A driver’s agony
— 22nd August 2016By Henry Okonkwo
Usman Jamaa, a 35-year-old driver, used to be a virile young man. But right now, Usman, who hails from Southern Kaduna in Kaduna State, is no longer the man he once was. In fact, he says he’s going impotent. And for a man that is yet unmarried, his condition is a major concern.
“I used to last long in bed,” he told the reporter. “But since my ordeal started, I can’t even think of having sex anymore because of the excruciating pain that I experience anytime I try making love to my woman.”
Usman told the reporter that his problem started around November 2015 when he was a contract worker with Shalina Healthcare, a company owned by some Indian nationals in Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos. According to him, he was outsourced as a delivery truck driver to the company in 2014 by GKT Consults Ltd.
In his words, in the course of his work, he noticed and complained to the management of Shalina Healthcare that the two front tyres of the delivery truck he was driving were worn out, exposing him to hazards on the road. He noted, however, that nothing was done to change the tyres. Usman said he continued driving to different destinations with the worn-out tyres, although he knew he was putting himself at great risk.
He stated: “I have over 16 years experience as a driver, and I don’t want to be a victim of ignorance. The supply chain manager, Mr. Habinda, who is supposed to order for the change of tyres, was aware of my complaints. I told him everything about the dangers I faced. But he kept promising that he would change the tyres. He never did.”
But on January 27, Usman said he met what he didn’t bargain for. According to him, on that day, the truck was again heavily loaded with goods to be delivered at Ibadan. He said he protested to the authorities that the truck was being overstocked and that the tyres could not bear the weight of the tyres. But his protests were ignored, he noted.
“The tyres were already bulging badly under the weight of the load. But Mr. Habinda ordered that they continue to load the truck. Other workers that came to see it confirmed that the tyres looked dangerous. They spoke out that the tyres were indeed very bad. But, again Mr. Habinda said he would change it when I returned from my trip. I reminded him that he had been telling me so since last year. But he accused us that we were complaining because the company was owned by Indians, that if it were owned by Nigerians, we would not complain so much.”
Usman said he agreed to continue with the trip. But he said the tyres burst on the expressway as he approached Sapade in Ogun State. He said a trailer was approaching on the left while a truck was at the right side of the lane, forcing him to swerve into a bush. He said the bus rammed straight into a mango tree.
Said Usman: “The vehicle burst into flame immediately. I was trapped inside the burning truck and was unconscious. But thank God my motor boy escaped and was quick to drag me out of the fire. I would have burnt to death if I was not rescued on time. I was then rushed to a nearby hospital at Ibadan. I was unconscious for more than four hours. When I regained consciousness, I saw some staff of Shalina Healthcare and GKT Consults at the hospital. They only consoled me for the injuries, gave me N5, 000 and left without saying how they would assist me seek treatment. I felt excruciating pains all over my body. I couldn’t move so a pipe was fixed in my sex organ to aid me pass urine.
“That same evening I was transferred to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. The pain in my sex organ continued to become unbearable. I had to beg them to remove the pipe. When the pipe was removed, I saw thick blood dripping from my penis. I spent more than N300, 000, treating the pain all over my body. But there are many more tests and treatment to be done, but I no longer had enough money. I called GKT Consults and Shalina Healthcare management, but they were not responding to my pleas.
“On the third day, I asked them at UCH to discharge me so I could go back to Lagos and look for funds. When I came to Lagos, I went to see the Shalina Healthcare managing director, Mr. Debajit. But he told me they had nothing to do with me, and that I should go back to the outsourcing company. I reminded him that I almost lost my life because of the negligence of his company. He ordered the security to drive us out of the company, and never allow us into the company premises again.
“I left and went to GKT Consults Ltd. The managing director, Mr. Komolafe Olugbenga, told me that I should not worry and that they would assist me. He gave me N10, 000 and told me to write my resignation letter, saying that Shalina Healthcare said they no longer wanted me in their company. I didn’t want to appear stubborn, so I wrote my resignation, and even stated in the letter that I was pressured into resigning.”
