Mother of Late Reality Star Rico Swavey Shares Heartfelt Reflections

The mother of Patrick Fakoya, popularly known as Rico Swavey, a former Big Brother Naija star who passed away in a car accident two years ago, has opened up about her grief and emotional journey in a recent interview. Halima Hassan, speaking on the program #WithChude hosted by Chude Jideonwo, shared her reflections on the second anniversary of her son’s passing.

During the deeply emotional interview, Hassan recounted her last days with Rico and described the unnerving premonition she experienced about the fate of her son. She emotionally detailed the harrowing night at a hospital in Lekki, where she pleaded with him to return, as she held him in her arms during his final moments.

Hassan disclosed the profound impact of Rico’s death on her mental health, which led to her seeking help in a mental health facility months later. The overwhelming despair of losing a second son left her wandering the streets in sorrow, according to her statements in the interview.

Through the struggle, Hassan found a path towards recovery and shared her journey of healing. She expressed how she copes with her grief by keeping his memory alive, filling her home with photographs of Rico and speaking to them each day. “It wasn’t really easy for me at that time, I wasn’t really myself,” she reflected.

Hassan also vowed to honor Rico’s legacy, promising to complete the music projects he could not finish. “When he passed on, why I requested to stay with him at that very moment, I said to him ‘the music that you could not bring out, I will help you bring them out, I will do the remaining work for you,’” she shared with determination.

The interview illuminated Halima Hassan’s resilience in the face of tremendous loss and her continued efforts to maintain the legacy of her son, Rico Swavey, within her life and work.