A close family source has described the controversy surrounding the whereabouts of 90-year-old Iya Oge of Lagos, Opral Benson, as a serious issue.
Benson, who was earlier declared missing by her family, was later said to have been found in Liberia.
In an interview with the Nation, a close family source who spoke on conditions of anonymity said that Benson was never missing, citing issues of conflicts within the family.
The source said, “It is a serious matter. Mama was never missing. The person who put out the security alert is the same person who is aggrieved that her stepmother went to Liberia. How can your biological daughter take you to your birthplace, where you want to be with your family and friends, and someone begins to make trouble?
“It was her biological daughter, Precious Benson, who took her home on her wish. She went on her wish. She was clearly feeling the pull to go back home.
“Let this be clear: she was not suffering from any kind of dementia or anything. It’s just like you have your own biological children and some other children from your spouse or whatever, always wanting to be at the forefront or in charge of your affairs for whatever reasons.
“What I see in this whole matter is a step daughter being envious of the biological daughter and making her look bad in the eyes of the public; like she was not taking care of her mother.
“The daughter that took her to Liberia is Precious Benson. As we speak, Mama (Opral Benson) is in Liberia and in great spirits. I can even provide pictures of where she had lunch with her relatives and friends.
“The lady that sent out that flier is the stepdaughter that has been making trouble because she doesn’t have a grip over the woman. Why does she want to have a grip over her? So she’s been fabricating tales against Precious, making her feel incapable of taking care of Mama.”
The source also dismissed the assertion that all Mama’s siblings have passed and that there was no one she was going to see in Liberia, stressing that Benson has been angling to visit home.
The noted, “It’s a lie. Even if that were to be the case, doesn’t she have siblings’ children, cousins, nephews? For years. You know before she became this old, she used to go to Liberia and come back. Whoever is behind this whole saga is just capitalising on the fact that she is old. Even when the Bensons heard the news, their reaction was: ‘Which mama is missing, we already know who’s behind that nonsense.’”
Asked if Opral Benson has gone to stay in Liberia permanently, the source added, “No. She’s coming back this weekend. Maybe by tomorrow or Saturday, they would be back. She just wanted to go home to see her people. That’s all!”
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