Father of a missing two-year-old girl, Femi Adesuyi, speaks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about the circumstance that led to the disappearance of her daughter.
There were reports about your daughter that got missing. How did the incident happen?
My two-year-old daughter got missing on Wednesday, May 25, 2023, along Mile 2. My wife is pregnant and has been suffering from depression due to her condition. So, she went to the general hospital for her antenatal, and when she got there, she started acting funny; maybe it was the mental stress. So, they started calling the numbers on her phone and fortunately, they were able to reach me and I told them that I was on my way to the hospital. At a point, they called back and said that she was okay. I even spoke to her and told her to wait for me and that I was coming to pick her up. I assured her on the phone that everything would be alright. By the time I got there, she had already left.
What happened afterward?
I called her number and she wasn’t picking up. I started looking for her and even went to her mother’s place in Ajah, but she was not there. So, we couldn’t find her that day. I tried calling her again and a bus driver picked up the call and explained how he gave her a lift from CMS to Mile 2 at about 9pm. The driver also told me that he would drop her at Mile 2. So, I went to Mile 2 immediately and I couldn’t find her. That was how I started looking for her hoping that I would find her at Mile 2.
It was later that night, at about 11pm that a sister called me and told me a bus came to drop her at Ajah. The sister said that my wife was now with them and that she (my wife) was not with the child she took along. So, I quickly rushed down to her family place to see her. When I saw her, she was 100 per cent depressed, more like total madness. I immediately took her to the hospital and she has since been admitted, but we thank God she’s now okay. After her treatment, we started looking for the child. We’ve been to many police stations but they told us that they were still searching for the child.
What is your occupation?
I am doing nothing for now. I recently resigned from my workplace because my wife is suffering from depression. Now, my daughter went missing. It is the depression my wife suffered that caused it.
Where are you from?
I’m from Ekiti State but based in Lagos, Ojodu Berger.
Is it that your wife is mentally unstable?
No, this just happened to her coincidently, and the cause is still strange and unknown to me. Perhaps it is the pregnancy that is affecting her because, since the time we got married, I haven’t come across this.
When you got a call about her mental situation, what came to your mind?
It was a shocking experience; I couldn’t get myself at that moment, I felt horrible. I felt maybe Good Samaritans tried rescuing the child from her at the time she had the health challenge.
Where did the incident happen?
Do you know that when somebody is depressed, she can’t identify the actual place where a particular incident occurred? But she said it was between CMS and Ajah.
What did your wife tell you after getting back to her normal state?
She said that night, some people surrounded her, started beating her seriously, and collected the child. We even went to Mile 2 yesterday (Monday) to know if anybody could confirm the incident, but unfortunately, no one could confirm what happened.
Don’t you think they took advantage of her situation at that moment?
No, I don’t think so. Is even abnormal for me to think so, because she said the incident happened between CMS and Ajah. I can’t just be accusing people without tangible evidence.
What’s your wife’s name?
Her name is Ada Adesuyi.
What are the steps you have taken on this matter?
I have been to many police stations to report and to drop my phone number so that if anybody sees a child, the police will be able to contact me directly. There was a day somebody called me that he saw a child at Bond FM, but that one is a boy, he is not mine. I have also been to some motherless houses, even the one at Alakara.
What is the name of the missing child?
Her name is Peace Adesuyi.
Can you tell me more about the girl?
She is two years and eight months old. She has not started speaking audibly, and can’t mention her name, but if you call her by her name, she will answer.
What did the police tell you when you met them?
After making the report, the police radioed other stations, but I still don’t depend on that, I still go out searching for her.
Did you suspect anyone to have a hand in this?
Considering the way everything happened, I can’t suspect anyone. You know that I wasn’t there. I kept asking the people that called and said my wife came home without the child if they were sure of what they told me and they said, ‘Yes’. I asked the landlord of the house too, and he replied, ‘Yes, she didn’t get home with the child’. You know that in such a situation, I can’t accuse anyone of being in possession of my daughter.
What are the pieces of advice you got from people so far?
I have got many of them (advice) from different people, but the decision is still mine because I have nobody to accuse. It was my wife that went out with the child. Sure, people will come with advice but that doesn’t mean I should listen to them. My responsibility is to look for my daughter and see her, and I’ll be okay.
Do you have issues with anybody?
No, I don’t have issues with anyone.
What about your wife? What kind of person is she?
My wife mostly has issues with the neighbours, where we are staying in Ojodu Berger, and I don’t think that can lead to what’s happening right now.
Were you advised to take spiritual steps?
As I said earlier, many people are giving me some advice, but that doesn’t mean I’ll take it. I’m a Christian, I believe in praying and fasting. My pastor too is aware of it and I always beg him to assist me with prayers.
What are the things you miss about your daughter?
You know, I am under pressure and I am not happy with what is going on around me now. I can’t be telling you things I miss about my daughter at this moment. You should understand my situation.
What kind of help do you need?
I will be excited if my daughter can be found.
