How would you feel if you were told that you are plagued by malignant breast cancer and you don’t have more than six months to live? To make matter worse, you were told that you could only live for six months if you subject yourself to keen medication and highly sophisticated chemotherapy with dire consequences on your body and vital organs. This was the fate of Beloved Apostle Bimpe, formerly Bimpe Soriolu, a younger sister to the ex-governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, who organized her wake-keep after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
APOSTLE Bimpe’s journey to the day she received her death sentence started on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 when she visited North Middlesex University Hospital, London, to complain about a small lob on her left breast. At the North Middlesex University Hospital, Sterling Way, London, Bimpe was directed to go for a mammogram, after which a consultant said that the report was suspicious. He then ordered a biopsy test on the breast tissues and lymph nodes.
After these tests, she was asked to report to the hospital a week later. Exactly one week after, Bimpe returned to the hospital as advised, only to meet a team of doctors and breast cancer nurses who broke the news of her harbouring a grade three invasive ductile carcinoma, though the result of her lymph nodes was positive. well. She was, therefore, declared to have locally advanced breast cancer.
The plan at that time was to conduct an investigation and then do neoadjuvant chemotherapy. She was equally informed that it had become necessary for her to undergo mastectomy, that is, the removal of her breast by surgery. The scan showed multiple small-volume lung and liver metastases. The bone scan did not show any evidence of metastatic bone disease.
While still considering breast removal, a new set of tests invalidated the breast removal surgery making it unnecessary as the surgery, was proposed to curtail its spread to other organs. She was told that the disease was not curable and was given the options of treatment. The doctors told her point black that the cancer was malignant and that she might not live beyond six months. Tears started rolling down her brows, while thoughts ran riot in her brain.
There was a time she was abandoned by friends and deserted by family members. To make matter worse, her husband deserted her and even planned to kill her. Throughout her period of tribulation and humiliation, God led her through the shadow of death into a series of evangelical tutelages. Consequently, God used her to heal many hitherto mentally unstable minds, care for the less privileged and preach the words of Christ with astonishing fervour.
What will happen to her four children, two boys and two girls, whom she has been fending for singlehandedly since her husband abandoned her? What will be the fate of those whom God used her to rescue from the bondage of madness and are currently under the care of her ministry in Lagos? “God, why? Why should breast cancer end my entire struggle and stop my mission on earth?” Bimpe thoughtfully inquired from her creator. As these thoughts were running riot inside her and she asked many whys, a feeling of confidence, however, overtook her spirit. “Bimpe, this cancer will not kill you,” an inner voice told her.
The doctors itemised what she was expected to do, and was told to come back in two weeks. As she got home, Bimpe called her children and broke the news of her terminal illness and informed them that the doctors said she might not live up to six months. The children burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. However, as they were sobbing, they all held to their mum and prayed.
Bimpe broke the news to her family members, friends and other acquaintances. The former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, broke down in tears, telling her she would not die prematurely but that she would live. Bimbo, who was next to the former governor, was shattered beyond comprehension. Her sisters, Dupe and Moji, who flew into London on hearing the news, were also stunned.
To make matter worse, the social service officials in the UK started to make post-death plans for her children. Throughout the two weeks, she was bogged down by the news of her imminent departure from the face of the earth.
Apart from the basic tests which were conducted on her, Bimpe never took any medication. She believed that she was not created by God to be eaten up by a parasitic terminal ailment, called cancer.
Though Apostle Bimpe initially consented to the proposed procedure of treatment, she later changed her mind. She called one Ayodele, a naturopath, in Nigeria, who told her that her faith would make her live.
However, two weeks after, Apostle Bimpe was offered an ultrasound scan to mark the tumours in her lungs and liver area to monitor the progression when the chemotherapy procedure commenced, and the report came out showing no evidence of cancer metastases to the lungs and the liver.
On Sunday, 7 November 2011, at exactly 11 pm GMT, Bimpe was at the Seven Sisters Train Station, to pick up this reporter who was in the UK for an assignment.
As this reporter sat comfortably inside her posh car exchanging pleasantries with her, Bimpe dropped the bombshell: “My dearest brother, I have rather sad news for you, doctors have diagnosed your sister with cancer and she may not live more than two months.
“My dearest brother, I did not offend anybody, that is my portion.” She started consoling this reporter, “Wale, I have an unshaken faith in the Lord that though I am carrying this cancer, it will not cut short my life. God created me for a purpose in life and until I complete this mission, I will not die. Cancer will be there doing its own and I will continue doing that which the Lord has assigned to me. Don’t cry for me, but continue to wish me well.“Wale, even if cancer kills me within the next two months, I am a beloved child of God, in the sense that, He has counted me worthy to have the singular opportunity of knowing when I am going to die.”
As we alighted from the car, this reporter took a physical scanning of Bimpe and found no physical manifestation of cancer symptoms on her. She was not in pain, she even looked younger. Her agility was still intact as before. As we climbed the stairs to the kitchen of her apartment, this reporter was received by Mrs Moji Ladeji and her friend who ostensibly were around to keep her company and assist in planning her “wake keep”.
