Akinbobola Akintunde Folajimi, the grieving husband of late Kemi Folajimi—a pregnant woman who tragically died during labour shares harrowing claims about the hospital incident and the amount he had with him.

In an emotional interview with The Punch Newspapers, Folajimi recounted the tragic events that unfolded on the day his wife died. According to him, the medical team at the unnamed private hospital allegedly refused to treat Kemi until the N500,000 deposit was paid in full, despite his desperate pleas and promise to raise the funds.

“When we arrived at the hospital, the doctors checked her and then turned to me, saying that we needed to deposit N500,000 before they could proceed. My heart dropped,” Folajimi said.

“I told them I didn’t have N500,000 at the moment, but I promised them – I swore – I would raise it before the end of the day. I had some money in my account, about N80,000.”

Folajimi, a farmer by occupation, revealed he was willing to sell all his livestock—including goats, rabbits, chickens, and turkeys—to save his wife’s life. He also planned to call on family members for support if necessary. However, he said his pleas were met with cold indifference.

“They refused. Unmoved, they said they wouldn’t touch her without that N500,000. I pleaded, I cried, I begged them to start treatment while I found the money, but they shook their heads,” he said.

After exhausting every appeal, the hospital reportedly referred him to Epe General Hospital—over 40 minutes away from their location in Lakowe, Lagos.

“The moment my wife heard ‘Epe’, I could hear the disappointment in her voice. Weak and in pain, she said it was too far. She kept telling me this, and I kept telling the doctors, but they wouldn’t listen,” he said.

The heartbreaking story has sparked outrage online, with many Nigerians calling for stricter regulation and accountability for hospitals that turn away critical patients over monetary deposits. Human rights advocates and public health commentators have described the incident as another example of systemic failure in Nigeria’s healthcare system.