Omisore: Sparing a thought for the underprivileged

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THERE are two institutions that hardly fail to have a sobering effect on human beings: these are the hospital and prison. Very often, our pre-occupation with what we do not have is such that we forget to appreciate what we have. What we wish we could have take all our energies and attention that we hardly remember to spare a thought for all the good things of life that we enjoy with little or no sweats whatsoever. We seldom notice them; they are often taken for granted – until we visit a hospital or prison.

No healthy person walks out of a hospital without giving appreciation for his good health status which, hitherto, he had taken for granted. Seeing that the air that we breathe in effortlessly is an impossible task for someone else, which machines would have to help him or her perform, suddenly jolts us to the realization that we have been blessed. Seeing human beings like us undergoing different forms of pains and afflictions can be sobering indeed. Suddenly, one realises the truism in that saying that “health is wealth” What if you were to experience human beings like yourself giving up the ghost right in your presence? Lives lost just like that, never to be seen again on this planet Earth! A better appreciation of life cannot but dawn on us after such an experience.

The prison also has its own different kind of sobering effect – that of the immeasurable importance of the freedom we often take for granted. Those who have suffered incarceration before know the importance of freedom more than those who have never loss their freedom– even on an empty stomach, freedom is priceless. The biographies of great men who have suffered incarceration in their lives left no one in doubt about this. We can cite the examples of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and Dr. Nelson Mandela, first Black president of a free South Africa.

Considerations for the plight of others and identifying with the cause of the less privileged necessarily draw men of goodwill to hospitals and prisons to share in the sufferings of fellow compatriots as well as help to ameliorate their abject lack. These must have informed Otunba Iyiola Omisore’s visit to the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital and orphanages at Ile-Ife recently. Omisore, a former deputy governor of Osun state and two-term Senator (2003 - 2011), is an important political leader with grassroots support in the state. His visit to the hospital and orphanages was instructive for many reasons.

Firstly, he chose the first day of Year 2013 to identify with his hapless compatriots. At a time when many of his privileged counterparts were ushering in the new year in Dubai, on some exotic islands in far-away lands, and in Europe and the Americas, Omisore not only stayed back in the country, he also chose to spend the day with patients at the OAUTH after which he visited and sent presents to two orphanages.

Second, he took along with him to the hospital sumptuous meals and drinks – fried rice, jollof rice, assorted meat and chicken, etc., which became the patients’ as well as Omisore’s, first meal in Year 2013.

Third, Omisore paid the hospital bills of many of the patients who had been treated and discharged but could not leave the hospital on account of unpaid bills; he also met the needs of those who needed surgery but could not proceed on account of inability to provide the required sum of money. In all, he wrote a cheque of N640,000:00 to meet those needs there and then.

What a relief! What good fortunes! Only God knows how many lives were thus saved but the joy and deep sense of appreciation of the affected patients and their relatives were expressed to Omisore in their effusive and profuse thanksgiving.

Omisore and his entourage had hit the hospital as early as 7:00 am; they were received by a team of OAUTH Management staff led by Prof. J.F. Owotade, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (the next in the line to the Chief Medical Director who was unavoidably absent). Other members of OAUTH who took Omisore around various wards in the hospital complex include Pastor M.A. Oyelami, Director (Admn.); M.S. Olaobaju, Director (Finance); Mrs. Bola Alejo, Director (Procurement);  Olu Bello, Director (Corporate Affairs); T. A .Olubodun, Director (Planning & Development); Mrs. Agboola, Deputy Director (Clinical Nursing Services); Mr. Segun Fawole, Assistant Director (Administration & Establishment); Mr. Akintoyese (Assistant Director, Unit Administration); and Mr. T. A. Balogun, Nodal Servicom.

Visited by Senator Omisore were the children and adult orthopaedic wards; children ward; post-natal ward; and renal ward. He encouraged the patients not to lose hope in the ability of God to restore them to good health as well as in the availability of well-meaning Nigerians who are willing to give them the much-needed helping hand.

Omisore, who had, a week earlier, donated N2.5million to two cancer patients in Lagos, said Christmas and New Year provided the best opportunity for well-to-do Nigerians to do charity work in the spirit of the season. If Jesus Christ could give his life for us, money should not be too precious for us to give to help our fellow human beings, he said. He added that when we help the less-privileged, we give hope and succour to the hopeless and by so doing make Nigeria a better country for all its citizens.

Omisore thanked the hospital Management and staff for the care they offer the patients and prayed God to repay them for their selfless services and sacrifices more that any employer could do. Gifts of various kinds were distributed by Omisore to the patients who showed their appreciation and gratitude by also praying for him. He ended his visit to the hospital at about 12 noon.

Also visited by Omisore on New Year day was the Solid Rock Orphanage, Ile-Ife where he was received by the founder, Mrs. Ayoola. Omisore played with the kids and offered them words of encouragement. He thanked the Management of the orphanage for the important work they are doing. Various gift items, food and drinks were given to the orphan-age by Omisore.

Another orphanage that benefitted from Omisore’s large heartedness on the first day of the year was the Covenant Orphanage, Moro.

Speaking to reporters after the visits, the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations said he was poised to offer a helping hand round the clock to the less- privileged in society so as to succour the needy and offer hope to the hopeless.