A Nigerian man, Kingsley Obiekezie Aneke, has stirred widespread reactions online after a deeply emotional obituary he wrote ahead of his death was published on social media, detailing how systemic failures in Nigeria’s healthcare sector contributed to his demise.
Aneke, a social commentator and advocate for better governance, died on December 5, 2025, at the age of 48 after battling a long-term heart condition.
His self-written obituary was posted on Facebook on December 23, 2025, weeks after his death.
In the message addressed to friends and the wider public, Aneke lamented what he described as the collapse of Nigeria’s healthcare system and accused private hospitals of prioritising financial demands over emergency care.
“If you’re reading this, it means I’ve left this world behind,” the statement opened. “I’ve always hoped for a Nigeria that works for everyone, but sadly, I became a victim of the system I’ve long wished to see change.”
Aneke disclosed that he had managed his heart condition for years under the care of a cardiologist who later relocated abroad due to the country’s deteriorating healthcare environment. Following the doctor’s departure, he said his health worsened.
Kingsley Obiekezie Aneke recounted that on November 24, 2025, he was admitted to a hospital where he had previously received treatment.
However, as his condition became critical, doctors sought to refer him to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for specialist care.
The referral reportedly failed because public hospitals, including LUTH, were on strike at the time.
According to Aneke, his family was then referred to two private hospitals — Evercare Hospital, Lekki, and Dukes Neurosurgery and Specialist Hospital, Victoria Island — both of which allegedly demanded deposits exceeding ₦2 million before treatment could commence.
His family eventually opted for Dukes Neurosurgery and Specialist Hospital, but he claimed that care was delayed due to continued financial demands.
“The hospital was more interested in their deposit of millions before they could even lay a finger on me,” he wrote. “They were more interested in milking my family than saving me.”
Aneke said that despite his family’s sacrifices, the hospital continued billing until shortly before his death on December 5.
In the obituary, he also criticised individuals and political loyalists who defend poor governance on ethnic or partisan grounds, arguing that such attitudes have worsened insecurity, healthcare decay, and infrastructure failure across the country.
“Many people are dying daily from bad governance,” he wrote, citing poor roads, rising kidnappings, underfunded hospitals, and the mass emigration of skilled professionals.
He further warned that private hospitals are often ill-equipped to handle critical cases due to limited specialist expertise, while public officials remain focused on electoral ambitions rather than governance reforms.
Calling his death a “wake-up call,” Aneke urged Nigerians to confront the realities of systemic dysfunction, noting that many citizens cannot even afford the level of care his family managed to secure.
Kingsley Obiekezie Aneke concluded with personal health advice, encouraging regular medical check-ups, healthy living, and early detection of illnesses, which he said helped prolong his life for years.
“As I bow out, please continue the fight for a better Nigeria,” he wrote. “Not just for me, but for all who dream of a fair and just nation.”
The post has since gone viral, reigniting conversations around healthcare financing, medical strikes, and accountability in Nigeria’s health sector.
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