Obiadada: How the Obi finally fell.
3 min read
Chief Obiadada Damian Iwuala, a community leader, businessman, sports lover and a devout member of Roman Catholic Church didn’t see any sign of death approaching his way at least for the next 20 years. But unknown to him, death had concluded his plan to visit him unprepared on Tuesday 13 July 2021. Before the fateful day, death had launched a fierce battle with him and as the Obiadada he was, he put up a big defensive fight with death of which he finally lost. From what Umuaka Times gathered, Obiadada died as a result of complications arising from high BP and partial stroke.
Two weeks away from his death, Obiadada visited his doctor for checkups and on the Tuesday of the same week, he had attended the usual morning Mass at St Mary’s Church and at the end of the Mass, he went home and decided to visit his farm on the same day. After a brief work at the farm, he went home. While at home, he and his brother Mr Innocent Iwuala sat together to chat on some trending issues. As the discussion progressed, his brother noticed that he (Obiadada) was slightly losing focus, he paused to check if his eyes were deceiving him or if he was facing one of the odd realities of life. Like a TV slow motion, Obiadada started falling from his seat and in seconds he indeed fell down.
At this juncture, he had already lost consciousness and in double quick time, he was rushed to Ogechi Hospital Obeakpu for immediate commencement of treatment. At the hospital, doctors and nurses tried their best to revive him and it worked after a long time. He regained consciousness and came back to life. The doctors then noticed that one part of his body had paralyzed. Partial stroke had set in. Umuaka Times learnt that he was later discharged to enable him start to undergo physiotherapy at home.
As someone who had suffered partial stroke, he needed to rest so as to fully recover his system but when the news of his sudden illness filtered into town, many friends, relations and fellow church members turned his residence into a Mecca of some sort; on daily basis, sympathizers kept trooping into his house to show their love and sympathy for him. Each sympathizer really had a one on one encounter with him and asked him how it all began.
This influx of people turned out an unexpected jinx as his unending interactions with them affected his health and he fell into coma for the second time. Another round of revival was conducted again of which he equally came back to life and the doctor warned that he should not be seeing visitors anymore. He was kept on medical watch by the hospital and the physiotherapist who were trying their best to stabilize him.
It was this health condition he was battling with before death came knocking on his door on Tuesday 13 July 2021, signaling the end of the road for the “unfallable obi” that eventually fell.
After it was announced at various whatsapp groups last week that Chief Obiadada has fallen to the icy hands of death, many Akalites went into deep shock considering the suddenness of his death and the type of exemplary life he lived. Catholic church groups, Obiato community Uba Umuaka, social clubs, family, friends and well wishers of the fallen Iroko have all sent their condolences to the immediate family left behind by the legend whose burial announcement is yet to be made public.
Umuaka Times sympathizes with his wife, children and other family members.
