- Ekene Ofia, a young Nigerian, has been stuck in Kenya for two years after his cousin, who promised to sponsor his education, moved abroad
- Ekene said he has been sleeping on the streets, using a sack full of clothes as a pillow, and working as a kitchen maid.
- Geoffrey Mosiria tried to help him, giving him hotel accommodation and a referral to a rehabilitation center for a mental health assessment, but Ekene escaped
A young man from Anambra State, Nigeria identified as Ekene Ofia, has been stuck in Kenya for two years after the cousin who brought him with the promise of funding his studies left for the United States.
Source: Facebook
In a video shared by Nairobi County officer Geoffrey Mosiria, Ekene explained that he has been sleeping on the street, with nowhere to go and no money to rent a house.
How did a Nigerian man end up in Kenya?
Ekene said he traveled to Kenya after his cousin, who was already living there, promised to fund his education.
However, two weeks after his arrival, the cousin failed to enroll him in school and soon he traveled abroad leaving Ekene stranded.
“I came to do my masters at the Pan African University, but my sponsor married an American woman and moved to live with her. She had been living in Kenya for about seven years. She told me she would travel after enrolling me in school, but she didn’t. I think she used the money meant for my education to pay for her trip to America,” Ekene said.
With nothing, Ekene ended up living on the streets, sleeping on the veranda at night, using his clothes sack as a pillow.
He noted that he could not return to Nigeria because his passport had expired and he could only find menial jobs to afford food.
He asked for help to renew his passport and buy a ticket home so he could be reunited with his family and start a new life.
He said finding sustainable work in Kenya has been difficult and he was sure that life at home would be better.
While working with Ekene, Mosiria noticed that he may be depressed or suffer from mental health challenges.
Did Ekene Ofia get help?
Mosiria offered to send him to a rehabilitation center for a mental health evaluation to determine a way forward.
However, Ekene left the hotel where he was staying courtesy of Mosiria the next morning.
“He also asked me if I could help him find any kind of job so that he can at least support himself while he waits to register his documents. So I decided to take him to a private rehabilitation center where professionals could evaluate him and give him the help he needs. After agreeing on this plan, I took him to a hotel where he could sleep safely. I paid for his room and food, with the intention of picking him up in the morning and picking him up,” Mosiri said.
The county official appealed to anyone with information about Ekene’s whereabouts to contact him so that help can be provided.
He also appealed to Nigerians in Kenya to support Ekene and give him a second chance in life.
Why did the Nairobi woman and her child get stuck?
In other news, TUKO.co.ke reported that a young woman and her one-week-old baby were left homeless in South B, Nairobi.
Angela Penina and her son had to sleep at the club after heavy rain caused flooding and destroyed her home.
The floods have left many people homeless, killed more than 40, and destroyed many homes and properties, leaving residents counting the losses.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
