Comedian MC Mbakara and his wife, Lolo Mbakara, have shared the painful story of their daughter Eke Mama’s nine-year battle with severe cerebral palsy, a condition caused by oxygen deprivation at birth.
In an emotional video on MC Mbakara TV on Saturday, the couple recounted the traumatic events of October 19, 2016, when their newborn’s struggle for life began. Cerebral palsy is a brain disorder that affects movement, muscle coordination, and posture, often caused by oxygen deprivation, brain bleeds, or disrupted brain development before, during, or shortly after birth.
For Eke Mama, the damage occurred during a complicated delivery. Lolo described the harrowing moment in the labor room: “I went into the labour room, and it was time to push. But somehow the baby was stuck.”
She revealed that the hospital had no functional oxygen, forcing staff to pour water from an empty tank in a desperate attempt to revive the newborn. “When the baby came out, she wasn’t crying, she wasn’t breathing. They said, ‘Bring oxygen!’ — but there was no oxygen in the hospital.”
The family rushed Eke Mama to a teaching hospital, a journey that took over 30 minutes. There, she was placed on oxygen for nearly two weeks, but doctors confirmed that the prolonged deprivation had caused irreversible brain damage, resulting in severe cerebral palsy.
The couple recalled being advised by a medical colleague to remove Eke Mama from life support for a “stress-free life,” advice they could not follow. “One of my husband’s medical friends said, ‘If you want a stress-free life, take off the oxygen mask and let her rest,’ but as parents, we couldn’t bring ourselves to do it,” Lolo said.
Now nine years old, Eke Mama remains in a vegetative state, spending “95 percent of her life sleeping,” Lolo tearfully noted.
The Mbakaras have also faced public scrutiny and online trolling. “People said we were ashamed of her,” MC Mbakara said. “But human beings can be mean. We didn’t want pity or ridicule.”
Turning their pain into purpose, the couple launched the Aya Kanu Aya Foundation to raise awareness about cerebral palsy and support affected families. “People call these children bewitched or possessed instead of understanding it’s brain damage,” Lolo said. The foundation seeks to educate Nigerians and provide emotional and financial support to parents facing similar challenges.
The couple expressed gratitude to MC Mbakara’s mother, who has been a pillar of support in caring for Eke Mama. “If not for her, we would have been drained. We thank God every day for her and for our daughter’s life,” MC Mbakara added.
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