A 21-year-old undergraduate, Sammy Samaila, has continued his academic journey despite an unusual condition that has prevented him from eating solid food since birth, relying solely on liquid nourishment throughout his life.
The final-year Sociology student of Gombe State University reportedly moves around campus like other students but depends on pap and other drinks, often kept in a flask, to sustain himself during lectures.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, Samaila explained that his meals consist mainly of pap and blended mixtures prepared from millet, groundnuts and soya beans, as well as fruit juices and similar liquids.
The student, who is from Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area, said his parents noticed the condition when he was about four years old after repeated attempts to introduce solid food resulted in vomiting, despite medical checks showing no visible health defects.
He disclosed that maintaining his health requires regular intake of supplements and medication, noting that prolonged walking or physical exertion often leaves him exhausted, while his younger brother frequently assists him with daily activities.
Interestingly, Samaila said he enjoys cooking and learned food preparation by observing his mother, even though he cannot eat the meals himself, adding that he hopes medical answers will eventually enable him to consume solid food.
His father, Samaila Yaro, narrated years of consultations with doctors and specialists, stressing that medical evaluations ruled out structural illnesses and that the family dismissed cultural beliefs that attempted to explain the condition through superstition.
Health professionals familiar with the case believe the condition may be linked to functional feeding disorders, including Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder or swallowing coordination difficulties, as the student continues to pursue his education with optimism ahead of graduation.