Kidney Transplant Saga and the Gorgeous World-class “Ike Ekweremadu Specialist Hospital” Ekweremadu Built in Enugu

Posted by admin Articles, Columnists, Enugu, Legislature, NNP Columnists, p, Senate, State News Friday, May 5th, 2023

By Phil Tam-Al Alalibo | NNP | May 5, 2023 – The sentence today in London of the former deputy senate president, his wife and the doctor who was connected with the kidney extraction of the Lagos street hawker should serve as a serious warning to Nigerian politicians and their families of the dare consequences of the dereliction of duty. Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and ten months in prison, his wife, Beatrice, four years and six months and the doctor (Obinna Obeta) to 10 years.

The sentences, the first under the Modern Day Slavery laws of UK, were tough, yet befitting of a conscienceless crime that was meant to serve the interest of the Ekweremadus and the Ekweremadus alone. Court documents point to the Ekweremadus’utter deceptive disposition, first positioning the street hawker as a cousin of Sonia, the 25-year old daughter in need of a transplant. Then the street hawker, from the evidence shared in court, was made to understand that he was taken to London for a better life and not to give life to Sonia by ceding his kidney. He only realized his fate when he was taken to the private London hospital for the 80,000 pounds procedure to take place. Then came the allegation of the mistreatment of the hawker and the denial of basic human dignity and decency.

In providing context, it is important we situate this case within the frame of the usual callous mien of Nigerian political elites, who believe they are above the law and see themselves as Demi gods. While in office, they neglect the people they are supposed to serve and indulge in unsurpassed self aggrandizement. They do not believe in noble egalitarian principles. Most of them exposed to civilized ways of governance having lived, visited and/or trained in Western countries, develop amnesia when they assume office and resort to primitive behaviours, subjecting their populace to unimaginable hardship. They mismanage government funds, use those funds for personal political campaigns, personal purposes, purchase of fleets of cars, private jets, yachts, overseas shopping trips, sustenance of girlfriends, mistresses and side-chicks. They believe they don’t have to live with the consequences of their decisions and run amuck with recklessness, brinksmanship and thoughtless disposition.

Ike Ekweremadu’s case is the epitome of political rascality and dubious entreaties. This is a case of the Ekweremadus and the justice of Karma; a case of a brilliant lawyer who didn’t know that an act of organ harvesting predicated on falsehood, trickery and intimidation would not be tolerated in the UK. The UK is a country of laws and the pleadings by the Nigerian government, Senate, ECOWAS parliament and other prominent persons, only go to demonstrate their lack of understanding of the core concept of accountability. In more civilized climes, they must have forgotten, that the rule of law holds supreme irrespective of self-perception and societal reckoning.

Ekweremadu was first elected into the upper chambers in 2003 and served for 20 years (2023) before his current travails. Before falling into the trap of British law, he had planned to occupy the governor’s mansion in Enugu having hashed plans to run for the seat. While in the Senate, Ekweremadu rose to the envious rank of Deputy Senate President, a position he held for 12 years. This is the second highest office in the Senate and it is therefore reasonable to assume that he wielded undue influence. Instead of using that influence to bring capacity to his constituency in Enugu by building world-class hospitals and improving healthcare, Ekweremadu presided over the allocation of insane sums ranging into the millions of naira to buy fleets of exotic cars to ferry him around Abuja at the expense of the taxpayers.

Had Ekweremadu applied critical thinking, wisdom, empathy and due diligence by serving his people well and attending to their health, economic and social needs, he would not have found himself residing for almost ten years in the big house built by British taxpayers. He would have taken his daughter to that gorgeous world-class “Ike Ekweremadu Specialist Hospital” he built in Enugu, where she would have been cared for by fine doctors, negating the need to fall into the hands of British law. But unfortunately, such hospital does not exist because he and his family have always had access to Western hospitals and healthcare; healthcare systems built by fellow politicians, who unlike him and his tribe of Nigerian politicians, cared for their constituencies and fulfilled their oath.

It has been alleged that he owns properties around the world, in Dubai, London, Abuja, Enugu and other places. Ekweremadu has been a civil servant most of his adult working life and thus could not have saved sufficiently to acquire such wealth. How did he come about his wealth? While Sonia’s situation deserves empathy and prayers for her to find a suitable donor the right way, and while as a parent he has the right to save his daughter’s life, his arrogance, feeling of entitlement and reckless disregard for another life, that of the street hawker, has become his Waterloo. There are a thousands lessons here and it is hoped that Nigerian politicians would learn from Ekweremadu’s tomfoolery and live up to their responsibilities. Where Nigerian law fails to hold politicians accountable, karma will not fail, has never failed as James Iboru and now Ekweremadu would attest.

Prof. Alalibo is a professor of political science and Head of Department.

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