Peter Okoye, PBA Journalism Mentee
A young mother identified as Mama Dada has set herself ablaze in her rented apartment over inability to repay N70,000 loan from a microfinance bank popularly known as LAPO.
The incident which took place at Oke-Keesi, Itoko area of Abeokuta, Ogun State got the deceased burnt beyond recognition together with the entire building.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelBolanle Ajayi, an eyewitness and a resident of the area, said that the woman took her life simply because she was not able to repay a loan she took from LAPO.
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She said: “I was told that she obtained the loan running into N70,000.”
Mrs Adeogun, a former member of the LAPO group disclosed that great embarrassment always awaits anyone who refuses to pay back the borrowed money from the bank at the set date.
“If you refuse to pay them back at the set date, you will be treated like trash, you will be embarrassed in a big way, in a manner that your children will forever be ashamed of. I know what I am saying, I used to be a member.
“One must be a member and a committed one before you will be given a reasonable amount of money.
“What they do is that you will join the group and start making thrift with them, it is the evidence of this thrift through your card that will qualify you for a loan which you must either pay back outrightly or in batches.
“But either in batches or outrightly, there is always a set date for repayment that you must meet but if you default…you will live to blame yourself.”
Me Ade Babawale, the secretary of the Community Development Association in the area also confirmed that the deceased owed the bank.
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He said, “she is owing the ‘Gbomu le lantern’ the sum of N70,000, because she was unable to meet up with the payment she then sent her last born to buy fuel and also use style to discharge the small boy and she locks herself up inside the room and wet everywhere with petrol including herself and set the whole place on fire.”
He added that her corpse has been deposited at the state General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta.
LAPO is a microfinance bank known for lending money to traders and other small-scale business owners to help them grow their businesses, but with specific instructions for repayments.
Meanwhile, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the Police Public Relations Officer said that he is yet to receive the report on such an incident.
