- Safiu Kehinde
Mbara Deborah, the lady whose breast cancer medical report was allegedly forged by Nigerian businesswoman and social media influencer, Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has broken silence over the scandal.
The Asaba-based make-up artist and Creative Director of Zazu Beauty Place narrated her encounter with Blessing CEO in a post shared on her Instagram handle on Tuesday.
Mbara disclosed that she met the influencer during an advertorial shooting in Asaba last year.
As against Blessing CEO claim of never meeting with the mother of four, Mbara attached a clip recorded by the influencer after she completed her make-up.
Blessing CEO could be seen recommending Mbara to her fans as she commended her craft.
The makeup artist thereafter recalled how her friend who linked her up with Blessing CEO called the influencer following her announcement of her cancer diagnosis on Instagram.
“Sometimes last year, she was in Asaba for her advertorial shoot which I happened to be the make-up artist.
“Fast forward to last two weeks or last week, thereabout, when she started flagging on her social media that she is having stage four cancer, crying, wailing that she is selling up her house, putting up her things for auctioning and all that.
“On Wednesday last week, 25th of March, my good friend and my sister called her to check up on her.
“The phone was on loud speaker. From there, my friend was like you have to put yourself together that okay hear from Zazi because she knows Zazi’s story.
“That was how I started talking to her, encouraging her, telling her that she should gather herself together that it is not even a social media thing at all.” She said.
Mbara further narrated how she was encouraging and praying for Blessing CEO with she and her friend booking a doctor for the influencer.
“I started praying for her, cursing the spirit of cancer. I even recommended prayer links for her. I started telling her that ‘there is nothing God cannot do. You have to go for your medicals. It is something you take one step at a time.’
“That was how we put down the call until we got to office. She called my friend again, crying as we tried to encourage her.
“We even had to book a doctor online to help her know what is on ground that it is not a social media or crying thing.” She said.
While admitting to the trauma of being diagnosed with cancer, Mbara disclosed that it was the doctor booked for Blessing CEO by she and her friend that recommended that the influencer needs urgent attention over the cancer as she claimed it was Stage 4 cancer.
“It is true that it is not something you will hear and not cry, but in it all, you have to put yourself together because if you don’t put yourself together, you will not know the next step and the right thing to do.
“That was what we told her. The doctor now tried talking to her that how did she go about it? Have you removed the lump? Have they done what they are supposed to do?
“She said her doctor said it is stage four. The doctor now said ‘if this what the situation is, I think you need an urgent attention.’
“That was how the doctor exited the call. As she was crying, I was telling her that God saw me through this. See the scar, it has all gone.” She said.
The cancer survivor thereafter disclosed how Blessing CEO requested for her medical report with claim that she wanted to compare it with hers only for her to see the report online with the fake version bearing the influencer’s name.
“As she was crying, she said okay Zazi can you just please help me send your own report when you were diagnosed so I couls compare it with whhat my doctor gave to me. I said okay no problem.
“That was how I gave her my result. Only for me to see on social media on Friday of that week that it was the result I gave to her that she doctored and flew it all over to back up the nonsense and defraud people.” She said.
While recalling her traumatic experience during her diagnosis and after her discovery of the forged medical report, Mbara disclosed that Blessing CEO came to Asaba to apologise to her friend and husband- a claim also denied by the influencer.
“Can you even stand a Doctor telling you that you have? It is days of sleepless night for you if God is not on your side.
“If God does not come through for you, it is days of trauma. At the hearing of that news, life pause for some days for the person.
“She said she never knew me and she has never spoken to any of my family members.
“She was in Asaba on Monday with some people to see my husband, my friend’s husband, and my friends. But I wasn’t there because I was emotionally traumatised.” The makeup artist said.
Mbara said that her husband had directed Blessing CEO to tender a public apology online and tell Nigerians what exactly happened.
“She came to beg. My husband said you have to go online on social media to go and apologise to the public and to Nigerians and tell them what happened and how it happened.
“I should be in my house resting because I just finished my chemotherapy on the 30th of January.
“I thought I was helping someone in need, not knowing that she has another agenda. Please Nigerians, I don’t know anything about the doctored report. I’m not a party to it.
“This is evil, wickedness, and demonic. I’m a proud survivour. Jesus saved me.” Mbara added as she showed the scars on her hands while removing her wig to reveal her shaven head.
