How Osun State Governor Killed Those He Could And Aided Killers During #EndSARS Protest By Mary Omowunmi Abraham
A terrible day, a terrible experience. It was a bright peaceful morning, we converged at Akindeeko to ignite the #Endsars protests despite all forms of intimidations and brutasalitions we witnessed 2 days before this day. In company of some comrades we went to Olaiya junction in Oshogbo to assemble, gyrating while waiting for others to join.
Not up to an hour before this, a group of thugs came with cutlasses and axes to attack us. This attack left one of our comrades, Olatokun Oyedele (Oloye) brutally injured. He was mercilessly macheted before he could escape. Sincerely, it was not unexpected, but ours is not to back down. We went back to Technical College, restrategised and marched back to the barricade, where we peacefully continued the protest. Few minutes to 2:00pm, one Mr Ayo Ologun informed us that the state Governor, Oyetola Gboyega is on his way to the barricade. We waited patiently for him while he delayed. He later came around some minutes past 3pm and we started engaging. The spokeman in person of Olawale Adebayo Bakare popurlarly known as Mandate, on our behalf demanded an apology for his late coming on the 10th day of the protest. He gave him the #Endsars demands and Mandate also demanded for the immediate arrest of one Asiri Eniba, the leader of the sponsored thugs who attacked us 2 days before this day. To my greatest surprise, I heard the Asiri whose arrest we demanded for was sitting in one of the governor's vehicles right there in his convoy, the Governor was told to make a public order for his arrest as we don’t want any “audio” arrest, but he, Oyetola gave us a flimsy excuse of why he can't order for Asiri’s immediate arrest. Three protestors spoke after Mandate. Ayo ologun, Adebisi Emmanuel seun, Olushayo engaged Mr Governor.
During this engagement, there was a tumult, all in a second, I saw people running for safety, I had to escape myself for some seconds, I later heard, the thugs came down from one of the governor's vehicles and started attacking people. While coming back to the scene I saw the state governor's car knocking down some protestors, and vehicles in his convoy followed suit. As a first aid attendant I volunteered to be, I treated some wounds, thinking that’s all, seeing there is more, I had to call a school mate of mine, Keji, who is a medical student, to help. While treating the injured protestors, a man came to me, showing me a bullet stuck in his leg. I sat him down but some minutes later, he started shouting for water, saying he's thirsty, but the people around said giving him water would lead to his immediate death, I became restless after hearing this. I called a bikeman and told Keji to sit behind him. At first he felt reluctant but I assured him all will be well. We took the protestor to nearby hospital, ASUBIARO Clinic for better medical attention. On our way, I looked back and saw mobilization of bikemen and fellow protestors mobilized by a friend of mine named Salvation. On getting to the emergency centre, we met a lot of casualties.
We saw Lekan Ahmed lying helplessly and unattended to on the corridor, he was shot at the back and on his lap. There, I don't know when I left the initial patient I took there to attend to him. He laid there unattended to, we had to threaten the doctors and nurses that if anything happens to them, we won’t take it kindly with the hospital, since that's the only language they understand. Seeing the rage in us, they took him in, the funniest thing which was’nt funny, Opeyemi Arike, a fellow protestor was the one who set up the line to pass drips, I could not tell or know why the nurses couldn’t. After some minutes, they had to transfer him to LAUTECH hospital, the “best” government owned hospital in Oshogbo, Osun state. Accompanied with three other comrades in the ambulance, praying for the soul of Olamilekan and calming him down that he'll be fine.
There in the ambulance, I started asking him questions, his age and name, so as to keep him conscious by calling his name. We got to LAUTECH hospital, all they did at the emergency centre was to change the fixed drip and passed in another through his penis. The dying Olamilekan jokingly said “Won fii oko mii n'sere”,""Ani e yo ota ibon yii"(You are playing with my penis, remove these bullets). He said it funningly but I couldn’t laugh, all that came out of my mouth was “sorry.” His cloth was torn with scissors and was transferred to the radiology unit for an x-ray. Another drama, as we got there and met the person in charge absent. We had to chase him down with plenty of phone calls. He came after more than 30minutes of calling and waiting. But it was too late for Lekan. He was already vomiting blood, bleeding from his ears and noses, stretching in continuous spasm, we had to hold him tight but he was already dying.
It was indeed a terrible and traumatic experience.
Less I forget, the thugs that attacked us said the state governor has paid for our lives, they said we dared the Governor by protesting and uttered this statement “Emi yin, sara”(Your lives is an offering).
On hearing this, I was shocked. Olamilekan died in the ultrasound room. Immediately the attendant told us to get out of the room. I knew something was wrong. Two seconds later, we were ordered in to take him back to the emergency room from where we brought him initially for the ultrasound scan.
There, he was injected with a substance and placed on oxygen. They placed a dead person on oxygen, acting drama for us. Keji and I stood there watching their actions until they asked me to whom they should announce his death.
That moment, tears ceased, all I could do was to call his name, and close his eyes and mouth. I looked at the window and saw his mother wailing while being consoled with a lie that her son is responding to treatment.
Lack of adequate healthcare contributed to Olamilekan’s death. A gOvernment owned hospital in Oshogbo has no gloves, what if Keji is not a medical student who came with his first aid bag? I was the one giving them gloves, cotton wool and plaster from the first aid bag. The road that led to the hospital is nothing to write home about. Lekan could possibly have died while the ambulance was jumping from one pothole to another. What did Lekan do to deserve this unjust death? He was shot by someone in the state governor's convoy.
I don't think I also deserved this dreadful experience
He was just 20years old and a bike rider looking for his daily bread. He joined the protest as a concerned and affected Nigerian citizen. What wrong has he done? Who should be held accountable if not the person who gave the drive and kill order? Who should be held accountable, if not the state governor under whose watch nose we lost two souls and many more injured.
Incompetency flows in his blood, that’s why he could misbehave with a stolen mandate.
This terrible experience gave me trauma, the face of Olamilekan keeps on appearing on every young male adult I see these days. Worse still, the Governor continues in his impunity, still sending thugs and security agents to hunt us down for standing up for our rights!
Rest in peace Alimi Ahmed Olamilekan and Mutiu Lawal Fresh.
Justice must be served.
©️Ewatee
Opinion AddThis : Original Author : Mary Omowunmi Abraham Disable advertisements :
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