By Banji Ayoola
A former top civil servant in Ondo State, and now a cleric, Mr Wale Josiah, has stressed the urgent need for journalists in Nigeria to have a health insurance scheme in place to fall back on in their hours of critical need especially after retirement from active service.
While responding on Friday to the passage of an ace photojournalist and a former Head Photographer of The Hope newspaper, Mr Remi Aye, Josiah said an insurance scheme could have saved his life could have helped saved Aye’s life.
Addressing the NUJ, he said: “The NUJ must broker the establishment of the insurance scheme and can use its clout to get the state government as well as other Friends of the Press and well meaning individuals to contribute to the insurance account while some amount out of the annual dues of all practising journalists should be deposited in this insurance bowl.”
The cleric described Aye’s passage as “So sad.”
Aye, who had been battling what doctors called partial stroke since 2015, had slumped on Tuesday knocking his head against some hard object which resulted into bleeding from his head.
He became unconscious and was rushed to the Trauma Centre, Ondo. Here he was managed until Wednesday when he was referred to the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) for an operation on his head.
This operation according to the wife, Janet, was to cause N400, 000, which she said the family could not afford.
He died about 8.30am on Friday.
Josiah, in a WhatsApp message to The Radiance, wrote that “Journalists, by the nature of their job are always on the move, which puts them at great risks, both physically and health wise.
“Besides, the peripathetic nature of their vocation may not allow them to enjoy the latitude of going for medical check-ups as frequently as they ought to as they have to “Break the News” for our sake.
“Added to the aforestated is the fact that, when they encounter health challenges, the coat of receiving adequate treatment might be beyond their modest means.
“It therefore becomes imperative for an Insurance Scheme to be established for all practising journalists in the country, as this would cushion the effects, financially when the need arises.
“A stich in time, they say, saves nine.”
Also responding, a seasoned journalist and Public Relations practitioner based in UK, Mr Bunmi Olatunbosun, wrote to saying: “Immediately I saw your release yesterday, I asked my brother to forward money into the account (of Aye).
Olatunbosun started his journalism career in Nigeria with the TELL magazine and later relocated to Holland. He later proceeded to the UK and formed his own PR outfit named PAIX UK Limited.
Also responding, the Founder and Chancellor of African American University, Porto Novo, Benin Republic, Prof Ben Ezeohagwu, wrote:”It’s been rather unfortunate.”
He prayed for Aye: “May his soul arise anew as he is open to Higher Helps on his way back to Paradise.”
He appealed to The Radiance saying: “Please whenever you have such cases, kindly let me be aware in advance. No help given at the right time is so small, no matter the amount sent, particularly when people rally round to raise funds to assist.”
Despite Aye’s passage, Ezeohagwu promised to redeem his earlier pledge and send some funds to Aye’s wife. The don had promised on Thursday to contribute to ongoing efforts to raise funds to foot Aye’s operation at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo.
Remi Aye, a former Head Photographer of The Hope newspapers, who has been battling for survival since Tuesday, passed on about 8.30 on Friday morning, at his Oda, near Akure country home according to his son, Ayo.
He had called on phone shortly after and sadly said briefly: “Daddy mi ti ku o.” (My father has died). At the background, some women were heard weeping.
Aye, who had been battling what doctors called partial stroke since 2015, had slumped on Tuesday knocking his head against some hard object which resulted into bleeding from his head.
He became unconscious and was rushed to the Trauma Centre, Ondo. Here he was managed until Wednesday when he was referred to the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) for an operation on his head.
This operation, according to the wife, Janet, was to cause N400, 000, which she said the family could not afford. So the family moved him home hoping to get help to afford the operation.
His former employer which was informed on Tuesday about his plight had responded and sent him a substantial amount yesterday to help partly defray his hospital bills. Beside a neighbor had given the family some amount to help. He died at home on Friday morning before further help could reach him.
Also, touched by the stories of The Radiance on Aye, some other notable personalities including the Founder and Chancellor of African American University, Porto Novo, Benin Republic, Prof. Ben Ezeohagwu, had called and promised on Thursday to send in some funds to Aye’s bank account.
The Radiance in its Thursday edition, had in a story titled: “Hope Rises For Ace Photographer Remi Aye As Owena Press, Neighbour Respond To Distress Call”, had reported how Aye’s former employer swiftly responded to a distress call to save Aye and had rushed in some substantial amount to help him.
According to the story: “Hope has brightened for ace photographer Remi Aye who is battling for survival as Owena Press Limited, the publisher of The Hope Newspapers, his former employer, responded this afternoon to the distress call to help one of its former staff now in his critical hour of need.
When contacted at about 4.30 pm on Friday, Aye’s wife, Janet, had confirmed that the company had reached out to her with a substantial amount of money following her distress call on Tuesday when she appealed for help for her ailing husband. Besides, the son, Ayo added that a neighbour who had read the Story by The Radiance on Tuesday about the plight of Aye, had also responded with some help.
