Posted by By AMAKA ADETULA on
A medical doctor whose ear drum was perforated when he was assaulted by security men working for Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, senior pastor of Christ Embassy Church, has raised alarm over the church's refusal to send him for medical treatment three months after the incident took place.
A medical doctor whose ear drum was perforated when he was assaulted by security men working for Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, senior pastor of Christ Embassy Church, has raised alarm over the church's refusal to send him for medical treatment three months after the incident took place.
The victim, Dr. Kayode Idowu, a 31year old orthopaedic surgeon told Daily Sun that there is a high risk of infection, which may prove fatal if it gets to the brain. According to the medical report, a clinical examination revealed that the tympanic membrane is perforated and was initially filled with blood clot, which the doctor had to remove at his own expenses. Audiological assessment also revealed a conducive hearing loss and the doctor has had to do with one ear.
Recounting the incident, Dr. Idowu said he was on his way to work early that fateful day in April when his car ran into a small traffic jam along Agidingbi road in Ikeja, Lagos. He was about to manoeuvre his car to the next lane when he was hit from behind by a station wagon. On getting down to examine the damage to his car, the station wagon moved forward and blocked him. Four men alighted from the vehicle and one, looking very well dressed in suit, came over to him yelling and calling him all sorts of names. In his words 'when I demanded what I had done wrong, another of the four men came from the back and gave me a blow by the side of the head. I almost fainted. To my dismay, the other men came over and joined him in raining blows on me. They told me I would rot in jail."
One of his attackers was in police uniform and he was later identified as a spy police attached to the church. With the help of another motorist, Dr. Idowu managed to write down the plate number of the vehicle, GN 514KJA and later took it to the police to trace. Expecting to be told that it belonged to a bank or a government official, he was surprised to learn it was that of a church, Christ Embassy.
Now, Dr. Idowu is alleging that there is a cover up by the church, which has so far only brought a driver forward as the person involved. They claim that the other passengers were ministers who were being taken to the Airport to board a flight and could not have participated in the beating. They have refused to reveal their identities to even the police. Dr. Idowu, however, insists he was beaten by four men.
The doctor said he has exercised restraint all these time because the incident involved a religious body but he accused the church of playing games with his health. He said he is already taking steps to sue them and that the church must take responsibility for the action of its members. According to him, he cannot afford the cost of the operation, which from investigations, stood between 3000 to 4000pounds in England. The surgery, according to him, will require a special microscope to get into the eardrum and as yet, is not available in the country.
He disclosed that his lawyer and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have written to the Senior Pastor but have not received any response from him and he fears the officials may be blocking the information from getting to him.
Daily Sun made several efforts to speak with officials of the church, especially to a certain Pastor Lanre, who has been involved in the case. All efforts to reach him or any other person were unsuccessful as we were told they were unavailable.