31-Year-Old Graduate Seeks Financial Help For Surgery To Treat Congenital Reproductive Condition

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Alade Omowumi, a 31-year-old Guidance and Counselling graduate of Adekunle Ajasin University, has appealed to Nigerians for financial assistance to complete treatment for a congenital reproductive condition that has caused her years of pain and medical complications.

Omowumi said she first experienced recurring abdominal pain at the age of 15 but did not understand its cause until she sought medical attention three years later. Doctors subsequently discovered that she was menstruating internally because menstrual blood could not flow out of her body.

According to her account published by PUNCH on Saturday, an examination at the hospital revealed that her vaginal canal was absent, a condition that prevented doctors from carrying out the surgery they had initially planned.

She underwent surgery in 2014 to create a vaginal opening. However, the opening later narrowed, while she developed urinary incontinence following the procedure. She also continued to experience difficulties with menstrual blood drainage.

Omowumi said the pain prevented her from using a dilator recommended by doctors to help maintain the opening. Her mother eventually requested her discharge as the hospital bills continued to accumulate.

For about 14 to 15 years, she has continued to experience complications associated with the condition, including the accumulation of menstrual blood in her abdomen. She said doctors sometimes had to drain the trapped blood when she visited the hospital.

She later sought treatment at another hospital, where doctors explained that her bladder required repair and that another procedure would be necessary to create a functional vaginal opening. The treatment, she said, would be conducted in stages because of complications from her earlier surgery.

Omowumi underwent another operation in September 2026 to address her urinary problem. She was discharged about one or two weeks before the interview and is awaiting the next stage of treatment after the recently operated area heals.

She said she could not provide an exact cost for the outstanding surgery because the doctors had yet to determine the final amount, adding that treatment expenses could change before the procedure takes place.

The graduate disclosed that a foundation had previously supported her treatment. After her most recent surgery, the woman in charge of the foundation gave her the remaining N500,000 for post-operative care. However, she said she had received few additional donations and still needed financial assistance.

Beyond the medical challenges, Omowumi said the condition had affected her personal life and hopes of marriage and motherhood. She recounted an unsuccessful attempt at sexual intercourse because of severe pain and said she had kept her condition private for years because of the stigma surrounding it.

She eventually decided to speak publicly after becoming frustrated with her circumstances and realising that she needed help. However, she said some of the reactions to her story had been painful, forcing her to limit her outings.

Omowumi credited her mother with standing by her throughout the ordeal, particularly after the death of her father. She also expressed gratitude to friends who offered sympathy and encouragement after learning about her condition.

She is now appealing to Nigerians for financial support and prayers to enable her to complete treatment.

“I want Nigerians to please help me. I want to live a normal life, get married and have children of my own,” she said.

She added that her greatest hope was to receive the necessary treatment, build a family and have a better future.