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Ninja Lipsy

Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
FEMALE Zimdancehall chanter Ninja Lipsy who rose to fame after featuring in Winky D’s song Taitirana paFirst Sight, earlier this week took to Facebook to reveal that she suffers from epilepsy.

She said this condition which she has no control over, has caused her a lot of heartache as she is constantly shunned by people each time she has seizures.

“Iam laughed at by people each time I have a seizure and what makes my situation worse is that most people. do not know what to do when someone suffers an epileptic seizure,” said Lipsy.

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of recurrent unprovoked seizures. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy if they have two unprovoked seizures (or one unprovoked seizure with the likelihood of more) that were not caused by some known and reversible medical condition like alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar.

Lipsy (real name Tendazvaitwa Chitimbe) said she had been quiet about her condition because she feared being embarrassed.

“I have epilepsy and I have been hiding it for a very long time fearing being embarrassed. My fears have been confirmed because people have left me since going public about my condition,” said Lipsy.

Epilepsy is unprovoked seizures which some people believe are demonic attacks.

Lipsy said the misconception that epileptic seizures are demonic attacks is largely to blame for the stigmatisation of people suffering from the condition.

“They don’t understand what epilepsy is and most of them don’t know what to do when one is having a seizure. Some say they are demonic attacks.

“I don’t know whether I was born with it or it came about when I was growing up,” said Lipsy.

She said her revelation on Facebook was aimed at educating people on the condition and correcting the misconceptions around the condition.

“I decided to come out in the open to raise awareness about the condition and get people talking about it. I want as much information to go out there and I hope my revelation will help others to come out so that they get help.”