Sensing the incredulous look of this reporter in reaction to her last statement, Bimpe said: “My brother, why don’t you wake up from false balance? My birthday comes up next Saturday, 12 November, and since doctors have confirmed that I can die anytime from now, I want to use this opportunity to witness the faithfulness of God to the whole world, lest they think blasphemy in their hearts.“I consider it a great privilege to know that death can come at any time now. It keeps me on my toes; I have no excuse to miss heaven. Many die suddenly, but God has granted me the grace to prepare my home and my children. It is not given to man to know the time and the hour of his death, but I am favoured to know it. I owe this to God.”On Monday, 8 November, this reporter accompanied Bimpe to the hospital where an oncologist made some observations about her weight. She said it was a result of a deliberate keep-fit programme and diet control schedule and not that cancer was eating her up.
The oncologist examined the result of the last test on her and was surprised that Bimpe had not been taking her medication, yet still looked healthy. After a curious examination of the test, the oncologist put off her reading glasses and cast a look at Bimpe and asked: “Who are you? What is in you? Why can’t you allow me to manage you?”
She advised Bimpe to go for hormone therapy with the attendant risk of ovarian cancer to which she politely said: “Dr, I will not succumb myself to hormone therapy to cure breast cancer which is capable of leaving me with another cancer. This cancer should be there than for me to deliberately invite another one while curing the other.”
However, the oncologist said that she might probably live up to 18 months and ordered her to measure her weight and go for another CT scan.
By Thursday, November 10, 2011, the tempo was high for the wake-keep. Friends visited her house with mixed feelings. Some were weeping and would not be consoled, while some celebrated God with her. Some pledged not to attend the wake-keep event as they might not be able to withstand the emotional torture, but, Bimpe told them that all was towards celebrating the faithfulness of God.
Everyone wanted a part to play in making her happy. They offered to pay for bits and pieces on the event plan list. This created surplus of food and drinks.
Residents of Gladesmore road, London residence of Apostle Bimpe, were surprised to see a cart (horses drawn carriage), like the one used by Prince Charles on his wedding day, parked in front of apartment 31 on Saturday, 12 November 2011. The cart also had a white gleaming Bentley limousine beside it.
The cart driven by Britons and the limousine car caused a scene on the street. It lured the residents who are mostly Jews to come out in their multitudes asking questions. As they were asking questions, Bimpe, dressed in a purple gown adorned with crystals and diamonds accompanied by a man, stepped out of apartment 31.
The appearance of the ‘couple’ attracted wide applause from the residents who came out in droves to see the wonder happening on the street. Bimpe, with her ‘groom’ and other distinguished, rode in a convoy from her residence in South Tottenham down to Kingsland road, through Dalston, singing to the venue of the wake-keep with Londoners waving, cheering and taking photographs of her train. It was a grand ride to the venue, Victory Christ Church, 27b Dalton Lane, London, E83DF, where guests were waiting for the celebrant. Her brother, Bimbo and his friends, who flew into London from Dublin, Ireland that Saturday, came outside the venue to welcome the cart. The church was filled to the brim, well decorated and primly fit for the day.
Read Bimpe’s FB posting before she died
Every part of your body is more sensitive than you think. Whatever you do with it today tells on it in your later life. Don’t compromise your body to irrationally secure your marriage, a man that loves you in the first instance will not bang your head on the wall or abuse any part of your body in the name of anger. When the consequences come, the wife-beater will be there!
As I lay partially blind in my left eye and deaf on my hospital bed, with secondary cancer on my head pressing on my vital head organs, I remember how my ex-husband and run away the father of my children Dapo Sorinolu, delighted in boxing my head, especially in my sleep. …many times he attempted to suffocate me with pillows when his many attempts to sacrifice me through the occult means failed.
NOT A TAIL!
I reported to Nigerian Police. Case duly entered and documented on the threat to my life at Lagos State Police Headquarters: Rather than have an investigation into justice, one of the prominent officers in the matter; then SHERIFAT FADEYI, now SHERIFAT SORINOLU dramatically become the wife of my accused husband. Casenote was dismissed even after her confession before the assembly of top Lagos State senior officers in the presence of the Commissioner of Police. She was even given a plum appointment afterwards. She is now a prominent officer at Milverton Rd, Ikoyi. I imagine what higher-grade damage she is doing with cases there!
WHY HAVE I POSTED THIS?
Not in bitterness but in the deliverance of many others who are victims of domestic violence and abuse of power in Nigeria. I have had my portion of the bitter taste and now, living with the side effects of which cancer is one: STRESS from ..UNENDING STATE OF HOPELESSNESS.
But THANK GOD FOR JESUS IN WHOM I FOUND GRACE TO BEAR WITH MY ABANDONED CHILDREN. I hope voices of truth will arise now to defend the poor masses out there.
I say the truth, I lie not. Here is a photograph of my reported husband (accused person) Dapo Sorinolu and Sherifat Fadeyi(one of the case officers) now Mrs Sherifat Sorinolu.
*Written by Wale Ojo-Lanre; first published in the Nigerian Tribune
