Political Activist And Dad, Mazi Chima Amadi, Recounts How His Love Of Country Claimed His 5-Day-Old Son
A Nigerian dad and political activist, Mazi Chima Amadi has recounted with regrets, the loss of his 5-day-old baby; over what he described as an unflinching love of country.
There’s no denying the fact that Nigeria’s healthcare system like virtually every other area of citizens welfare is in dire need of an overhaul.
The odd side to Amadi’s loss is that while many Nigerians are stuck and only make do with the mediocre services that are offered because of tight financial wherewithal, the activist says he in fact had the means to fly his then pregnant wife to a choice country to deliver their child, but his faith and love for country was a risky move that his family paid dearly for, with the loss of his child at 5-days-old.
READ ALSO: Parents Narrate Horror of Losing Only Child, Blames Hospital | See Details
Read the heartbroken dad’s account below:
“I looked at the lifeless body of my son in my hands as I was about to bury him and I said “ son, I failed you, I am sorry, but those who did this to you will never know peace until Nigeria works for all of us”. I then buried him. What drives me? Money, appointments? You see,
I had the means to fly my wife to the US or anywhere else in the world to deliver our son. My patriotism took over.I told her she was going nowhere. Let us believe in the system.We decided to remain with the public healthcare system. Registered at UCH with some of the best in the business in Nigeria. “
He continued to narrate how his son survived what he called “some of the worst kind of treatment ever meted to a newborn”, including how a hospital staff monitoring his fragile son’s incubator switched it off because “the signal was disturbing her”.
Continue to read more of his account below:
Paid premium price for attention to be given to her. But they still failed . My son was delivered and even with all the money I had the system failed him. He needed oxygen, it took 115minutes for that to come. He was put in the incubator but idiot
That was kept in charge switched off the beeping signal Cos it was disturbing her. The boy survived five days of some of the worst kind of treatment ever meted to a new born. He couldn’t take it any longer. He died. Many years later, my wife still has not recovered. I still feel guilty for believing in this country. But you see, ain’t nothing wrong with the country but the leadership.
I am sworn to calling out bad leadership no matter the party where it hides . It is APC today, it will be PDP tomorrow. I did four years ago against my party. Doing it now.
Mazi, who happens to have an attentive following on Twitter has become particularly vocal as the elections draw nearer. A sworn critic of the ruling APC, he said his criticisms and clamour for a change of government is not for personal gains, but his identification of a failed leadership.
Read on below:
“So, no, what I say about APC or PMB is not for appointment in the new govt, I may decline if offered.Why? Because I will NEVER keep quiet if I see bad leadership even if I am part of the govt. To avoid that embarrassment,don’t bring me close.I was brought up as a Jehovah Witness
And I later became a Marxist, both ideologies preach contentment. So, money can NEVER move me. I have been blessed , no doubt but it does not drive me. When you read my tweets supporting institutions like INEC , it’s not because I have been “settled”, it is because I see a genuine effort by the leadership of that agency to do the right thing.
The same way I will throw my hat in the ring for FRSC, BPSR and NBS, three properly run agencies. I have made peace with the fact that this is the ONLY country I can call my own. I won’t standby and watch it destroyed by opportunists and greedy politicians. So, all those saving receipts to show me later in future, shove it, what I did to PMB will be a child’s play to what I will do to Atiku if he messes up the mandate that will be given to him in a few days”.
What do you make of his narration?