By Chioma OBINNA & Olayinka LATONA

If time could be turned back, no one would appreciate it better than 34- year- old Sulaimon Akorede Odunuga. For him, such a feat would be a way of undoing the circumstances that led to the loss of his sight couple of years back.

Sulaimon is currently in dire search of the sum of US$159,000 (about N24 million) in the bid to have his failed sight restored through an urgent, life-saving surgical operation at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami, in the United States of America. He still does not really understand how he came to be in this predicarment.

Narrating his ordeal to Good Health Weekly, Sulaimon who was led in tears to Vanguard’s corporate head office by his younger brother said his greatest regret was that his mother died as a result of his present condition February this year.

“I never knew it would generate to this. My mother died because she could not bear the thought of seeing me blind at this stage in my life.” The graduate of political science from the University of Lagos, was  said to be having frequent hiccups which he was advised to seek medical treatment.  Just like any other health conscious Nigerian, he decided to visit a private hospital for medical care.

He was referred to another hospital which changed the earlier prescription but somehow, the man, who had no eye problem initially begin to lose his sight gradually. The quest to find solution to hiccups led to serious damage to his optical nerve.

According to him, it all began in 2008. “I had frequent hiccups and  went to a private hospital for treatment. I was referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital where I was placed on some drugs. The hiccups soon subsided, but  I started feeling strange twitches at the tips of my fingers.

“I went back to LUTH  hoping they will carry out some tests on me but they only gave me blood tonic and other drugs which did not give me relief. Rather, the shocking sensation moved up my left arm to my head. I went back to LUTH to complain but was advised to continue with the drugs.”

Sulaimon recalled that in February 2009, the sensation entered his head and affected his left eye to the extent that he couldn’t see again. “I was not having any eye problem initially; it was after the treatment that the eye problem started. So I went back to LUTH. At the Guinness Eye Center, they checked my eyes and it was discovered that the right one had been affected too. My vision was blurred and my eyes bulged. I was placed on some steroids to regenerate the nerves  because the doctors said there is nothing wrong with the eyeballs.”

A month later, he was admitted at the Guiness Eye Center, LUTH,  but his situation did not change. He was later introduced by a friend to Leave Well Initiative from where he was referred to MeCure Diagnostic Center, Oshodi, where series of tests confirmed the gravity of his aiment. From the result of the tests, he was referred to Global Hospital in India, where in April this year, it was confirmed that his optical nerves were damaged. According to medical doctors at the Global Hospital in India, Sulaimon is suffering from a damage to the optic nerve, described as Rhetorical bulbar neuritis.

He said: “The doctors there said if I had been referred earlier they would have been able to save the nerves. But in his current condition, the Indian hospital didn’t have the facility to perform the necessary operation on me.”

Sulaimon had to raise US$25,000 to travel to India for the surgery but his hopes were dashed when he was told that the corrective surgery could not be done there as the hospital has no such facilities.

He had spent all his life savings towards restoring his sight. Today, his business has collapsed no thanks to his condition. Except good spirited Nigerians, politicians, NGOs, government at all levels rally round to provide the needed money for the urgent surgery, all hope of restoring his sight would be irredemably lost. Appealing to Governor Fashola, and Oyo State Government and other well meaning Nigerians to come to his aid, he said “My condition is affecting my family. I am financially handicap.  I cannot afford the cost of the surgery.  The whole cost of my treatment including; surgery, accommodation, feeding amongst all is $159,000 US dollars (N23,945,400.97). I am appealing for the help of all Nigerians, federal and state governments, corporate organisations and all well spirited Nigerian should please come to my aid. I have just three months to go for the surgery because all the nerves have not yet collapse and now I have less than one and half month for the surgery.

“I can’t see anything at all, the only thing I see is sky blue and there are reflexes on my eyes balls which indicate that all the nerves are not yet down and when I wake up early in the morning when there is no light and there is a spark of light around me i notice but when the ray of light get into my eyes I cant see anything. I am begging the whole country to please come to my aid, am still young, agile and productive. I don’t want to be a liability to people to my family and society at large.

“My condition is affecting the whole family. My younger ones and my little son could not move ahead with their lives because of my situation. My son is at home because I cannot meet up with his school fees now. My family is suffering, but I know God in His infinite mercies will help me through the help of Nigerians. Although I have been surviving through my friends and few relatives and friends who have really been there for me.”

• If you are touched by Sulaimon’s plight, please call 07025694939, 08166779391, 08089930143