Alade Omowumi, a 31-year-old Guidance and Counselling graduate of Adekunle Ajasin University, has appealed to Nigerians for financial support to complete treatment for a congenital reproductive condition that has left her unable to menstruate normally or have sexual intercourse without severe pain.
In an exclusive interview with The Punch newspaper, Omowumi recounted years of suffering, multiple surgeries and internal bleeding that has lasted about 14 to 15 years. She said the condition was discovered only after she began experiencing monthly abdominal pain without seeing her period. Doctors later told her the condition developed while she was in her mother’s womb but was not detected at birth.
Her first surgery was intended to correct the problem, but complications followed. “After the operation, I began having difficulty controlling my urine. When the catheter was removed, urine started leaking, and I could not hold it in. I had not experienced this problem before the surgery,” she said. She also said her menstrual blood still did not flow out normally. “It came out occasionally for a few months and then stopped, while the urine leakage continued.” The blood eventually stopped altogether and accumulated internally, causing her abdomen to swell. She said she has had to return to hospital repeatedly to have the accumulated blood drained.
Doctors have told her that treatment is possible but must be carried out in stages. The most recent surgery, performed in September, was aimed at addressing her urinary problem. The remaining procedure is to repair her bladder and create a vaginal opening so she can menstruate normally and have sexual intercourse. She said the next surgery cannot take place immediately because the recently operated area needs time to heal.
Omowumi said the condition has deeply affected her life. “I once tried to have sexual intercourse, but it was painful. I could not bear the pain, so I stopped. At the time, I did not understand why it was so painful,” she said. She added that she has lived with the condition for years without fully understanding what was happening to her body.
She credited her mother with being her main source of support, noting that her father is late. For a long time, she kept her condition private. “Even people in my neighbourhood did not know about my condition. It has been a very painful experience,” she said.
She decided to speak publicly because she felt she could no longer continue suffering in silence. “I was tired. I reached a point where I felt I could no longer continue living this way without seeking help. I was almost giving up,” she said. Since her story became public, she said she has read painful comments and now mostly stays indoors, but she remains determined to seek help. “I cannot continue to suffer in silence simply because I am afraid of people’s reactions.”
Omowumi said a foundation assisted her before her recent surgery and sent her N500,000 for post-surgery treatment, which is all she currently has. She has not received many new contributions and does not yet have a definite figure for the next surgery, as doctors say the cost will depend on further assessments and can change over time.
She appealed to Nigerians for financial support and prayers. “I want to live a normal life, get married and have children of my own. I have lived with this condition for many years, and I do not want to continue suffering,” she said. “My dream is to get married and have children. I believe that, with the necessary treatment and support, I can have a better future.”
