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By Agatha Emeadi
Many had looked up to celebeating Christmas on December 25, but could not because of circumstances beyond their control.
Thus, as the merriment of the season went on, these people continued to nurse their injuries and the associated pains.
It is, indeed, like the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, would sing: ‘As it de pain them, it de sweet us;’ yes, it’s different strokes for different folks.
A visit to S. A. Okuntimehin Bone Clinic and Maternity Home, situated between Ejigbo and NNPC Junction in Lagos State showed it all.
Mr Emmanuel Okeke, a trader at the popular Ladipo market was seen writhing in pains while other folks were looking forward to celebrating Christmas. He certainly knew he would experience a bleak Christmas because on December 5, a vehicle had knocked him down along Oshodi-Mile 2 Expressway as he was trying to cross to the opposite side of the road. He broke his thigh in the accident. It was sympathizers who rushed him to a bone clinic where he is currently recuperating.
Okeke narrated his ordeals to Sunday Sun: “On December 5, I was knocked down by a vehicle while trying to cross the road. The driver of the vehicle stopped, attended to me, brought me here and also paid the bills. But, since then, I have not heard from him again. If a soothsayer had told me that I would spend Christmas in a bone setting home I would not have believed it, but here I am today, with an all-long bandaged leg, which I find it difficult to move with.”
Also, 22-year-old Kelechi Ajaero, who is from Abia State and trades in auto spare parts got injured.
Narrating his predicament, he said: “On August 15, 2022, I boarded a night vehicle from Maza-Maza to Asaba to carry my goods. As we took off, not long into the journey, around Mowe area of Ogun State, at 12:00 midnight, our vehicle broke down and all the passengers alighted. Very normal for angry passengers who have not done half of the journey, we all started dragging the driver to either refund us our money or organize another vehicle that would convey us to our different destinations. We were in that tussle until 5:00a.m, weary and worn-out. Even as we continued in our struggle, we all found ourselves in front of our broken-down vehicle still talking and arguing; and unknowingly, a trailer from the pit of hell rammed and cleared our rickety parked vehicle, which also cleared all of us as we were standing to make our claims.
“Hell was let loose as over 10 adults were on ground at the same time seeking for help. Other travellers on both sides of the road really helped through phone calls to relatives, lifting of patients to nearby hospitals and first aid-treatments.
“In the last four-months, I have not put my leg on the ground because both legs were affected. The right leg was totally broken while I sustained second degree injuries on the left leg. I have been at this bone clinic since then and do not know when I will be discharged. “Surprisingly, the wound on the right leg has not healed at all and it is a situation I cannot describe, from walking and boarding a vehicle with my two legs, I have been confined to bed for months.
“When I want to use the conveniences, three care-givers would carry me from behind, my right and left legs and place me on the roller, and roll me to the restroom. You can even see how the bandaged leg is settled in a wooden carve to avoid it shaking.”
Also, Callistus Amaechi had a fracture on his thigh while driving a private vehicle.
His words: “It was a mini-bus that wanted to make a U-turn even while on the wrong side of the road, before I could dodge him with my own vehicle, something hit me and I had a hip fracture on November 11, 2022. I have been here in the past one month. The bone did not break outrightly, but my hip joint broke and shifted and that is what I have been battling with since then.”
Also, Ishola Yusuf told his own story.
He had attended his nephew’s wedding in Lagos, but ended up at the bone clinic from the wedding reception.
Hear him: “Last Sunday, at my nephew’s wedding at Ikorodu, my sister and I stood in front of the event centre waiting, from inside the hall at the same wedding, an amateur driver hit my sister and I. I sustained a crack on my leg while my sister was not intensively injured.”
For Ezeoma Emeka, he had on November 26, alighted at Toyota Bus-stop, Lagos from a vehicle conveying him to the Ladipo market peacefully, but as he made to cross and walk into the market, a dispatch rider on top speed cleared him with the pedal of his motorcycle, which saw him landing at the bone clinic at Ejigbo.
He said: “I have been here in the last one month with discharge date unknown to me.”
Another accident victim, Uche, was trying to cross the Jakande-Isheri road, Lagos. While standing by the side of the road, he was knocked into the gutter by a careless driver and on-lookers brought him to Dr. Bone since July.
“From the hitting of the vehicle added with that of the gutters, the bone in my leg got shattered and I have not been instructed to stand with the leg since July that I came here. Baba would be the one to tell when to place the leg or march it on the floor or even practice to walk,” he said.
Seventy-five-year-old Solomon Osintimehin from Ondo State is the brain behind S. A. Osintimehin Bone and Maternity Centre.
He has managed the bone-healing business he claimed he inherited from the spirit of God for over 30-years.
According to him, he inherited the trade from his late mother who was a prophetess in the Apostolic Church.
Hear him: “When my mother turned 90, I knew she is of a ripe age and anything can happen, I didn’t want her to go to the grave with the skill. Smartly, I went to her and said Mama teach me how to do this, which she did.
“For the fact that I took care of her the most out of her eight other children, she has soft spot for me and welcomed my thought. That she was a prophetess was the major reason her home became a mecca of sort.
“Different people with various challenges who sought for spiritual help trooped to her home. This trade by the way was her side-hustle while her major work was spiritually inclined.
“My mother also warned that I should not do the work where prying eyes would disturb me, instead she directed me on this anointed land and that is where we are today. Since I started, it has been miraculous, the way God heals patients is marvelous.
“In 1996, I got registered and employed medical doctors who work for us.”
When asked why patients come to him instead of going to medical doctors, he said: “It is as a result of the testimony that manifests from here, what they saw and heard motivates them. I have not called myself a doctor, but patients who gained from the practice named me Doctor Bone.”
Asked what exactly he does to the broken, shifted and scattered bones, he said: “I do not do anything; I call upon God Almighty and no matter the condition, God heals them.”
Okuntimehin was a professional carpenter who learnt furniture making at Nigerian Wood-Serlivan-shop Company Ltd and worked for some companies before crossing over to his present trade.
Leaving the Bone Centre, Sunday Sun moved to the Male Ward ‘A’ of Igando General Hospital, and the story is the same with mild and full-blown stroke patients who missed the goodies brought by the season.
As quickly as one was ushered in to peep without a comprehensive note or photos, it was obvious that most of the patients on admission would not be discharged to reunite with their families for Christmas celebration.
For the Psychiatric hospital Yaba, (Yaba Left), a visit and sitting observation among the patients also revealed that most patients, who are predominantly young had engaged in illicit drugs and other drug-related habits that brought them to the medical facility.
A father whose name is withheld cried out his heart and refused to come near his young handsome son who had become a patient at the male ward of the psychiatric hospital.
From inquiries, the son is an undergraduate who added substances to his studies, which caused him mental disorder.
His father refused to stand as he struggled with the security agents attached to the ward.
On inquiry, it was discovered that he would not be discharged immediately, and before Christmas.
Another male adult patient was seen at the hospital being bundled to the ward when his family raised the alarm and solicited the hospital help to move him to the facility.
A team comprising medical personnel moved into action and brought him into the hospital for admission and medication.
In the same vein, most cancer patients, both men and men, at the Oncology ward of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja must have had a Christmas.
One of the female patients, who is diagnosed of breast cancer, asked, “what is there to enjoy during Christmas? Is this condition worth celebrating Christmas, count me out because I am not a happy woman.”
