By Balogun Omeiza David (BOD), Lokoja.
There is a popular saying in Ebira language that, “The lack of money kills one before death itself strikes.” This proverb or wise saying is always used when one is faced with a situation that money ought to have solved but the person faced with such problem is financially handicapped. There is no better word to use to described a lack of money to solve a problem especially one that relates to health rather than poverty.
Ma. Isah Asipita Alimetu is a popular yam seller from Inike, Okene. She travels to Auchi to buy tubers of yam to sell in the popular Ohu-Bariki Market, Okene. She suddenly became sick with a life threatening ailment and the money to handle became an issue for her family. Ma. Isah Asipita Alimetu was rushed to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lokoja and was admitted for treatment. Her kidney, lungs and heart were faulty but medics gave the assurance to her wards that since the organs were yet to be badly affected, there could be a medical remedy for her condition. The next was for money to be paid for her treatment to commence.
Rabi Oziohu Isah is the first child and daughter of Ma. Isah Asipita Alimetu. She and her other 5 siblings had to start running helter skelter to find a way of getting the needed money to attend to their mother’s nagging health condition. As much as they tried to meet up with the financial implications, they could not get up to half of what the money required of them and their mother’s health was deteriorating daily.
That was how Rabi Oziohu Isah who was residing in Kano State came home to start looking after her sick mother at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lokoja. It was at the hospital she was privileged to come across a good Samaritan who gave her the phone number of Alh. Dr. Umaru Oricha, the Director General, Government House Administration, Lokoja. According to her, the person told her to call Adayi Oricha, a man the person described to her as compassionate, loving, a father to all and God fearing.
The voice note that Rabi Oziohu Isah sent to Alh. Dr. Umaru Oricha Shuaibu was indeed a pathetic one. She narrated how her mother’s health was depreciating fast and money was now the cog in wheel stopping them from going ahead with more medical treatment that could help save their mother’s life. As characteristic of Alh. Dr. Umaru Oricha Shuaibu towards issues like this, he quickly asked me to contact Rabi Oziohu Isah to find out if truly the issue of her sick mother that she presented via a WhatsApp voice note was genuine. I did my findings and discovered that the narration she gave about her sick mum was nothing but the truth.
Rabi Oziohu Isah talked to me amidst tears flowing down her cheeks like a flood. She said she does not want her mother to die with this sickness. I relayed all that I found out about Ma. Isah Asipita Alimetu to Alh. Dr. Umar Oricha Shuaibu and he did not hesitate to assist them financially.
With eyes opened wide in great surprise, Rabi Oziohu Isah could not close her mouth which was opened ajar when I delivered the money the Director General, Government House Administration asked me to give to her to pay for her mother’s medical bills. The prayers that came from her mouth within thirty seconds were more than ten million words. The financial help came to her like a rushing body of water and she too had to rush out the prayers out of a reflex action occasioned by the surprise she saw.
Rabi Oziohu Isah made a prayer for Alh. Dr. Umar Oricha Shuaibu that made goose pimples appear on my body. She said, “O Allah, kindly remove my Aljanah and give it to this man that has extended a rare hand of help to my mother.” This prayer she made was out of shock when she saw the help that she received from Alh. Dr. Umar Oricha Shuaibu. The Almighty God will not for any reason remove her place in eternity as she requested. I see this woman as a person who genuinely appreciated the help that was rendered to her.
Speaking further she added that, “I am a member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement in Kano and I told them about my mother’s health condition but never rendered any help to me. I was told that our government in Kogi State will also not help me but Alh. Dr. Umar Oricha Shuaibu that I do not know from anywhere have proved them all wrong. He has made me to be proud and reaffirmed my faith in God that whenever I pray there will always be an answer.
Alh. Dr. Umar Oricha Shuaibu will be clocking 63 years on the 1st of October, 2023. May God continue to bless and reward him greatly for always putting humanity first in all his doings.