At the Ode-Irele General Hospital, doctors and other health
officials were busy attending to suspected survivors of the
strange illness. The young doctor was covered in sweats as
he and his team moved from one bed to another, taking
samples from the survivors.
A source at the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, told
reporters that samples would be taken to Lagos for laboratory
analysis.
But lying on the bed, looking into an uncertain future, 25-year-
old Michael Aribo, rued the strange world of darkness that he
was suddenly thrown into. “My predicament started on April
12 after I came back from the farm. I had some kind of itching
in my eyes and came to the hospital. When I got here, I was
told that it was Typhoid fever. At a point, I felt like vomiting
and was later placed on drip. Before I knew what was
happening, my sight was gone. When I alerted the doctors to
my condition, they simply said it was the accumulation of
Typhoid in my body that caused it and assured me that I
would regain my sight after the treatment.
“Unfortunately, I have not experienced any improvement in my
vision since then; I have been thrown into a scary world of
darkness where I am not familiar with the mode of operations.
Where would I start from if this condition is irreversible and
how would my wife and children survive? I had wished to
further my studies before this development came up. I am
afraid if that would be possible again. My prayer is that God
will deliver me.”
Michael, who holds onto God for a miracle, denied any
involvement in the looting of the shrine, noting: “It was when
we got to the hospital that I heard that some people went to
plunder the shrine. I wasn’t aware of it before then. Before
God and man, I don’t know anything about the stealing of
Malokun. I don’t have any friends among the people they said
died.’’
But more confusing was Michael’s claim that he does not
drink any form of alcohol. “I don’t indulge in the consumption
of alcohol. I never did. I had never taken it in my life.”
A few feet away from Michael’s bed was another survivor,
elderly Delta State-born Margaret. Her case also made the
whole story more befuddling. She claimed to have just
returned from a trip to her home town in Delta State when her
challenge began.
While lamenting her present predicament, she also expressed
absolute ignorance about the invasion of the shrine. “I don’t
know anything about the stealing of the deity. I am not aware
of it at all. I am not even from this place. I travelled to my
home town and returned in the morning of Thursday. By
evening of that same day, I started experiencing a strange
headache, after which I was brought to the hospital. After
some hours of being admitted, I lost my sight.
“I can’t see anything again as I am talking to you. My whole
being has been plunged into sordid darkness. What did I do
wrong? If I had known, I would have stayed back in Delta a
little longer. I can’t in any way explain what has befallen me.
It is strange as I hadn’t any eye challenge before now. I pray
that my sight is restored because I don’t know what will
become of my life without it.”
In the same room was Iwajowa Ifadaunsi. He too lost his
sight after a battle with malaria. He said: “I went to the farm
on the fateful day that this problem started. I felt sick right
there on the farm and rode on my motorcycle back to the
house. I came to the hospital immediately with the hope of
getting the necessary medical attention that would restore me
to good health. I lost my sight in the process. The malaria
attack has been adequately tackled, but my sight is yet to be
restored. I have hope that God will heal me and make it
possible for me to see again.”
While denying knowledge of the pillaging of the shrine,