By Segun Adebayo
The loss of a loved one is painful enough, but for 15-year-old content creator Abiba, the death of her brother has become a painful reminder of how financial hardship can determine whether a family can afford to keep a loved one alive.
Abiba, in an emotional video shared on Instagram, recounted how her family lost her brother just 48 hours after bringing him home from the hospital, following their inability to continue paying for his treatment.
“I lost my brother 48 hours after we brought him home from the hospital,” she said, describing the devastating experience that followed her family’s struggle to save his life.
According to her, the family exhausted its savings and accumulated debts in an attempt to secure the treatment her brother needed.
However, their financial situation eventually became an obstacle they could no longer overcome.
“We ran out of money to continue his treatment,” Abiba said, explaining the circumstances that forced her family to stop his hospital care.
She added that the family had made significant financial sacrifices in their efforts to save him, saying they “spent our life savings and went into debt trying to save him.”
Despite their efforts, the family eventually reached a point where it could no longer afford to keep him in the hospital.
Abiba said the experience left her questioning the value placed on human life in a country where access to treatment can depend on a person’s financial circumstances.
“But the moment we went broke, we couldn’t afford to keep him in the hospital,” she said, recalling the moment their financial difficulties became a matter of life and death.
Reflecting on the experience, the teenage content creator asked a question that captured her frustration with the situation: “So tell me, what is the value of human life in this country?”
Abiba said her brother’s death had shaped her view of the challenges facing Nigerians who struggle to afford essential medical care.
She expressed concern that the ability to survive was increasingly tied to how much money a person could provide for treatment.
“I’ve come to realise that Nigeria is becoming a place where your chance of survival depends on how much money you have,” she said.
She further argued that financial circumstances could determine whether people had the opportunity to fight for their lives, adding that “even your right to fight for your life is determined by your financial status.”
Beyond her family’s experience, Abiba drew attention to the wider consequences of medical expenses on households, describing a situation in which families suffer losses while struggling to meet the cost of keeping their loved ones alive.
“People are dying, families are going into debt, and we all are expected to move on like nothing is happening,” she said, expressing concern about how quickly such painful experiences could be forgotten.
She also questioned the attention given to political activities while ordinary Nigerians continue to face difficulties accessing the resources needed to protect their families.
Referring to the approaching political cycle, she said: “Meanwhile, everyone is already talking about the next election.”
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