Posted by By AZOMA CHIKWE on
A five-year-old girl who escaped death by the whiskers, three years ago is still in pains following injuries she received from a gas explosion.
A five-year-old girl who escaped death by the whiskers, three years ago is still in pains following injuries she received from a gas explosion.
Little Ore-Ofe Sodipo, who lost her grandmother in the resulting fire which claimed 11 lives is still groping in the web of sorrow and pain due to deformities in her head, face and ear.
Though she had undergone a plastic surgery to correct the deformities on her legs and hands, Ore Ofe still requires a second surgery in her head to free her of pains. The surgery would cost over N600,000.
Daily Sun gathered from her father, Mr. Tope Sodipo that the incident occurred on 27th of August, 2002 as the little girl then one and half years old, was going to church with her grandmother.
He said, "On their way, they stopped to buy biscuit near a mechanic garage for her. At the garage, a truck carrying gas cylinders drove in for repairs. The mechanic said that no repair will be carried out on the truck until all the gas cylinders were off-loaded from it. As they were off-loading the cylinders, one of them exploded."
"The explosion affected her and my mother-in-law. The total number of people affected were eleven, only her survived. The victims were carried to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba. At LUTH, my mother-in-law died three days after. The other victims followed suit, dying one after the other, only her survived. She was later discharged."
Following her discharged from LUTH, Ore-Ofe had her first plastic surgery at Oak Specialist Hospital, Pedro Road, Palmgrove by Dr. Segun Aranmolate.
The plastic surgery which was sponsored by Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State, public-spirited individuals, Churches and Mosques, corrected some deformities on her hands and legs which enabled her to walk properly, stretch her legs and open and fold her palms, which she could not do before the surgery.
The second stage of the plastic surgery which is expected to correct deformities in the ear, the face and the head will cost over N600,000, an amount her family say they cannot afford.
Mr Sodipo, while thanking Lagos State government and all those that contributed to make the first surgery possible, is soliciting for support to make the second stage of the surgery a reality.
He said, "I am seizing this opportunity to thank the Lagos State government, and I am appealing not only to Lagos State government, but the other 35 governors in the country and the president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to help this girl live a normal life again by contributing to make the second stage of the surgery possible."
"I thank God specially for sparing the life of this little girl, she did not die as a result of the explosion. Moreover, she went for the first plastic surgery and it was successful, I give God the glory. May God hear my prayer."
Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that the owner of the gas cylinders eventually suffered a stroke not long after the incident and became paralyzed. It was also gathered that the mechanic involved relocated to an unknown place immediately after the incident. The case was reported at Itire police station.
When Daily Sun tried to contact Dr. Segun Aranmolate, the plastic surgeon treating her, it was gathered that he travelled out of the country in preparation for the second stage of the surgery that will concentrate on the deformities on her head.