By Prisca Nguzo
A 65 year old Mrs. Nkechi Azike Igogori has cried for justice over the circumstance leading to the death of her only son, Ejiroghene Chimere Igogori, a Fintech Marketer and a certified Chartered Finance Analyst, "CFA, at the age of 29.
Ejiro, as the son was commonly called, died on the 21st October, 2023, after undergoing minor operation for a torn ligament on his left knee at one Morning Side Specialist Clinic, situated at No. 20 Michael Adekoya Street, Ilupeju, Lagos.
Mrs. Igogori alleged that the death of her only son, a graduate of Electrical Electronics Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, was as a result of negligence, unprofessionalism and insensitivity on the part of the medical personnel that handle the surgery.
She accused the owner and Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Michael Ugbeye and two other medical officers, simply identified as Dr. Atiba, an anaesthetist and Dr. Itakpe, a surgeon, of taking part in the circumstance which led to her son's death.
She disclosed that after her son''s death, the family petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in their attempt to demand for thorough investigation, prosecution of the medical personnel and justice for their deceased son.
She regretted that Ejiro's death which has terminated her husband’s lineage; caused the entire family members, especially the aging father, Pastor Truth Igogori untold and ceaseless pain, could be avoided if the medical personnel had shown professionalism, compassion, empathy and upheld the ethos and ethics of the medical practice.
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She appealed to good spirited Nigerians, the government and other concerned stakeholders to ensure that justice is seen to be done on her sons death to serve as a deterrent to nonchalant medical personnel and to prevent further deaths occasioned by negligence and unprofessionalism.
Narrating her son's death amidst emotions and tears, Mrs. Igogori said, "the death of my only son is a constant pain I will take to my grave. The pain is most severe when I remember the circumstances that led to his untimely, avoidable and unfortunate death.
"Every day for the past one year since my beloved son died, tears have refused to dry up in my eyes. My son died on 21st October, 2023, a month to his wedding billed for November, 2023. His death stole my joy, future plans and more especially my husbands lineage!.
"Ejiro, my son until his death was my best friend, my confidant, my playmate, my gist partner, my strategist, my adviser and teacher. Given this background, you can understand why My Ejiro 's death is almost difficult to bear. It was just like a sharp pain in my heart. Even the passing of time isn't bringing any succour or healing! The nightmare has refused to abate! Ejiro lives in every passing moment."
Alleging that Ejiro died because of anaesthesia overdose and subsequent mismanagement of the adverse effects, she accused the anaesthetist, Dr Atiba and the hospital owner Dr Ugbeye of mortgaging the ethos and ethics that underpin the medical practice to the detriment of the patient.
"In other words, Gg's death, as I fondly call him, was avoidable. If not for Man's Inhumanity Against Man! Ejiro has no business with death on that day if not for the incompetence, ineptitude, carelessness, callouseness, wickedness, insensitivity, lack of care, compassion, empathy and sympathy from Ugbeye and Atiba." She alleged.
She continued, "On Saturday the 9th of September 2023, while playing football, Ejiro fell and sustained a knee injury. The x-ray conducted showed a meniscal tear on the knee that will require a minor surgery. (Torn ligament of the left knee). The orthopaedic surgeon who Ejiro was referred to and who managed him was Dr Ugbeye of the Morning Side Specialist Clinic of No. 20 Adekoya Str. Ilupeju bye-pass, Lagos.
"All tests, including MRI, were conducted. 21st of October 2023, by 10 a.m., the surgery was to take place at the Morning Side Specialist Clinic. All fees for the surgery amounting to Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only were fully paid.
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"Ejiro called me and informed me about the surgery I objected, my reason being that Ejiro is healing well ,the massive knee swelling has disappeared. He can walk, though with a limp, and above all, he has driven to Ibadan so he can only improve. But he choose to align with the medical practitioners' advice and the rest is now story."
"I am constrained to speak further on this because the matter is in court and I don’t want to be seen as preempting the judge. But I want the whole world to hear my cries and help ensure that my late son gets justice. That's the only way his soul will find the deserved peace.
"Also I feel that is justice is served, it will teach people to always know that life is sacrosanct and should not be wasted on the altar of medical negligence. I think once that is done, the medics will sit up and they will never toy with the ethos and ethics of their practice." Mrs. Igogori appealed.
When contacted, both Dr. Ugbeye and Dr. Itakpe declined to comment on the ground that the case was already in court.
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