Burdened by fate: Challenges of 3 dwarf sisters of same parents
We didn’t envisage all our children would be dwarfs –Mother By Daniel Anokwuru
Most times, children are replicas of their parents, but for Mr. and Mrs. Obadina, even if their three children look like them, it’s not in height.
And it is strange a couple would be blessed with three children and all would be dwarf.
Mrs. Obadina said they got married with the hope of having healthy and good looking children, but such expectation never came to pass. The products of the marriage are currently faced with disability with the consequent societal rejection, low self esteem, and lack of education.
The three female children produced by the marriage, Obadina Oluwasola, 30, Obadina Olajumoke, 20, and Obadina Christiana 16, are not just dwarfs. They also have health challenges to grapple with. Their legs are weak; their breathing is labored; they are hearing impaired and have clouded eyes. Aside the health and financial crises that have ravaged the family for over three decades of their lives, societal acceptance is a major problem.
Oasis Care, a group of seven national youth service corp members, seeking love and happiness for the downtrodden in the society encountered the Obadina dwarfs were recently. They family lives in Owonikoko Agbado, a suburb of Ogun State. Their mother is a petty trader, and father a commercial bus driver. The couple look very outstanding in height and appearance.
The children are secondary school graduates, but failed to pass their O level examination due to low self esteem, stigmatization, and health challenges. They are young girls with great dreams, and have a bright side to life. By their stature, social class and health issues have become insurmountable burdens.
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Speaking during a visit to their home, Mrs. Josephine Obadina said she wanted her children to be educated, but they could not walk far because of their frail legs.
She said when they got married, she and her husband never envisaged the fate, because dwarfism was not in their lineage.
Inside the tray she displayed her wares, the only tangible thing found is 10 pieces of sachet tomatoes. In fact, it was a terrible street business.
One surprising thing about the children is that they are very accommodating. But at first sight, they seems to be a little aggressive, apparently caused by past experiences that whoever approaches them is doing so for the purpose of mocking them. But when it dawned on them that their visitors were not such unwelcomed visitors,
they became very happy. Jumoke showed love and attraction to the NYSC uniform. She said she hoped to wear the uniform one day as a corps member. “Please do not sit on the dirty broken block. I cherish anyone wearing this NYSC Khaki and I know that one day, I must wear it,” Jumoke said, as one of the visitor wanted to sit close to her.
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The moment she was given the NYSC uniform to wear, she felt very happy and fulfilled.
The girls have dreams. They sing, dance, make jokes, and aspire to do a lot in life. But life is not easy for their mother who has to take care of them and help them in doing the basic things a child could do for her parent. Children always try to play with them, taking them to be their age mate, because of their height.
One of the NYSC members, Ihejirika Charity Ndidiamaka, described Mrs. Obadina as a mother of the century. She said: “But can you imagine a mother that has to take care of her three children in this condition. She helps them in doing things that you and I won’t even think of before doing. She is the mother of the century. The children are peculiar and their desire for education is unequalled. They must be accepted in the society. They find it difficult associating with people because they feel inferior.”
Oluwasola, the eldest, said regardless of her condition, she knew how to praise God because He is her maker. She sings whenever she is happy, but she has challenges singing because of her breath issues. She cannot walk or stand for long due to her stature. They cannot do anything for themselves. Their mother does it all for them. The Director of the group, Adeola Omotoso said they wanted the Obadinas to get proper health care and feel accommodated. He noted that the children hardly come outside nor associate with people owing to inferiority complex.
