Facts have emerged on how the late Ondo State Commissioner for Health; Dr. Wahab Adegbenro; passed on after testing positive to the dreaded coronavirus.
According to a family member; Mr. Rasheed Adegbenro; he explained how the Commissioner fell to the cold arms of death.
“He was sick with initial underlying chronic illness. He was tested for Covid-19 day before yesterday, and the result came out positive. As a fall-out of the complications of the underlying chronic illness, he was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Owo this afternoon where he later gave up the ghost this afternoon after the brief illness. May his soul rest in peace.”
The source also narrated how the Health Commissioner slumped while operating upon a patient on Monday at his private hospital, Crown Hospital at Odo Ikoyi Street in Akure, on Monday.
“He was operating on a patient on Monday. During the operation, he suddenly fainted, and he was quickly attended to by another standby Doctor.”
“Since that Monday, we noticed he has not been himself, not until this afternoon that he came from office unexpected and rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where he eventually kicked the bucket,” Rasheed added.
When Presentng visited the deceased’s residence and hospital; Crown Hospital; residents were seen weeping over his death as they testified to his good works while alive.
According to an indigene of Ilara-Mokin who came to the Crown Hospital, Akure, to sympathize with the family; and who spoke with Presentng; Mrs. Cecilia Ayomide; she said: “the man was such a nice man. He was an exceptional doctor with a philanthropic heart. Any patient that is rushed to his hospital here is given prompt and adequate medical care. He doesn’t put money first. Even if it is surgery, he will perform it without the patient depositing any money. Even without collecting money for treatment card, Dr. Adegbenro will attend to the patient. He was such a wonderful person. He will forever be missed.”
Speaking in the same vein, a resident of Odo-Ikoyi area where the deceased’s house and hospital is located; Mr. Askari Sarafa; noted with deep regrets, the unforgettable deeds of Dr. Adegbenro while alive.
“He was such a good man. He was a man that never placed money first. Many times, he used to give us (the youths) of this area money. I remember when my wife was pregnant and needed to be operated upon, this man did not collect a dime from me. Even when my father was seriously sick and needed about #500,000 for operation, he did the operation for him free of charge! How many can we say? This man was just too nice. We can’t see any doctor that can be as good as him again in Akure and Ondo State.”
Dr. Wahab Oluropo Adegbenro was born on 5th June 1955 at Ilara-Mokin in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State. After his elementary education at Muslim Primary School, Ilara-mokin. Between 1962 and 1967, Wahab attended Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure; and the University of Benin, Benin City.
He established Crown Hospital, Akure where he was the Chief Medical Director. Wahab was appointed the Vice-Chairman, Ondo State Committee on Sports for the Disabled from 1997 to 1999; and later chairman of the Committee from 1999 to 2002.
He was a Director, Ondo State Waste Management Board from 1999 to 2002 before he was appointed a Commissioner in Ondo State and was in charge of Culture and Tourism and later the Ministry of Health. Wahab before his death was the Chairman, Ondo State Council of All Progressive Congress (APC) Muslim Members.
He holds the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (M.B; B.S). He was a member of the Nigeria Medical Association; member of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria; Associate member, Royal College of General Practitioners of London; and member of Nigeria Guild of Medical Directors.
© PRESENT NIGERIA.
