Mrs. Victoria Oyewole has recounted a harrowing experience that led her family to consume a meal that would ultimately prove fatal. The Obelomo Presenter recently visited the Oyewole household in Ogbomoso to hear their story.
On February 29th, 2024, it was reported that a family of six had been hospitalized after developing complications from a meal they had consumed for lunch. Tragically, one of the children did not survive, while the mother and five other children were revived by the medical team at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso.
Mrs. Oyewole, the mother, revealed that their dire financial situation forced them to resort to eating the meal made from cassava peel. She explained that the family had not eaten for two days, and with no other options available, she was compelled to prepare Amala using the leftover cassava peel.
A visit to the Oyewole’s humble abode in Temidire, Ogbomoso, painted a grim picture of their living conditions. The two-room apartment they had managed to build had been severely damaged by a rainstorm, with the roof blown off. A kind-hearted individual had offered them an uncompleted building, but it lacked essential amenities, leaving the family to endure an environment with unplastered walls and a dusty floor.
Mr. Oyewole Paul, the husband, a bricklayer from Ogbomoso, recounted the events that unfolded. He had left home on Monday to seek work, hoping to earn enough to feed his family. However, on Wednesday, he was informed about the incident and rushed back home, only to find a crowd gathered outside. At the hospital, he was relieved to see his family members alive, though the loss of their youngest grandchild weighed heavily on them.
Mrs. Oyewole’s account was both heartbreaking and harrowing. She explained that on the 27th, they had not eaten in the afternoon, and by the night, there was no food available. Desperate to feed her six children, including two grandchildren, she resorted to peeling cassava at a garri processing place, drying the peels, and using them to make Amala.
The tragic events unfolded soon after the family consumed the meal. The eldest child woke up, complaining of stomach ache and began vomiting, followed by the other children. Mrs. Oyewole sought help from a local medicine vendor, but he advised that their condition was critical and they needed to be taken to the hospital.
Faced with the dilemma of no money for medical care, Mrs. Oyewole’s cries for help were eventually heard by some people in the community, who assisted in transporting the family to the hospital. Sadly, the youngest grandchild had passed away by the time they reached the Ogo Oluwa Hospital, and the family members were all in critical condition when they arrived at the teaching hospital.
Through the efforts of the medical team, the family members were eventually revived, but the loss of their grandchild has left an indelible mark on their lives.
Currently, the Oyewole family remains in a precarious situation. Mrs. Oyewole is not employed, and her husband, a bricklayer, is also without work. Their damaged home has forced them to seek shelter in an incomplete building, further exacerbating their plight.
Mrs. Oyewole pleaded for help, stating that she does not want to resort to begging again. Her dream is to start a small business that could help sustain her family and alleviate their suffering. She provided her UBA account number, 2186802883, under the name Oyewole Victoria Adenike, in the hopes that kind-hearted individuals or organizations might come to their aid.
