Doctors diagnose stroke, advise against foreign trip
FOR the second day running, Igbo leader and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu- Ojukwu, has remained under intensive treatment by doctors at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla. He was rushed to the hospital on Sunday afternoon and admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following his failing health.
A source at the hospital confirmed to The Guardian yesterday that Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who was brought to the facility at 3.20 p.m. was diagnosed of stroke. It was also learnt that medical experts at the hospital had since then been battling to stabilise him.
The source, a doctor in the hospital, disclosed that the former Biafran chief, who marked his 77th birthday last month, could have been flown abroad over the weekend, but for the advice of medical experts, who cautioned against the trip. He was, therefore, admitted to UNTH “so as to stabilise him before the journey abroad.”
According to the source, Odumegwu-Ojukwu has lived with the stroke for quite some time and has been managing the situation, stressing that the UNTH medical experts have been detailed to ensure that he received the best medical attention.
The hospital official said: “He is in safe hands. All competent hands and medical experts of the hospital are now working on him. He is being paid full attention and giving the best monitoring. We are according him with all the necessary gadgets that could help his case and we are sure he will soon recover.”
When The Guardian visited the ICU of the UNTH yesterday afternoon, relations of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) were seen discussing in low tones. His wife, Bianca, was spotted discussing with close family members apparently on the development.
No visitor was however allowed access to the ailing politician, which officials said was “strictly out of bounds” for non-ICU personnel, stressing that Odumegwu-Ojukwu being an elder statesman could not be “seen anyhow without the approval of the hospital management.”
Last Friday, President Goodluck Jonathan, who was in Enugu State to open the expanded runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, visited Odumegwu-Ojukwu at his residence. The President was said to have been taken to former APGA presidential candidate’s “room upstairs” where he met the Igbo chief.
Also, during the declaration of Chief Rochas Okorocha for Imo State governorship race on the platform of APGA last week, Odumegwu-Ojukwu was represented at the event by Bianca.
A few months ago, the former Biafran chief returned to the country after several weeks of medical trip overseas.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who was born on November 4, 1933 at Zungeru in northern Nigeria to Sir Louis Phillippe Odumegwu- Ojukwu, a businessman from Nnewi, Anambra State, contested the presidential elections of 2003 and 2007 on the platform of APGA; a party which he also serves as the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) till date.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian Army and governor of the old Eastern Region from January 15, 1966, declared succession of thev region from Nigeria in 1967 resulting in a 30-month old civil war between the Biafra Republic he led and Nigeria.
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