Mechanic's Struggles: A Single Father's Journey After Wife's Abandonment

 Cornelius Ellah, a staff member at Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), shared a poignant story about James Emina, a mechanic who has become a single father after his wife abandoned him and their 7-month-old daughter.

Ellah recounted his experience in a Facebook post on Saturday, June 22, 2024, describing how he came across Emina and his daughter when he took his car for servicing at a workshop in the Etta Agbor area of Calabar.

"I took my car for servicing and saw something that needed more urgent attention than my car," Ellah wrote. "When I arrived at the mechanic's workshop, I noticed one of the mechanics, James Emina, carrying a very young baby as he walked to the workshop."

Ellah initially assumed that the baby's mother or another caretaker would soon arrive to take the baby home or care for her while Emina worked. However, that was not the case.

"The baby was still at the workshop when I returned several hours later to pick up my car," Ellah observed. "She looked frail and uncomfortable, while her father ate groundnuts and chatted loudly with his colleagues."

Feeling empathy for the child, Ellah spoke words of encouragement to her, saying she would become a great child. The mechanics, including Emina, echoed his sentiment with an "amen."

Curious about the situation, Ellah asked Emina about the baby's mother. Emina responded, "She ran off to Akwa Ibom," and explained that his daughter's name is Blessing. He revealed that Blessing's mother left them five months ago, and he has been the sole caregiver since. When asked about family support, Emina said, "It's just me alone."

Ellah highlighted the challenges Blessing faces growing up in a mechanic's workshop, which is not a suitable environment for a child. "This means Blessing is deprived of a friendly environment, motherly love, family care, and neighborliness," he noted.

Ellah concluded his post by expressing his concern that this situation should not continue and shared a picture of Emina and Blessing with the father's permission.