Three years since he got involved in ghastly auto crash on his way to the final match of Anambra Academicals Football Tournament, Benson Udeh, a grassroots football coach, is still down with spinal cord injury.
It was the final match between Community Secondary School, Aguluezechukwu and Community Secondary School, Isuaniocha to decide winners of the first Anambra Academicals Football Championship, organised by Governor Willie Obiano’s administration.
The stage was almost set for the 4pm cracker when news filtered in to the enthusiastic crowd in Rojenny Stadium, Oba in Anambra State that a vehicle conveying seven players of Aguluezechukwu, including coach Udeh, to the stadium had been involved in a crash.
The injured players and coach were rescued and moved to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Accident And Emergency Department for treatment.
Obiano later visited the injured coach and his players and instructed the management of COOUTH to ensure they were given the best medical attention until they were fit again.
Dr. Lawrence Ikeako, the Chief Medical Director of COOUTH at that time, assured that efforts were being made to save the situation.
Ikeako, however, said the hospital could manage some of the cases but that Udeh, who had spinal cord injury, needed to be referred to a specialist hospital.
He said Udeh’s case was complicated and promised to provide every medical assistance possible to ensure he was stable and moved to an appropriate facility.
The then Commissioner for Education in the state, now commissioner for Basic Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha, described the accident as “unfortunate”, assuring that the state government would do everything possible to save their lives.
Omenugha said the victims were children of the state and that government was deeply concerned about their plight.
She said: “I hurriedly left the stadium before the matches started when I received the information about the accident and personally ensured that they were moved to the Teaching Hospital.
“I have informed His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano, about it, the commissioner for Health is aware and I am in touch with the Chief Medical Director, who has assured us that they will properly attend to them.
“They are our children and we will do our best to ensure that they come back to normalcy.
“It’s quite unfortunate.”
But three years down the road, Udeh seemed to have been abandoned to his fate in his Awka apartment.
When the News Agency of Nigeria visited his apartment where he had been lying facing the ceiling since December 2017, the bedridden coach was still full of mind energy and hope that he would rise again.
He expressed appreciation to the Anambra State Government for its prompt response and sponsorship of larger part of his medical bill.
He recalled how fast he recuperated when government assisted him through medical treatment but lamented that he no longer got medical attention for over a year and six months now.
Udeh said he was forced out of the hospital in 2017 when he could no longer pay and his bill was accumulating.
He said: “When I woke up in the hospital, I saw people visiting me, even His Excellency came to see me a day later.
“I could neither move my hands nor legs.
“They said it was a spinal cord injury.
“The government responded immediately and took care of me, they ensured I was treated at COOUTH and later moved me to Memphis Hospital, Enugu for a major operation.
“I was later moved to National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu for treatment of bed sore injuries and again to Memphis Hospital.
“There was huge improvement then.
“Since December 2017, I have been in this house without checkup or treatment because there is no money.
“Some time last year, the Commissioner for Health then, Dr. Joe Akabuike, said the allowance for medical assistance had been exhausted, but honestly, Governor Obiano has tried for me, but the journey is not over yet, I beg him not to give up on me.
“I am hopeful that I will come back to normal.
“I still want do what I like doing, which is training and developing young talents.”
Udeh said he needed N2.4 million for full physiotherapy treatment and another N400,000 for stem cell treatment as advised by a private hospital based in Awka.
He said he had earlier been advised by doctors to go for surgery in India but was not able to do so because of the large amount involved, hence the decision to go for physiotherapy.
He called on the public to come to his aid and help him return to normal life so he can continue to develop young talents and contribute to sports development.
The coach said kind-hearted donors should reach him on phone via 07038103995 and Fidelity Bank account: 6052142791 UDEH Benson Chukwudi.
NAN.
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