The amputee hawker, Mary Daniel, who was denied N25m donation for lying about her background has apologized for her actions.
The single mother gave reasons why she lied about her dad’s existence, narrating how she ended up with the lies, her struggles in the street of Lagos and how her grandmother manipulated her.
A N25m donation was raised by Nigerians who pitied the hawker who was struggling to survive with one leg, but was quickly fetched by the Lagos State government after they found some inconsistency with her story.
The reports claimed the lady’s father is still alive and she had been amputated from birth, contrary to her story that she lost her leg and parents in an accident.
In an interview with news report, she claimed she has been hawking for a while and that she didn’t stage her hawking in Oshodi.
Mary further stated that she lied about her dad because he abandoned her.
She debunked rumours of receiving strange calls, however, she revealed that her maternal grandmother was the one calling, trying to threaten her for money.
She said: “My father abandoned me since I was involved in this accident, there was no one to take care of me, nothing! That was why I said he’s dead. But my mother is truly dead. I had an accident truly; I was not amputated from birth.
“It was my grandmother that called me that she does not have anything, that if I have, I should send it. I said let me give her small money so she can use it to manage herself for now.
“I wanted to send N100,000, I sent N200,000 instead. She called me and asked why I sent her such a meagre amount, that, do I think she doesn’t know what’s going on, that how will people be contributing money for me and all I do is to send N200,000.
“She said I’d rather send more money or she will expose me and I will go back to selling pure water. I was shocked and asked what sort of thing is this. She’s my maternal grandmother, she is really old.
“My aunties and uncles from my mother’s side are the ones pushing my grandmother into this and if she continues like this, later she will regret it.
“I have told her to calm down that I will take care of her but she refused. She is busy following her children around, making videos, that’s their business.”
Mary Daniels begged Nigerians to have mercy on her, stating her drive for success and pleaded that the money should be returned to her.
“Nigerians should forgive me. People that stay on the streets and in noisy places, they hardly have a settled mind and I said my father is late so Nigerians can help me. I made a big mistake; Nigerians should please forgive me.
“I want to open a supermarket in Lagos. I have always been a pure water hawker. Lagos is not the first place, I started from Onitsha, from there, I sold pure water in Asaba from there I came to Lagos.
“I don’t beg, even in my condition, I hawk that water so I can survive. That’s the business I have always been doing.
“I really appreciate the Lagos state government, Mr Idris, the hotel man that gave me accommodation, that celebrated my birthday. I also appreciate Princess Aderemi, for all the support and everyone that helped. I promise not to fail Nigerians,” she said.
