Eniola saga: How some physically challenged Nigerians lie to evoke pity, get fame 

In 2020, Mary Daniel, a Nigerian amputee pure water seller, initially gained social media fame for her tireless work ethic.

She told a heart-wrenching story of how her legs were amputated due to a tragic accident that took the lives of her parents, leaving her to care for her child and grandmother, and leading her into street vending.

However, this narrative unraveled when it was revealed that her father was alive, and her amputation was from birth. In a desperate plea for help, Daniel had falsely claimed her tragic backstory and the money raised by well-meaning Nigerians was confiscated by authorities when the truth came to light. 

Daniel later apologized, admitting she had fabricated her story to gain support. She did experience a different accident, but her amputation was not due to it. Her plea for forgiveness sheds light on the complexities of identity and the lengths people may go to for survival and acceptance.

Similarly, Crispng.com earlier reported that Eniola, another physically challenged hawker, received assistance from Brain Jotter, a skit maker, who was moved by Eniola’s story of hardship. Jotter generously contributed N400,000 to support Eniola’s makeup business. 

However, a blogger alleged that Eniola was, in reality, a man named Sultan, posing as a woman to deceive people into giving him money. Eniola confirmed the claim, explaining he adopted a female persona to escape an abusive family and improve his business prospects. His childhood was marked by physical abuse, family rejection, and extreme poverty.

READ ALSO: Revealed: Why I disguised as a woman, hawker helped by Brain Jotter speaks

Eniola’s story underlines the challenges some individuals face in their pursuit of a better life, resorting to disguising their identity to escape abuse and seek opportunities for survival.

Nigerians react 

Babanla101, an X user who said he didn’t blame Eniola for falsifying his identity, said he did that to obtain favor from Nigerians And pleaded with Eniola’s helper to let it go. “Omo me i no kuku blame the boy, he switched gender to get his targeted audience in and that’s all when he was strolling the street as a boy no one helped him. Help is help so Brain Jotter should just let go”.

Another user, President Eniola Daniel said, “So this hawker helped by Brain Jotter is a guy and not a lady. Let’s start helping guys so they won’t pretend to be ladies. I shared the video of a brilliant guy I saw on the road hawking some time ago but he was ignored. Blogs carried the post but he was not helped. Too many guys who need help have been ignored because they are guys”.

MercyEgbai another user, described the boy as a yahoo boy without a laptop. “Smoothest Yahoo boy/girl without a laptop. The story of Eniola when interviewed by Brain Jotter is very touching and catchy, who would believe the hardworking handicapped girl will carry Nigerians including Ademola Adeleke’s handicap? I hope he gets arrested.

I Smoothest Yahoo boy/girl without a laptop and hope he gets arrested and prosecuted. The story of Eniola when interviewed by Brain Jotter is very touching and catchy. Who would believe the hardworking handicapped girl will carry Nigerians including Ademola Adeleke’s handicap? I hope he gets arrested”.

Now the question is, would he have gotten sympathy if dressed like the man he is?