Excited parents of ‘hole-in-the-heart’ girl thank God, laud Shaibu
Tochukwu Aroh
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning,” so says the Holy Bible. And the scriptures aptly describe the current mood of the family of Mr. Anthony Odaroagbonrie Ogaimen, a revenue officer with Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.
The family recently got a solution to the plight of their young daughter, with the help of the deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu.
When the family’s baby girl, Mercy Osatohanmwen, was born, the joy of the parents knew no bounds. However, as the days, weeks and months went by, the bundle of joy turned out to be a big source of worry and agony. Little Mercy was diagnosed with a medical condition popularly known as ‘hole-in-the-heart’ disease.
Upon the discovery of this life- threatening ailment, the parents of Mercy wasted no time in seeking help-both medically and financially to tackle the disease that afflicted their little daughter.
When it seemed there was no solution in sight, the the Ogiamiens experienced a positive encounter. By divine appointment, they met face-to-face with the Edo State deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.
According to Austin Otas-Osegbe, a public relations officer in the deputy governor’s office, the journey to the total restoration of the young daughter of the Ogiamiens commenced on Sunday, May 28, last year, during a Mass celebrated by the priests and parishioners of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Benin City, to mark the national Children’s Day.
After the Mass, the deputy governor, it was gathered, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with the Catholic faithful. That was when his attention was drawn to the sickly and fragile Mercy, who was cuddled by her mother.
There and then, Shaibu indicated his intention to assist the parents in saving the life of Baby Mercy.
“Thereafter, a lot of activities followed with series of tests and referrals by medical experts of the Government House Clinic, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and National Hospital, Abuja. At the end, the stage was set for a medical sojourn abroad for a corrective heart surgery for Baby Mercy. And the destination was the BLK Hospital, New-Delhi, India. The rest is now a beautiful testimony,” Austin said.
On arrival from the medical trip abroad, the parents came with Baby Mercy to express appreciation to the deputy governor.
Mr. Ogiamien, father of the baby told journalists shortly after a thanksgiving Mass held at the same St. Joseph Catholic Church to mark the 2018 National Children’s Day: “My family and I feel so tremendously overwhelmed by this life-changing testimony. As you can see, my daughter is okay and she returned with her mother safely to Nigeria after the successful surgery in India, where they spent almost two months. It is like a big burden has been lifted off our shoulders. This is unbelievable. I cannot express exactly how excited the whole family feels.
“The medical trip cost over N7 million, covering medicals, accommodation, feeding, flight tickets for my wife and baby, and other incidentals for the successful surgery of my daughter. And it was the deputy governor that paid the bills. The good Lord will continue to protect and bless him and his family.”
Unable to curtail his joy, the excited dad prayed to God to continue blessing the deputy governor. “In short, God Almighty shall remember him for good and elevate him to the next glorious level in his future endeavours. Gentlemen of the press, I’m so happy because my moment of weeping has been turned to unspeakable joy by the deputy governor,” he said.
Indeed, it was a colourful ceremony as parishioners, family members, friends and well- wishers trooped out in their numbers to rejoice with the Ogiamiens.
The deputy governor was represented at the thanksgiving Mass by a delegation comprising principal officers from his office, including the deputy chief of staff, Kingsley Ehigiamusor, permanent secretary, Stephen Omorodion, and chief press secretary, Ebomhiana Musa.