Usman further said that three days after suspending the treatment, he became worried when he saw traces of blood trickling out of his sex organ.
“I ran again to see doctors at James Robertson Hospital at Akerele. They wrote out some tests to be conducted, and recommended that I should see an urologist as a matter of urgency. But I couldn’t afford it. I went again to plead with them at GKT to help me. And they again gave me N25, 000, saying that was all they would give and that I shouldn’t bother coming to them again.”
Presently, Usman is depressed at the thought of losing his manhood. He told the reporter that though he no longer bleeds from his penis, he still feels excruciating pains at his groin. That, he noted, had been adversely affecting his sex life. According to Usman, whenever his manhood rises, he feels immense pain. According to him, attempting to sleep with his woman causes unbearable pain.
“My condition leaves my lover with no choice. I still plead with her to be patient with me. She knows I wasn’t like this in bed. I was a virile man. But now I don’t know what fate has for me,” lamented the southern Kaduna-born young man.
Right now, Usman is crying for justice. He wants the Ministry of Justice and human rights organisations to help fight his case. Usman is asking that N50 million be paid to him, as compensation for injuries caused to him.
Managing Director of GKT Consult, Mr. Komolafe Olugbenga, however, said Usman Jamaa never complained to him about the tyres of the truck he was driving.
“We don’t joke with issues like that. He never brought it to our knowledge. A faulty tyre is a very sensitive issue that could happen to a vehicle but he didn’t report to us. If he had reported, I would have personally taken the matter up. But he didn’t report to us,” he said.
Mr. Olugbenga further argued that his company did its best for Usman, noting that the man was uncooperative.
“When the accident occurred, we made effort to ensure he got medical attention at UCH, but the next thing we heard was that he had left the place. When he came down to us in Lagos, he asked that we should finance his treatment in a private hospital but we declined.”
But Usman said Olugbenga was being economical with the truth. “I’m shocked that he claimed I didn’t report my case to them. I told him personally countless times. God is my witness. Again, how can I just leave UCH for Lagos if I was getting adequate medical attention? Am I mad? GKT Consult and Shalina Healthcare officials came around briefly when I was there and then left me to suffer,” he said.
When Daily Sun made efforts made to speak to Mr. Debajit, MD of Shalina Healthcare, he declined to make any comment and promised to get back to the correspondent. But he never did.
My plans for Agbara, by new monarch
•Royal father says Ogun town will mobilise youths, multinational firms for community development
By Brown Chimezie
OBA Lukmon Jayeola Agunbiade, the new Alagbara of Agbara in Ado Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, was crowned last Saturday. And the new paramount ruler has said his priority would be the empowerment of youths through promotion of good relations between Agbara community and industries in the area.
He said as a youthful monarch, his first task would be to mobilise the youths towards productivity.
Said he: “As one of the founders of Agbara Youth Forum, I intend to breathe life into that organisation with the goal of giving the youth a sense of belonging. My palace will be open to them so that we can interface on how to solve problems peculiar to them. I’m already used to humanitarian work. So, I will use most of my time to care for the needy in the community. That is why I see my call to this throne as divine. It is the call to service and I pray to Almighty God to give me the grace to succeed. I pray to God to give me the type of wisdom he gave Solomon so that I can govern my people with the fear of God.”
Speaking on the perception that traditional practices were akin to idolatry, Oba Agunbiade explained that before the advent of colonialists, African tradition was known for its honesty and straightforwardness. He said then, it was very difficult for any individual to get involved in any crime without being punished by the gods. He lamented that despite the large number of Christian and Muslim clerics, corruption and other vices had continued to ravage the country.
“When you look at culture and tradition critically, you will discover that it is not paganism because there are some values that are found in culture, which you can’t find in the Western religions. Then, a pure traditionalist would never commit adultery or fornication without facing the consequences. So, describing culture as idolatry is not proper at all.”
On how to promote culture and tourism in Agbara, Oba Agunbiade said as custodians of culture and tradition, he would promote Egungun, Ayo, Gelede and other cultural festivals so that Agbara indigenes in the Diaspora could be attracted home.
