For thirty-three-year-old Ubong Joseph Ikpon, a graduate of Food Science and Technology, at the University of Uyo, life has not been the same again since 2009 when he had a swelling on his neck.

The promising young man from Ikot Ukpong village, Mbioto 2 in Etinan Local Council of Akwa Ibom State has lived with this ailment for the past six years without any meaningful job, only managing to eke out a living trading in rubber slippers.

“In 2011, I went for the first surgery at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and a chunk of the tumor was removed but along the line there was a problem and one of the veins carrying blood to my artery was damaged so they had to stop the surgery. Since then, I have not been able to go back for the second surgery,” he recalled in a chat with The Guardian.
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When Ikpon became a bit strong from the fist surgery, he went back to the hospital and it was referred to a hospital in India. “The total cost there is N15 million. I went to the specialist hospital here in Uyo and fortunately they said they will be able to do the surgery for N3 million, which I have not been able to raise.”

With nowhere else to run to, Ikpon is appealing to the state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel; the Speaker of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mr. Onofiok Luke; lawmakers representing his constituency and good-spirited Nigerians to come to his rescue for the surgery.

He also wants to be gainfully engaged to support himself. “For now, I sell slippers to survive and make N500 per day, which takes care of my feeding, rent, and medicals. I would love to go into eatery business since it is my professional line or barbing saloon business.”