I got a call from an unknown number on the 13th of July asking me if I was Mrs Nneka Kassim. I almost
replied my caller by saying, “No, it’s a wrong number” but I changed my mind to answer in the
affirmative. “Yes, I am Mrs Nneka Kassim, how may I help you?” I asked my caller. My name is nurse
Deborah calling from Diamond Clinic. Your husband is on admission in our clinic and his condition is very
critical. Your attention is urgently needed to save his life. Delay can be dangerous madam, she said and
hung up. It’s true Kassim had hurt me but would I let him die? Nneka you need to put away your anger
and save the life of your husband, I encouraged myself. I put a call to Toyin to meet me in Diamond clinic
immediately. I chartered a taxi that drove me straight to Diamond clinic.
Without any word from the doctor, I was whisked away to the laboratory where my blood sample was
taken and tested. The agitations and fear on the staff faces was worrisome, hence no one was willing to
talk to me. Can someone tell me what is happening here? What’s wrong with my husband? I angrily
asked a nurse. Ma, only the doctor can talk to you on this, and like you can see he’s running helter skelter trying to save your husband’s life. You just have to remain calm until he’s ready to talk to you. I
was really angry because this situation will bring us together without Kassim realising the evil he has
done. I tried to be calm but that was not easy. The doctor and the nurses were busy going up and down
and talking to each other in a way no one was hearing.
After two hours of tension, I was invited to see the doctor in his office. I insisted Toyin should come
along with me but the doctor refused her in. She’s everything to me and I will like her to hear
whatsoever is wrong with my husband. No, I will like to talk to you alone for now, the doctor prevailed.
He ordered me to sit down on a chair in front of his desk. Mrs Kassim, it is sad to announce to you that
your husband is having a chronic heart condition that require intensive care in China or we lose him in a
month. God forbid, my husband will not die, he will live to declare the works of God, I rebuked the
doctor sharply. Well, I am a minister of the gospel and I have faith in the healing power of God but I
advise you fly your husband to China before it is too late.
I called my in-laws immediately to come down to Lokoja. I was made to deposit N120,000 and two pints
of blood was taken from me. Toyin had called baba to join us in prayers and pleaded with him to send
some prayer team to us. I was going up and down at the hospital reception not knowing what to do next.
When the prayer team arrived, they swung into action. Their prayers were directed against untimely
death. The only sister among the prayer team stopped the prayers and shared her vision with other
team members. “While we were praying, I saw brother Kassim in between two women, an old woman
and a young lady. They tied his neck with chains, dragging him to an unknown destination. Immediately
after the sister’s message, their prayer points changed and the prayer became more intense until the
clinic management barged in and requested we lower our voice because our prayers were disturbing
other patients in the ward.
I had to sleep by him in the clinic that day. By the following day, my mother-in-law and my brother-in-
law had arrived. I tried to brief them about his condition but they seemed to know more about his
ailment than I know. They went out to talk and by the time they came in, they requested he should be
discharged. This case is not hospital case, we are taking him to the village for traditional treatment. The
doctor did not protest at all. I was shocked when he did their bidding without hesitation. I made up my
mind to travel with them to the village. I called my colleague in the office to inform him about the development and the need for me to travel to the village. I begged him to cover up for me. The journey
to the village was the end of hiding for my husband.
Hang on for the Next Episode…
© Ayodele Adeoye