While describing Agbara as an industrial hub, the monarch said with over 100 multinational industries, operating in the community, his task as an environmental legal practitioner was to build good relationships between the community and the industries.
He further explained that he had discussed with his chiefs on how the industries in his domain would partner with the community.
Oba Agunbiade said he would ensure peace and tranquillity in his domain during his reign.
“The Agbara of my own dream is a community where there will be development and communal love. I’m looking forward to a situation whereby every Agbara indigene would enter his or her neighbour’s house without any fear of molestation, without any fear of acrimony, where law and order will reign and indigenes and non indigenes would live together in peace.”
Okagbue Foundation gives hope to students in Anambra
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Secondary school students on scholarship from the Chike Okagbue Foundation recently marked their graduation ceremony from the Queen of the Rosary College, Eziowelle, Anambra State.
Founder and Chairman of Chike Okagbue Foundation (COF), Chinelo Bob-Osamor, a lawyer and Chief Executive Officer of Abuja-based ELLA-B Ventures, said it was her late father’s love for education that informed her decision to float the foundation in his name and choose education as the main focus of the foundation.
The Foundation, Daily Sun learnt, awarded scholarships on merit to students, who have excelled in common entrance examination, irrespective of state of origin, tribe or religion. Ten students are chosen every year, as beneficiaries while the Foundation currently has 60 students on its scholarship scheme.
Eight years down the line, the second set of graduates from the scholarship just passed out from the secondary school and are now getting set for admission into the university.
The 2016 set of graduates include Ogbu Chiamaka, Adigwe Ngozi, Okonkwo Chinenye, Agbata Arinze, Mba Ikechukwu, Udezue Makuachukwu, Obidigbo Victoria, Onochie Arinze, Madubueze Joy and Ikeanyi Chinaza. They could not hide appreciation to the foundation as they filed out of the procession in their graduation gowns.
Makuachukwu Udezue, one of the students, said he would remain indebted to God and the Chike Okagbue Foundation for the scholarship.
Mabubueze Joy, in her own remarks, recalled that some of her classmates dropped out of school due to inability to meet up with the financial obligations. Joy noted that it was the Chike Okagbue Foundation that shouldered the whole responsibility of her tuition fees, accommodation and other sundry expenditure. She called on government and other public-spirited individuals to toe the same path with the foundation.
Another beneficiary, Ogbu Mary Chiamaka said things had been difficult since she lost her parents, noting that the Chike Okagbue Foundation was God-sent.
Chinyere Okonkwo, while summing up her own feelings, noted that as a beneficiary of the scholarship scheme, the Chike Okagbue Foundation had taught her the essence of philanthropy and alms giving. She pledged to toe the same path in future to help others realize their potential.
Agbata Vincent Arinze, one of the male students, told Daily Sun that the foundation spurred the students to study hard and come out with high grades. He charged other youths to be productive and focused in order to affect humanity positively.
Principal of the school, Chief Arohkesi Chinyelugo thanked the Chike Okagbue Foundation and Chinelo Bob-Osamor for identifying with the school. He noted that the school had been living up to the expectations of the parents, the society, the church and the foundation. He lauded the former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi for the return of schools to the missions while also appreciating the incumbent governor, Chief Willie Obiano for sustaining the tempo. He also expressed gratitude to the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke and the Archdiocesan Education Commission officials for their useful guidance and supervisions of the Catholic Mission Schools.
Reflecting on the journey so far, Chinelo Bob-Osamor noted that she had not regretted on her passion to impact on the lives of young people through the foundation and to immortalize her late father with whom she shared a very close relationship when he was alive.
She noted that it was her husband, Bob Osamor, a Director in the Nigeria Law School, Enugu campus that actually redirected the vision of the foundation, adding that he had been a beacon of support to the project activities.
Said she: “Initially, I used to mark the remembrance of my father’s death in other ways, but it was my husband that brought the idea of awarding scholarships to young students. Initially, we were torn between pursuing health related issues and education but we later settled for education, knowing that when we train one person, we might have given hope to many others too by shaping their future. It has not been easy, but we thank God for the success stories so far and by His grace we shall not relent.”