Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has condemned a young woman for exploiting her mentally unstable mother for personal gain in a viral video.
The video, which sparked outrage online over the weekend, showed the young woman filming and engaging her mother, who appears visibly unwell and unkempt.
The young lady, who is reported to be a content creator and who did not give her name in the video, introduced a mentally unstable woman as her mother.
She said her mother became mentally ill after her father’s death, adding that she initially was taking care of herself and her other siblings, but things began to deteriorate with her mental state.
The young lady added that her mum left their home and has been residing on the streets.
She, however, stated that she visits her from time to time with food items and money.
Reacting to the development in a post via her X page yesterday, the minister described the video as disturbing, unacceptable and potentially harmful.
Kennedy-Ohanenye stated that the ministry condemns the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, especially those struggling with mental health issues.
She added that such exploitation goes against the values of empathy and care, and urged the public to demonstrate compassion and understanding towards individuals suffering from mental health issues.
She wrote, “We condemn the disturbing video of a woman’s mental illness being exploited by her daughter for personal gain and social media content. This is unacceptable, potentially harmful and troubling.
“We strongly condemn exploiting vulnerable individuals, especially those struggling with mental health issues. Mental illness demands compassion, understanding, and support – not ridicule or exploitation.
“The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs urgently request information about the mother’s identity and condition to ensure proper care and protection. A reward is offered for prompt location assistance.
“Appropriate actions must be taken to address this situation. We call on everyone to respect the dignity and humanity of those facing mental health issues and report similar instances immediately.
“Let us work together to prevent exploitation and support those who need it the most.”
