I did not even know that 10 miserable years had rolled by until the morning of Monday, July 30, 2018. I suddenly remembered it was on that dark July 29, 2008, that I had a date with fate.
Femi Adeoti
I cannot stop talking about it. Not even the ongoing madness and absurdities in this our strange land would deter me. The greedy and deceitful among us are proud to call it politics. But, opt out to label it nothing but idiocy. We can do away with that for now.
Ten odd years on, my left arm still carries the agony and pain of that gruesome incident. They have remained to fade away from my memory. They are the sad reminders of that fatal auto crash. That is the burden I am compelled to live with these past awful years.
I did not even know that 10 miserable years had rolled by until the morning of Monday, July 30, 2018. I suddenly remembered it was on that dark July 29, 2008, that I had a date with fate. It was the day I had my closest shave with death.
The accident at 12:15pm or thereabout at Sapade, just after the old toll gate, Ogere, Of course, on the ever busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. I can recollect vividly, it was a Tuesday. A day after we elected Mr. Gbenga Adefaye of the Vanguard as the president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), for his first term at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
READ ALSO: Accident claims 5 lives on Lagos-Ibadan highway
I left Lagos at exactly 11am for Ibadan. I was preparing for a return to The Sun after my sojourn with The Westerner. I was looking to a memorable homecoming of sort.
That deadly incident almost terminated the dream and the excitement. I had driven pass the old toll gate successfully. I was in the fast lane when I a vehicle coming from Ode-Remo. I thought the driver would maintain the service, but I greatly goofed.
He drove right into my lane! My desperate attempt to avoid a collision landed me under a stationary truck. Unexpectedly, the driver of the vehicle refused to stop.
I had lost my consciousness before I went under the trailer. I did not even hear the bang as my car slammed the truck. I was the only one in the car.
I woke up three and a half hours later at the General Hospital, Ishara, Ogun State. From there I was referred to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State. There, I underwent a surgery between 11am and 8:30pm on Saturday, August 1, 2008. That was the day I was supposed to resume at The Sun.
READ ALSO: UCH Ibadan opens stroke clinic
Ten years on, the healing is still ongoing. Whenever I move the arm, it reminds me of the trauma of the incident. My eternal gratitude goes to the Lord Almighty for graciously sparing my life.
I cannot forget the assistance rendered by The Sun management while in hospital, even before I resumed. So also the support of members of the New Covenant Church, Apata, Ibadan, and other individuals too numerous to mention is appreciated.
I am also grateful to ex-governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State. He made the state government to offset my surgery bill at UCH. This was facilitated by two members of his Media Team: Messrs Dayo Omotoso and Abraham Ojo.
READ ALSO: I’ll run for Oyo gov. seat in 2019, says Alao-Akala
My gratitude and appreciation to everyone involved is immeasurable. I am forever grateful.
TALK BACK: Oshiomhole’s uncouth language
With Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) trade union disposition, nurtured from factory floors and warehouses, his uncouth language, with bouncing around and gesticulation, who will he not insult?
Note that he doesn’t even know or understand these words. See how he openly addressed Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Productivity! Is it because he, Adams is taller than Ngige?
07035390254
Ekiti: What to expect in 2019
What you saw in Ekiti State is the example of what will come up in the 2019 presidential election. That is Nigeria for you. Our politicians will never learn, they are just bent on destroying this country.
Torkaan writes from Benue State, 08177880650
Fair-weather politicians
Most defectors are fair-weather politicians who only understand the simple language of bread and butter. Usually, they constitute those with little or no electoral value.
This ongoing “scramble” is devoid of principle. Politics of survival now takes a high place on Nigeria’s political agenda, while that of issues and service occupies an insignificant space.
Today’s youths have nothing to learn from our unprincipled politicians other than what should be used to line the pockets, fraudulent acquisition of academic certificates and/or flaunting of fake ones that at times are traced to non-existent schools.
We are now in very uncertain times. What is truly certain these days is uncertainty itself. Uncertainty being high on the political space, APC may still be returned after all.
And know ye that APC and PDP are not made of non-Nigerians or people from the moon. The same merry-go-round is the in-thing.
Edet Essien, Calabar South, Cross River State, 08037952470
Hate silence
Silence in the face of these (Fulani herdsmen’s) killings, it is hate silence. It is in fact, worse than hate speech. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
This is hate silence, period.
O. Ikhanoba, 07015079511
Truth is bitter
They said truth is always bitter. Bishop Michael Olusina Fape, Archbishop of the Ecclasiastical Province of Lagos, said it all. Our politicians should amend their ways of doing things in government so we can move forward.
Chika Nnorom, 08062887535
Good work
Sir, I am very pleased with your write-up on Theresa May (British Prime Minister), hanging up her gay gift. God bless you. Please, keep the good work.
More grease to your elbows. God bless.
08036946402