Balikis Salami, a 25-year-old woman living with sickle cell anaemia and an amputee, has voiced deep frustration over unfulfilled promises made by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun.
More than a year after high-profile visits and widespread media attention, Salami says she has been left to deal with trauma, poverty, and isolation—despite assurances of long-term support.
“I thought when the First Lady reached out to me, all my problems were sorted,” she told Sunday PUNCH in a heart-wrenching interview.
Following the viral publication of her story, representatives of Senator Tinubu reportedly visited Salami’s home to verify her condition. Not long after, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, accompanied by an entourage of media and security personnel, also visited unexpectedly.
Salami said she was promised an artificial arm, international medical support, and financial assistance to complete her family’s unfinished home and set up a business for her mother. The family received N5 million shortly afterward, which they used to roof the house and fill the compound. Her mother even documented the progress in a video to show accountability.
But that was the last meaningful communication they had with the officials.
Later referred to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital for prosthetic measurements, Salami said she received N10,000 for transport and was told the artificial limb would follow. Months passed, but nothing came.
When she followed up, she was dismissed and reminded that she had already received N5 million.
“I called one of the numbers I had. The person told me my file was on the table and I would be attended to. But each time I called after that, the response was cold. Eventually, I stopped trying.”
Beyond the physical and emotional pain, Salami also suffers deep social stigma. She says her relatives have abandoned her, and even her longtime best friend walked away after her amputation.
“My cousins say I smell. I now live alone. Even my best friend—my mum helped her so much, but she still left me. I don’t blame her. If my own blood can abandon me, what should I expect from anyone else?”
Despite everything, Salami has turned to TikTok to share her story and raise awareness. Some kind Nigerians have sent small donations, which she used to buy materials for her mother’s home. But it’s still not enough to move in—the house lacks basic features like windows, and her fragile health makes living there dangerous.
“I am not attacking anyone,” she said. “But I just want to remind them of their promises. If I had known the N5 million was all I would get, I would have accepted it. But they made me believe there was more to come.”
Salami is now calling on Senator Remi Tinubu and Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, as well as the Nigerian government, to fulfill the pledges made to her during their publicised visits.
