For a long time, the #SaveMayowa campaign to raise money for Mayowa Ahmed, who was stricken with Stage IV ovarian cancer, was one of the most talked about and trending topics on social media. It became a volatile saga after Mayowa's family was accused of scamming Nigerians of their hard-earned money; in a controversial post by celeb Linda Ikeji. This caused a chain of scepticism, with people taking different sides and views of the matter; the police got involved to the extent the campaign account was even frozen until it was proven the family was innocent and allowed them to take Mayowa to South Africa.
Was Mayowa herself aware of what was going on at the time? We will probably never know, but I hope she never did- I cannot imagine that poor young woman lying so ill in that hospital bed, worried and upset at the slander her family got because of one act of bad judgment.
Mayowa Ahmed died today at a South African hospital and social media is still streaming with condolence messages to the family after her death was announced; genuine sadness at the loss of that young woman who so wanted to be free of that disease. The trend #SaveMayowa has now been replaced by #RipMayowa.
Right now on Twitter, controversial blogger, Linda Ikeji is being slammed for that post she had on her blog (which she later took down), people saying the same thing- her post delayed Mayowa's trip; she probably would still be alive if she had been flown out of the country at the time she was supposed to be, if not for that damned post.
I have no ill will toward her BUT she should have verified properly before posting it at all and I felt the apology she later gave was not sincere enough and downright smug.
Where do you get off issuing a public apology but then say and I quote:
"What I am happy about is that; even if the family had had dubious intentions initially, now they can't do any of that, as everyone is now watching. So maybe a good thing came out of the whole chaos."
I never felt so disgusted in my life.
Some argue Mayowa shouldn't have travelled out at all; Stage IV of cancer was the advanced stage of the disease and from the heartrending photos of her, she really did look far too frail. But the family's determination to get her treatment and her own determination to get well, just shows they refused to simply give up on her; they believed that she would eventually win the battle with the right treatment.
Well, now the battle is over; Mayowa Ahmed has gone to rest. Nigerians who donated the money to help her, now mourn her. It just shows how warm people in a country can be, even in these hard times- more than kind enough to try and help out a person in need.
May the soul of Mayowa Ahmed rest in perfect peace; May God accept her among his chosen few.
Amen.
Goodbye, Mayowa. You are at peace now.
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