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| Late Ikenna Nzeako |
By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Masterweb Special Correspondent-Spain)
The fear of Ebola is the beginning of life. Ebola is the most dreaded terror and scourge to humanity at moment. It is no respecter of persons, color or race, white and black, it is without boundary. Mere glimpse of any sign of Ebola at a distance will make even the American Special Strike force to take to their heels. The best of medical personnel cannot stand at the sign of Ebola. So was the case on October 18, 2014 at Barajas Madrid Airport Spain, where a Nigerian drug peddler was mistakenly abandoned and left to stew in his own juice by the airport security and medical team because of Ebola scare. If not for the Ebola fear the life of the Nigerian may have been saved.
According to information gathered by our Special Correspondent at the airport, the 38 year old Nigerian, identified as Ikenna Nzeako from Owerri Imo state on the fateful day arrived on a Turkish airline flight from Istanbul to Madrid. As he was about to leave from the airport he started shivering and collapsed. The airport security men and the emergency medical team realizing he was a Nigerian felt scared and hesitated to attend to him. Time elapsed as he was left alone on the floor before a special medical team arrived and confirmed that it was not Ebola case. But was as a result of overdose of cocaine inside his body which has busted inside his stomach. Subsequently he died few minutes after the medical team attended to him.
Our Special correspondent traced where he lived in Madrid and met with his live- in girlfriend who is the mother of his one year old baby girl. According to the lady who said that the deceased came to Spain in 2008 and they have lived together for almost three years. Responding to questions by the Correspondent, she said that the late Ikenna called her two hours before he died and was talking to her in Igbo dialect a language she could not understand as she is from Edo state. And she never knew that was his last word until she was called by the police to inform her about his death later. The late Ikenna came from a family of eight with his parents still alive with three elder brothers before him and two sisters all in Nigeria. One of the sisters in Nigeria, who spoke to our special correspondent on phone, said that they saw him last in 2012 when he visited Nigeria. She pleaded that the Correspondent should on behalf of the family appeal to the Nigerian Embassy and the Nigerian Community in Spain to help bring back the corpse, saying as we did not see him in life again let us see him at death.
Also the deceased fiancée who was carrying their one year old baby girl during the interview with the Correspondent requested for help from the Nigerian Embassy and the Spanish government for accommodation and financial assistance to enable her take care of the baby as she has no work now.
The Nigerian Embassy, in line with their citizen’s diplomacy was quick to react to the incident by demanding for explanation from the Spanish authorities on the circumstances surrounding the death of the Nigerian. According to the Ambassador, Bianca Ojukwu who spoke to our correspondent over the incident said that the facts had to be established clearly that it was not as a result of Ebola as was initially feared. She lamented that its quiet unfortunate the circumstances that led to his death. And the Ambassador condemned the act of Nigerian citizens who involve themselves in heinous crimes risking their lives and tarnishing the image of the country in their quest to make fast money. She said that its high time they withdraw themselves otherwise they stand the risk of grave consequences for their actions as the host country would not take it lightly with anyone who constitutes himself a nuisance to them after giving him residence and work permit. Ambassador Bianca appealed to Nigerians living in Spain to always respect the laws of their host country and stay away from crime. She encouraged them to look for work and engage themselves in meaningful activities.
A cross section of Nigerians who spoke to our Correspondent over the incident expressed their displeasure with the situation of things at home saying that due to corruption among those at the corridors of power and the mis-management of the country’s resources has forced Nigerians to migrate and turned to beggars abroad, compelling many to take to crime against their wish. They appealed to the Federal Government to set up measures that will alleviate the sufferings of Nigerian citizens in Spain and Diaspora.
If not for Ebola scare, perhaps the life of Ikenna may have been saved first, after which he would have faced the wrath of the law for his crime. However, Ebola “though like the toad ugly and venomous yet it wears a precious jewel on its neck” (Shakespeare). Nigeria has been certified Ebola free country by WHO, thanks to the rapid response the Government gave to that and the cooperation of the citizenry also. At least the Ebola fear has shown that things can work in Nigeria if we really want. If the approach that was used to combat the Ebola case is applied in all sectors of governance in Nigeria, the country will turn to a paradise overnight. Hence with the fear of Ebola, Nigeria will be free of corruption and the economy will recover. Nigerians will stay at home and would not migrate. Those abroad can go back home to enjoy the milk of the land and the likes of the late Ikenna would be saved from untimely death. Therefore let all the incoming politicians and office holders come 2015 take an oath and be sworn in by the spirit of Ebola. As the fear of Ebola that made the Spanish airport security and medical team to abandon the Nigerian citizen will scare away corrupt politicians from embezzling public fund and save the nation.
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