The attention of the management of the Oyo State Ministry of Youth and Sports has been drawn to the publication about Chukwudi Henry Nzelu, which is trending in both social and conventional media.
Mr. Chukwudi Nzelu is a 40-year-old taekwondo athlete engaged by the Oyo State Government in 2012.
He participated actively in the National Sports Festival tagged “Eko 2012” and won a bronze medal.
Thereafter, he was employed as a contract athlete and has been drawing a monthly allowance from the Oyo State Government since then in recognition of his brilliant performances in subsequent tournaments during the National Sports Festivals: Abuja 2018, Edo 2020, and Asaba 2022.
The tragic event that is generating controversy on social media happened on the second day of the tournament at the last Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Chukwudi did not disclose to his head coach, Mr. Tope Ayodele, that he was indisposed or nursing any ailment. Though he was absent during their training session leading up to the festival, he was discreet about his health condition.
He neither informed his colleagues nor his coaches.
Chukwudi is aware that if he confesses to the management or his coaches, he will be prevented from participating in the tournament, knowing well that it violates the rules and regulations to present an athlete who is sick or has a terminal ailment to partake in sporting events.
It is disheartening to mention that Chukwudi fainted during the competition. The medical crew revived him and took the proactive step of rushing him to Babcock Teaching Hospital, Ilisan, Remo, to ensure that he received quality health care.
The doctor on duty attempted to give him an intravenous injection, but he refused in the presence of his head coach and the other medical crew, who rushed him to the hospital.
Upon investigation, Chukwudi confessed that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, adding that he had been receiving treatment at a private hospital in Lagos.
The management of the Oyo State Sports Council followed up on his treatment until the time he was discharged from the teaching hospital. He later joined his counterparts at the venue of the Taekwondo event at Ilisan Remo on the last day of the event.
The sports officials and athletes welcomed him heartily and congratulated him on his recovery.
The management of the Sports Council invited his head coach to a meeting to inquire about Chukwudi and his health condition.
To the consternation of everyone, he refused to pick up the call from his coach. We resolved that a text message should be sent to invite him to the office so that it would allow the management the opportunity to intervene and work out modalities for canvassing the State Government to provide him with financial assistance through the Oyo State Ministry of Health.
Subsequently, he replied to the coach through a text message, emphasising that all that was posted on social media is sufficient for them to help him.
All efforts by the head coach to convince him to meet with the management proved futile. We later requested him to send his receipts for laboratory investigations, medication, drugs, and other hospital bills to enable the council to prepare a memo through the office of the Commissioner for Youth and Sports. He totally declined.
He also refused to disclose the address of his residence in Lagos to the head coach, because we decided to visit him in Lagos when all avenues to bring him to Ibadan proved abortive.
At this juncture, it became imperative for the Oyo State Sports Council to explain to the members of the public who are castigating the State Government on the pages of national dailies, magazines, electronic media, blog sites, and other social media channels that the uncooperative attitude of Chukwudi Nzelu prevented us from arranging medical interventions through the Oyo State Ministry of Health. It is on record that we have provided qualitative healthcare for our ailing athletes in the recent past.
The Chukwudi saga was formally reported to the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Alhaja Wasilat Adegoke, who was not only sympathetic but also empathetic. All attempts made by the Commissioner to speak with him were futile; he refused to pick up her calls as well. She, therefore, appealed passionately to anyone who is privy to his whereabouts to assist the State Government in convincing him to report to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
We have followed the derogatory and malicious responses that followed the disparaging stories published concerning the health condition of Mr. Chukwudi, and these informed this rejoinder, to shed light on some gray areas that demand thorough explanations.
While noting that most of the people drawn to this controversy have either not bothered to seek the other side of the story, as there are always two sides to every story, casting aspersions on the Oyo State Government and apportioning blame to Chukwudi’s employer, we still believe that it is not too late for the ailing athlete to show up for treatment.
We are also praying fervently for his healing as well.
