I presented my HIV test results to my employers at 10am, by 4pm, they told me I had to leave – Ekezie

Chika Ekezie, an indigene of Imo State living with HIV, said he became an advocate after publicly disclosing his status in November 2024, following seven years of denying his condition.

Recounting how he discovered his status during an interview with The Punch, Ekezie said he had experienced recurring health problems, including fever, fatigue, pneumonia, night sweats, severe headaches and weight loss. He added that he could no longer remember the seventh symptom.

He explained that he initially paid little attention to his health, often visiting pharmacies to obtain medication and resting whenever he felt better. However, after experiencing repeated illnesses, he eventually visited a hospital, where medical tests revealed that he was living with HIV.

Speaking about his reaction to the diagnosis, Ekezie said he was initially not particularly troubled by the news because he had heard about HIV, although he admitted that he did not fully understand the condition at the time.

He explained that his perception changed when he began experiencing stigma from people around him.

Ekezie recalled that he was working with a magazine agency in Lagos when he frequently fell ill. He said his employers eventually became concerned about his health and questioned him about his recurring illnesses and unwell appearance.

According to him, the employers gave him money to undergo medical tests at a hospital they recommended.

Further talking, he said, “When the results came out, I had to show them at my workplace because the company paid for the tests. I presented the results at about 10am, and by 4pm, they told me that the company was renovating its premises and that I had to leave.”

Ekezie said the incident marked his first experience of HIV-related stigma, adding that he left Lagos that same day by boarding a night bus.

He explained that someone who had recommended him for the job was contacted by his employers and subsequently disclosed his HIV status to another person. According to him, the information quickly spread before he realised what was happening.