By Godwin Tsa, Abuja
May 17, 2015, was a black day in the life of Hakim Bashir Olamilekan, a student of Computer Science Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He came out of the school gate and was heading home on his bicycle, after a hectic day at school, without an inkling that he was riding into a valley of doom.
At 24, young Olamilekan had high expectations and great ambition of becoming one of the famous computer scientists. But a car accident has changed his life.
Today, he has joined the burgeoning number of those who have become paralysed through spinal cord injury.
This is not only a long term setback on his academic career but also an emotional challenge. Already, he has lost one academic session and still struggling on a wheel chair.
Abandoned by his father who has not visited him since the life threatening accident, Olamilekan is being pushed everyday to school in his wheel chair by his aged mother.
When Abuja Metro encountered him at Spine Fixed In Abuja (SFIA) where he went for routine medical solution, a distraught Olamilekan narrated his story in a hushed whisper caused by excruciating emotional pains.
“I came our of my school gate (ABU ZARIA) on 17th of May 2015 on a bicycle, heading home. I lived at Danraka Estate within Samaru, when a car knocked me down from behind. Since then, I have lost everything. My dreams, my legs, as I cannot walk with them again. I am going through pains and lots of psychological challenges. Even when I try to move on with my life, lots of complications set in…like infections, muscles spasms, and others because I can’t urinate on my own and other things.
“I have deferred my academic sessions since 2015-2017. But I have gone back to zaria to continue my academics using wheelchair because my admission will be terminated after this session. That is why I went back to see how I could continue my academics and also be on medical attention. My parents are alive. My father is a Muslim while my mum is a Christian. We all grew up with our mother and practise Christianity.
“My mother is about 56 years and my father has not even shown up since the accident happened. My old mother is the only one I have.”
Olamilekan, the only male child of the family and also the last-born, told Daily Sun that his parents sold lands, houses and properties to save his life “but right now, we don’t have the money being demanded for my treatment. The doctors said with N25 million I can walk again. I really need someone to help me. All my elder sisters are married. My mother pushes me on wheelchair and it has started affecting her health. I don’t have a motorised wheelchair to navigate places on my own.
“The kind of help I need is sponsorship for my treatments. The doctors confirmed that I have chances to walk again if something is done faster. And the professional treatments recommended is to take place in India which will cost about N25 million for a six-month treatment. There are possible places that I can get treated within Nigeria also which demanded about N200,000 monthly.
Police Report
An extract from the Police Accident Register complied by the Divisional Police Headquarters, Samaru, Zaria, dated 4/2/2016 with reference number AB.4099/KDS/SAM/Z/V.2/60 titled “Serious motor vehicle and bicycle Accident” reads:
“On the 17/05/2015 at about 2000hrs, there was a serious motor vehicle and bicycle accident, along Zaria/Funtua road by Oando Filing Station, Zaria, involving a Mercedes Benz 190 with registration number XN 567 SMK, driven by one Sam Banji, “m” of Danraka Estate Samaru, Zaria and a bicycle riden by one Hakim Bashir Olamilekan, a student of Computer Science Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with registration number U13CS 1042. The accident occurred when the rider and driver were moving on the same direction, and later the driver of the motor vehicle hit the cyclist from behind.
“As a result of the accident, the cyclist, Hakim Bashir Olamilekan sustained serious injuries and was rushed to ABUTH, Shika, Zaria for treatment.
‘Action: Case accepted and referred to MTD branch while F/No. 266140 PC Timothy Everest is detailed for investigation.
“Entry recorded by CPL Dabang Mafulu.”
The report was signed by Mannir M. Lawal, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Samaru division.
Doctors report
A doctor’s report from Spine Fixed in Abuja (SFIA) prepared by Dr. Dr. B. Ogungbo and dated 23/6/2015 reads:
Re: Akeem Bashir, 24 years old
Computer Science undergraduate : 200 Level, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Date of admission : 13/6/2015
Diagnosis 1: Traumatic Spinal and Spinal Cord injury, posterior Ligamentous injuries, C6/C7
Diagnosis 2: Frankel grade B from thoratic myotomes: incomplete Spinal Cord injury
Date of operation: 14/6/2015
Diagnosis 3: Sacral bed sore: Debridement performed by Dr. Abubakar.
The above detailed gentleman was involved in a serious road traffic accident and transferred to my care in Abuja. He was paralysed right from the time of the accident. Neurologically, he had a Frankel Grade B score and was unable to move his legs. The weakness starts in the hands with weakness of C8/TI myotoms bilaterally and sensation is patchy with hyperesthesia. He has poor anal tone.
Radiology: The MRI and CT scans demonstrated significant spinal cord injury and disc disruption /porlapse at the C6/C7 level. The bones were in alignment through with significant ligaments injury obvious between C6 and C7 posteriorly.
Surgery: I offered him surgical intervention and performed a C6/C7 fixation using iliac grafts, a cage and an interior cervical plate. I left him in a hard cervical collar for a while and he recovered satificatorily from his operation. We also debrided his sacral bed sore.
The Current Situation: He remains neurologically unchanged and no improvements in the motor deficits have been noticed since the injury. He has started physiotherapy and is being rehabilitated into a wheel chair. He also had treatment for bladder infection on our occasion and did not tolerate a trial without catherter.
Recently, he has been complaining of server spasms for which he is on increasing doses of Baclofen.
He is also on Gabapentin for managing the hyperesthesia. Treatment cost anticipated for his care is in the order of N2,500,000. This covers the operation and two weeks of post operative rehabilitation.