





























Loading banners


NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.

Blessing CEO and Deborah Mbara
A fresh twist has emerged in the controversy surrounding social media personality Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, as a breast cancer survivor, Deborah Mbara, has strongly denied any involvement in a viral fundraising claim linked to her medical records.
Mbara accused the influencer of allegedly manipulating her diagnosis report without consent and using it to solicit donations from the public.
In an emotional account shared via Instagram, Mbara said she was shocked to discover her medical record allegedly being used in a fundraising narrative she had no knowledge of or consent for.
She said she initially engaged Blessing CEO after her public announcement of having stage four breast cancer, offering support and encouragement in what she believed was a genuine health struggle.
“I started talking to her, encouraging her and praying with her. I told her God can heal and that she should seek proper medical attention”, she said.
Mbara explained that a medical doctor was later brought into an online discussion to provide clarity, but the session ended abruptly when the doctor indicated he could not make a proper assessment remotely.
Tension, however, escalated when she alleged that Blessing CEO requested access to her personal cancer documents under the pretext of comparison with her own diagnosis.
“She told me she wanted to compare my report with what she had. So I shared it in good faith, not knowing what it would be used for”, Mbara said.
She said she was later stunned when the same report appeared online in an allegedly altered form, tied to donation appeals that had already gained traction on social media.
“Only for me to see my result online, doctored and being used everywhere. I never gave permission for anything like that”, she noted.
Mbara, who disclosed that she recently completed chemotherapy, described the incident as deeply traumatic, stressing that cancer patients already go through severe emotional distress without additional public exploitation.
“When a doctor tells you that you have cancer, life pauses. It is not something you take lightly. It breaks you completely”, she stressed.
She further rejected suggestions that she was disconnected from Blessing CEO, alleging that the influencer later visited Asaba during the controversy and met with members of her family circle in an attempt to manage the situation.
According to her, “She came to Asaba to see my husband and some friends. I was not there because I was not emotionally strong at the time.”
Mbara also claimed she was informed that Blessing CEO was urged to publicly clarify the situation and apologise following backlash over the fundraising allegations.
She maintained that she had no knowledge her medical records would be used for any form of public appeal, insisting she only acted in goodwill.
“I thought I was helping someone in need. I am not part of any scam or fraud. This is painful and deeply wicked”, she submitted.
The development comes amid widening public outrage over Blessing CEO’s alleged stage four breast cancer claims and the donations that followed.
There have been growing demands for investigation and accountability from Nigerians against her over the issue.
The Delta State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association had earlier distanced itself from a histology report circulating online and associated with the controversy, describing it as an altered document traced back to an authentic laboratory result issued to another patient.
According to the association, the original report was issued on May 9, 2025, by Xinus Medical Diagnostics in Asaba, Delta State, following a referral for confirmatory testing, and belonged to Mbara Deborah.
Blessing CEO had earlier stirred nationwide attention after posting a tearful video on March 25 claiming she was battling stage four breast cancer, shaving her head and appealing for public donations for treatment.
She was said to have already raised at least N13 million before questions began to mount over the authenticity of her claims.
The development triggered widespread criticism and calls for investigation.
The controversy has since intensified online, with many Nigerians demanding accountability, possible refund of donations, and regulatory scrutiny of the fundraising process.
Blessing CEO has since deactivated her Instagram account as public pressure continues to mount. (Daily Trust)