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Life is full of twists and turns; when a door opens another one closes. Living a healthy and happy life is what everyone desires in life, but that is not the case with young Emmanuel Azizechukwu, a primary five pupil in Pyakasa, a suburb along Airport Road in Abuja as he was burnt in a freak fire incident. For this young and ambitious child, if nothing is done to rescue him, life would never be the same again. Anthony Ada Abraham writes.
Like any ambitious child, Emmanuel would like to become a doctor, lawyer or business man, like his parents. But this may not be likely except something urgent is done to alter the current fate of this promising child of destiny.
Chukwu’s mother lost two members of her family (her aunty and mother) within the space of one month, at Idiato South Local Government Area of Imo State. Mr. Azizechukwu, the father of Emmanuel, who at the moment is unemployed, decided to take his family to the village to observe the burial rites of the deceased family members, unaware of the danger looming around his son Emma.
Though they arrived the village hale and hearty, they were preparing for the burial rites with other family members when disaster struck. The situation has prevented the family from returning to Abuja as the innocent child is undergoing medical treatment.
According to LEADERSHIP WEEKEND findings, the Azizechukwu’s are staunch Catholics in Ketti parish, St. Tansi out station in Pyakasa, Abuja. The tragedy stricken child is a mass servant. (Young males and females that assist the priest during Mass).
It was also gathered that the real cause of the fire accident has been very conflicting as the parents were not at home when the incident happened.
Confirming the story, Mrs Philomena Azizechukwu who has not been able to stop crying since the incident lamented over the agony her son is undergoing day and night.
‘We have taken him to various places in Imo state and when we took him to Orlu Orthopedic Hospital, we were handed a bill of #500,000(five hundred thousand naira), we don’t know what to do. We are appealing to well meaning Nigerians to come to our aid so that our son can achieve his dream of becoming someone great in future.’
According to the report, the parents of the boy travelled with an aunt who came in from Port Harcourt for the burial rites of the late family members. She said engine oil mixed with fuel was used in making fire with an unsuspecting Emmanuel trying to pick his sandals nearby to the fire. Before anybody knew what was happening, the spill from the mixture of engine oil and petrol got to him…and that was it for Emmanuel.
When LEADERSHIP WEEKEND sought to investigate further, the lady in question said she was not aware that the spill got to Emmanuel because she left immediately after lighting the fire. The boy who could not scream or shout out of shock, ran away from the fire scene trying to pull off his clothes, but it was too late as the deed was done; the fire had quickly caught all parts of his clothing.
One of the neighbours who saw him running; tried to put off the fire but before she could render any help, he was burnt beyond recognition.
The family is now in a dilemma as they are no longer mourning the dead but struggling to save the life of their son whose condition is worsening by the day.
According to Mrs Azizechukwu they were advised by the resident doctor in the village to remain at home because continuous stay in the hospital would accumulate bills. He would be taken for operations when money is provided.
So, now they are in the village waiting until they are able to raise the money.
‘If we decide to bring him to Abuja, we would incur more expenses. Even if we take him to urinate…the pains he feels alone will deter you from moving him all the way to Abuja. So it is better we stay back in Imo and receive help from individuals’.
Relations and some good Samaritans have continued to help, but it is still not enough to take care of hospital bills. You can help save a life; you could assist this family to settle the bills so that the young boy's life would be saved before its too late. No donation towards this cause is too small; it would go a long way.
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