Relatives of 29-year-old graduate of Anatomy, Dr. Adedayo
Adewumi, have been thrown into confusion following his
disappearance.
It was gathered that Adedayo, a first time visitor to Lagos,
went missing on August 27 after he step out of the house for
fresh air.
The family told our correspondent that Adedayo came to
Lagos State from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on August 22
and was staying with some family members on Alawode
Street, Kilo, in the Surulere area of the state.
Adedayo was said to have stepped out of the house on the
fateful day for fresh air after a power outage. He was said to
have left the house without his cell phone.
His father, a retired engineer with the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Ademola Adewumi, told our
correspondent that he was worried because the missing man
was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2006 while studying
Medicine at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.
Schizophrenia is defined by the dictionary of Medicine as a
mental disorder often characterised by abnormal social
behaviour and failure to recognise what is real.
According to the dictionary, common symptoms include false
beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, auditory hallucinations,
reduced social engagement and emotional expression, and
lack of motivation. The disorder is thought to mainly affect
the ability to think. People with schizophrenia are likely to
have additional conditions, including major depression and
anxiety disorders.
The condition is said to have posed a lot of challenges to
Adedayo when he was a student of Medicine. Unable to cope
with Medicine, he had to change to Anatomy.
His father, Ademola, said, “I suspect he is wandering around
or languishing somewhere by now. We have gone to all the
police stations in our area and beyond. But my major worry is
that if there is a case of accident or wrongful arrest, the police
will be able to tell, but they may overlook a case of a man
wandering aimlessly.
“I have his medical records with me. He has been treated six
times for the condition, but always had a relapse. However,
since he graduated in 2012, there had been an improvement.
That was why we suggested a visit to Lagos hoping that the
change of environment will help.”
Adedayo was said to be the eldest of three boys. His younger
brother, Adeshina Adewumi, a banker with a commercial bank
in Lagos, said Adedayo had bouts of depression in the past, it
made him to disconnect from people and to stop using his
phones, adding that there had been an improvement in his
condition following his graduation and the end of the National
Youth Service Corps.
He said, “While in school, he was often depressed. But when
he finished school, his condition improved. Since then, he has
always been in a guided environment.
“Shortly before he came to Lagos, he fell into depression
again and my father suggested that he should come to Lagos
with the hope that the change of environment would lighten
him up.
PUNCH
“He did not have any disagreement with anybody, he was
happy to come to Lagos. In fact, a day before he went
missing, he was planning to go with me to Lekki.”
The Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Patricia
Amadin, promised to get back to our correspondent on the
matter.
She, however, had yet to do so as of press time.