Man Sleeps On Lagos Streets For 12yrs

•Philips Anyaniyi James sleeps in Lagos streets for 12 years

A 74-year old man, who lost his two wives and six children in a day, has narrated to P.M.NEWS how he slept in Lagos streets for 12 years without any source of livelihood.

The homeless man, Philips Anyaniyi James, narrated that he had slept in Aya-Oye Street, Cyril Njoku Street and many other streets in Ejigbo area of Lagos State, western Nigeria, due to frustration and lack of money rent an accommodation or even return to his state in Oyo.

James said he became stranded in Lagos since 2002, after he fled his hometown in Ago Amodu in Saki East in Oyo State, western Nigeria, following the strange death of his wives and children.

He added that he also lost his four brothers and all his property during the period.

According to James, his father was a king maker (Otun) and a well-to-do man in his hometown before his death.

He explained that he was next in line to succeed his father before strange things started happening to him.

James said his problem started when four of his brothers died almost at the same period and while recovering from their death, he lost his two wives and children who died in one day.

He said he could not recover from the shock of losing his immediate family and had to run away from his family house to Lagos without money or any of his property.

He explained that he could not start a new life in Lagos because he has no money to rent a house or buy tools to continue his automobile repair business in which he engaged in his hometown.

James said he had even tried to get N3,000 to travel back  home but all his efforts were fruitless. Instead, people only gave him money to buy alcohol which he became addicted to.

He said he had solicited for assistance from people to start a business but nobody was willing to help him, as many thought he was a mad man.

James told P.M.NEWS that there was nothing wrong with him. He said he was only frustrated and hopeless which made him to start drinking heavily.

He pleaded for assistance from well-meaning Nigerians and the state government so that he can rediscover himself and start afresh.