Akinbobola Folajimi, the husband of a pregnant woman who died after a hospital allegedly refused to treat her without a N500,000 deposit, has responded to criticism from Arise TV host, Reuben Abati.

Abati, during a segment on Arise News, criticised Folajimi for not preparing financially ahead of his wife?s delivery, describing him as ?irresponsible? for arriving at the hospital without a prior financial commitment.

He said: ?The whole substance of this conversation is that, according to Mr Folajimi, when he got to Al-Salam Convalescent Centre, he was asked to deposit N500,000, and the man was saying ?please admit my wife, I will go and look for the money?.?

?When you impregnate a woman, you can?t come at nine months and you are saying ?just treat her, let me go and look for the money.? There are many people who do that. They put you under pressure. Mr. Folajimi behaved in an irresponsible manner.

?You had nine months to prepare. You impregnated a woman and showed up at the hospital begging for care without a deposit. That?s irresponsible,? Abati said.

Folajimi defended himself, stating that he had saved about N100,000 but didn?t have the N500,000 the hospital demanded.

??With due respect, this is not my first child. When my wife was pregnant, we were taking care of her to the best of my ability and I never came public or to you to ask for you to borrow me money for antenatal or feed my children.

?Excuse me Sir, I saved money but I didn?t save up to N500, 000. I saved money for that day but they asked for N500, 000 deposit, not full payment. I didn?t have that. All the money that I could have gathered that day wouldn?t have passed N100, 000,? he said.

He questioned the moral judgment placed on him for being unable to produce the sum on the spot, asking if it?s an offense to live below N500,000 or be poor in Nigeria.

?I don?t know if it is an offence not to have up to N500, 000 when your wife is about to give birth. I don?t know if it is an offence to now live below N500, 000 but you are now saying it is the ??highest irresponsibility? because I don?t have N500, 000. So it is even a crime to be poor in Nigeria,? he added.

Folajimi?s wife was allegedly denied treatment at a hospital due to the clinic?s demand for a N500,000 deposit.

He rushed her to another hospital, but unfortunately, she didn?t survive.

The incident has sparked outrage online, with many calling for the hospital to be sanctioned.

The Lagos state government has begun an investigation into the incident to bring justice to Folajimi.

The hospital has denied claims of demanding money from Folajimi, stating they never had a record of the deceased in their facility. (The Nation)

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