On the night of June 15, 2022, Benkingsley Nwashara was on his way from a party in Nkanu, Enugu state, Southeast Nigeria, when he stumbled on what initially seemed like a log of wood.
To ascertain what it was, Nwashara flashed his torchlight on the spot. His eyes fell on a child sitting helplessly on the street.
“She had sores all over her head and rashes all over her body. Her clothes were dirty, and some akara balls were littered around where she sat,” Nwashara shared in an interview with the Punch newspapers.
The little child didn’t speak even when Nwashara approached her. He knew instantly that she needed medical attention.
However, when Nwashara asked the residents of the area about the child’s welfare, they told him that the mother had a mental health challenge and had disappeared after giving birth to another child.
At that moment, the clouds gave way, and it started to drizzle. Nwashara’s heart went out to the child.
“It had started to drizzle as it had been raining non-stop for days in Enugu. I couldn’t imagine how this child survived these rains without any shelter. It saddened me. I beamed my light on her again, and her eyes shone. It was filled with hope that a helper had come,” Nwashara recounted
At 10:30pm, Nwashara took the child to Agbani police station, Nkanu East, Enugu state to make a formal report. He met a female police officer who encouraged him to take the child home.
Nwashara, even though scared, took the child that night to his home. In his words, “I was filled with compassion and the fact that I was doing this for the good of the child and the society,”
He would later write about his encounter and post it on his social media handles.
In order to ascertain his fate with the girl, Nwashara visited an orphanage home and met the Chairman of Nkanu local government area. They all urged him to keep the child. No one was claiming ownership of her.
He named the child Testimony.
Accidental fatherhood
Nwashara resigned from his job when he realised how critical her state of health was. The child was kept in an intensive care unit in a pediatric hospital for close monitoring.
“I had to make sure I was there for her. Since I knew it would affect my job, I told my boss that I would need some time off. Later on, I just tendered my resignation.”
Nwashara testified to the financial responsibility of caring for a child. He had to stretch his budget and make sacrifices to accommodate Testimony, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make with happiness.
However, when his post went viral on the internet, netizens sent him foodstuffs and baby items to show their support.
Now, the proud father says Testimony is a constant source of joy as he shares his journey in life with the child through pictures on his social media.
Recently, Nwashara shared some of his parenting experiences on Linkedin and Twitter. He wrote about getting called by Testimony’s teacher in school about their open day, something he had never heard of before.
Nwashara wrote “As soon as I stormed her classroom, her grimaced face beclouded by disappointment lightened immediately she saw me. She was so keen and joyous in showing me her books, her projects, her scores…
I can’t imagine how that day would look like for her if I hadn’t showed up. It was going to make a mess on her mentally and emotionally.
I could tell it was one of her best days in school. We usually spend quality time every day but that day was stupendously special and filled with excitement,” he wrote.
According to him, being Testimony’s father has taught him to be attentive, communicative, patient and intelligent, all virtues he is glad he now has.
On June 15, 2022, Benkingsley Nwashara encountered a neglected child on the streets of Nkanu, Enugu state, Nigeria. Noticing her poor health and unresponsive state, he sought help from local residents who revealed that her mother had a mental health issue and was missing. Despite the rain and late hour, Nwashara took the child to the police and then to his home, driven by compassion and responsibility.
To ensure her well-being, he resigned from his job to care for her full-time, naming her Testimony. His social media posts about the experience went viral, prompting community support with donations. Through his journey, Nwashara shared parenting moments, highlighting the joys and challenges, and noting how the experience has taught him valuable virtues such as patience and communication.
