son again on my 50th birthday. He lived with his father who was abusive to me, whom I left. He even denied me visits. There is a lot to know. In Nigeria, they consider Autism as a spiritual curse. It is a development disability that still has no concrete cause. We have examined the vaccines, environmental factors, genetics etc. I am here to educate Nigerians.
The FUTURE is here!
Learn about Autism.
I have now created Autism Speaks Nigeria to help other parents COPE with all I went through. Do you know anyone with AUTISM??
Join me cos I am the poster Nigerian mom for this in America.
READ the Toronto Sunhttp://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/08/30/15191061.html
READ the The Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/07/11/crime_victim_advocate_wanted_in_georgia.html
To those of you there that helped me and shared my plight, I will forever be in debt to you especially the Canadian Mental Health Association who put things in motion.
Njide Udochi and her sister Ngozi Okonjo Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Fred Udochi, Mike Nichols Toronto Police Scott Mills and the staff at 12 Division - Toronto Police Service and 31 Division - Toronto Police Service Clemee Joseph Jessica Oladunni Onadipe Femi Fani-Kayode My attorneys Ramon Palanca and Taiwo Agbaje, Loretta Bussie.
To those of you that kept your children away from my family and did nothing when my children were separated, thank you as well.
JOIN AUTISM SPEAKS of Nigeria and I will be in New York for the next symposium to introduce our Nigerian chapter.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Autism-Speaks-Nigeria/799608350066676?skip_nax_wizard=true