The outreach from Owena Press Limited was in fulfillment of the promise by the Editor of The Hope, Mr Akin Adubuola, that the company would certainly reach out to the ailing Aye with something.
Adubuola had assured his predecessor in office Mr Banji Ayoola, when contacted on Tuesday night, that he would dash straight to the Chairman of the company, Sir Ademola Adetula, to see what could be done to help, assuring that “We will do something.”
Aye’s wife had appealed to the Ondo State Government and members of the public with means to help save the life of her husband.
Responding to the outreach by Owena Press Limited on behalf or all its former staff, Ayoola thanked the Chairman, Sir Adetula, Editor, Adubuola, the entire Management and Staff of the Company for the kindness shown Aye.
He said: “May the Good Lord continue to uphold the Chairman and Editor and give Sir Adetula more wisdom at his duty post so that he will fulfil his purpose of being sent to The Hope at this time.”
He later issued a press statement saying: “The Forum of Retired Staff of Owena Press, publishers of The Hope titles, wishes to acknowledge the response of the Company (Owena Press) to the plight of one of its members, Mr Remi Aye, who is battling a serious ailment.
“The forum had two days ago appealed for help for Mr Remi Aye, who suffered a partial stroke few years ago and was hospitalised after he reportedly slumped and fell at his home a couple of days ago.
“Owena Press’ humanitarian gesture of raising a substantial amount of money and giving same to the family of the retired ace photographer to help pay for his surgery is commendable and heart-warming.
“The forum also acknowledges some good Samaritans who offered their widow’s mite towards meeting the enormous hospital bills of the retired award-winning Government House photographer.”
Ayoola added: “However, as commendable as these gestures are, the Forum wishes to once again appeal to the company, and the state government, to expedite action on the payment of the gratuities of its members.
“We find it hard to believe that a total sum of less than N60m due to over 18 of our members has seemingly become a hard nut to crack for both the company and the state government.
“The Forum is sad that six of its members have passed on without enjoying the fruits of the labours of their active and productive years and is thus, once again, appealing for the payment of what is rightfully due to its members (who don’t enjoy the luxury of pensions) so they could take care of their health in their old age.
“The forum had two days ago appealed for help for Mr Remi Aye, who suffered a partial stroke few years ago and was hospitalised after he reportedly slumped and fell at his home a couple of days ago.”
Meanwhile, Aye, who is still unconscious has been referred to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owo, for an operation on his head. This according to the wife, would cost N400, 000. But Aye could not be taken there yet due to the unaffordable cost of the operation. He has been moved to his home at Oda because the family could not afford the cost. The amount with the family now could not meet the cost, Mrs Janet Aye pleaded.
She said that her husband is still unconscious.
As reported by The Radiance on Tuesday that Aye was in a critical condition at the Trauma Centre in Ondo following a fall during which he knocked his head on a hard object causing him a head injury leading to loss of blood.
The story was titled:”Remi Aye Ace Photojournalist Hospitalised, Needs Help.”
According to the story: “Mr Remi Aye, the former Ondo State Government House Photographer for The Hope Newspapers, is in a critical condition. His wife, Janet, and son, Ayo, spoke on telephone on Monday evening from the Trauma Centre, Ondo, where he is hospitalised.
The wife said that Aye, who has been recovering from a partial stroke he suffered in 2015, fell at his home yesterday, suffering a head injury, which resulted into bleeding, and has been in a critical state since then.
As recounted by the wife and corroborated by the son, Aye has been unconscious since the fall. He has not opened his eyes ever since. He has just been breathing.
She appealed to the State Government and kind members of the public with means to help her husband in his critical hour of need. “Please don’t let my husband die; please help us”, she appealed.
The ailing photo journalist has been appealing for the payment of his gratuity since retiring from the services of the State Government in 2018 without any success.
Aye who was also a former Head Photographer of the newspaper, who covered the State House for The Hope in his active years, had been bed-ridden since 2015 while in active service, a situation which worsened since his retirement in 2018.
He had been battling what doctors called partial stroke since 2015 on his return from Kabba, Kogi State, as a member of the media crew in the convoy of the immediate past Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who had gone to boost the second term reelection campaign of his then Peoples Democratic Party colleague, the then Governor Idris Wada.
“By the time I got to Akure, I started feeling weak. I went straight to a pharmacy on Oda Road, opposite School of Health Technology. They conducted a test on me and said that my blood pressure had risen. They sold drugs costing N2, 500 for me. On getting home, I took those drugs. At about 12 midnight, I could not lift my hands and legs; and my tongue had twisted. That was all,” Aye recalled.
He was taken to the State Specialist Hospital in Akure, from where he was referred to the Trauma Centre, Ondo. Government paid the bills. That was in 2015. He has been bed-ridden ever since.”
