By TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
These are, indeed, not the best of times for the family of Pastor Fidelis Obi. The cleric’s pains of coping with the blindness that suddenly struck him seven years ago have been aggravated by the sudden loss of his 28-year-old son, who was undergoing the one year compulsory National Youth Service Corps Scheme in Osun State before the cold hands of death snatched him in
his prime.
If Pastor Obi had been able to raise the N10.5million needed by his ailing son to undergo surgery, the young fresh university graduate might have survived the deadly kidney disease that claimed his life. But cruel fate can sometimes play a fast one on any individual. When his son was diagnosed with a kidney disease, the poor cleric had hinged his hopes of raising the amount on the generosity of kind-hearted Nigerians. But unfortunately, his hopes were dashed as the response to his distress calls was nothing to bank on for the much-needed solution to the life-threatening condition of his son.
Now, the blind cleric with the Redeemed Christian Church of God and his family members are still in pains over the tragedy that recently befell them, following the sudden loss of their son, John, to fatal kidney disease, two weeks ago. The household of the Obis is still enveloped with mourning. The blind cleric and his other family members are still expecting that a hale and hearty John would walk through the door into the house and tell them he’s only been briefly away to attend to some issues and he’s now fully back home. But such a thought of seeing John alive and well on his feet again can only remain in the realm of imagination! He’s gone forever and never to be seen again!
Obi’s son, John, who is a youth corps member in Osun State, had been down with kidney failure, a debilitating health condition that would require surgery (transplant), the cost of which was put at N10.5 million.
But strenuous and frantic efforts by the blind cleric, his family and church members to secure the much-needed lifeline for the dying young man were abortive. Consequently, he died two weeks ago, having suffered excruciating pains.
Family members and other loved ones now lament that, perhaps, John’s life would have been saved if only they were able to raise the money for his surgery.
Pastor Obi, who said his son was hospitalised for long at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, regrettably said that he sought financial help from members of the public without recording any good result.
Our correspondent gathered that the fortune of the family plunged seven years ago when Obi, the breadwinner, became blind as a result of a glaucoma infection that plagued him since 2012.
As a result of his condition, Obi had no other option than to quit the pulpit, thereby becoming incapacitated physically and financially.
He said that despite his pitiable condition, he struggled to see his 28-year-old son through the university. He added that when the young man eventually bagged a Second Class (Honours) degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the Osun State University, Osogbo, his joy knew no bounds. He had felt once again his hope of living a better life had been rekindled with the graduation of his son from the university. His prayer was that John should get a good job immediately after his one year National Youth Service Corps scheme.
But hardly had Obi heaved a sigh of relief from the financial difficulties he had had to endure throughout the four years his son was in the university than the young man’s health predicament started. John, a serving youth corps member with call-up number NYSC/OSU/2019/000089, was then confined to the hospital, having been diagnosed with the acute disease.
His father told our correspondent that his son’s deteriorating health condition exacerbated the pains of his blindness.
“This is the darkest moment in our family; our problem was compounded with the recent condition of my son as he was diagnosed with kidney failure,” Pastor Obi said.
Due to his deteriorating health condition, John was redeployed to Osun State. On John’s arrival in Osogbo, his father said that he was quickly taken to the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, where he was placed on dialysis.
But doctors at the teaching hospital said that for John to live a normal life, he would need to undergo a kidney transplant. This discovery, John’s father said, compounded the woes of the family, which initially could barely sustain itself.
The blind cleric lamented, “It was due to his condition that we sought for redeployment from his place of primary assignment in Oyo State back to Osogbo in Osun State. He had been on dialysis at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital. The hospital recommended a kidney transplant; so we appealed to public-spirited Nigerians to come to our aid.
“I have been helpless since I lost my sight to glaucoma; it has been a serious trauma for me and my family. We needed help. Unfortunately, I could not raise enough money for the transplant and so I have lost my son.”
