Residents of Emede Ibeku in Umuahia North Autonomous Community of Abia State have expressed their gratitude to God and Governor Alex Otti over the recovery of the sight of their daughter, Mrs. Amarachi Lawrence, whose husband, Lawrence, allegedly attempted to gouge out her eyes for ritual purposes.
PUNCH Metro reports that the suspect, Lawrence, had on September 1, allegedly attempted to use a knife to remove her wife’s eyes as she was asleep.
Her shout for help attracted her landlady, Madam Lovejane Nwaiwu, who also suffered a knife cut from the suspect, who raised the alarm.
Following the incident, the wife of the governor, Chidinma Otti, rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where Amarachi (38) was rushed to, assuring her that she would do all to enable the victim to recover her sight. Eventually, her sight was restored by doctors at the FMC Umuahia, and she was discharged.
As a follow-up, Mrs. Otti, on Sunday, visited Amarachi at her maiden home and vowed that perpetrators of gender-based violence in the state would not go unpunished and reassured the Amarachi family of the government’s support in helping her find sustainable means of livelihood, pledging assistance to enable her to start a business.
Following this visit, the Ibeku people expressed their gratitude to the state government for Amarachi’s recovery, as many thought that her sight had gone forever.
They include the Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, Umuahia Zone, Catechist Ambrose Jonah, HRH Eze Allen Okpokiri, the Ede II of Emede Ibeku, the wife of the traditional ruler, Nancy Okpokiri, the Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia Prof. Onyebuchi Azubuike, Chief Nursing Sister, FMC Umuahia and a representative of Ibeku Women in FMC, Aisha Onyemaobi. Others included the community’s Traditional Prime Minister, Chuka Agomuoh, Umueze Ibeku Community President General, Ike Ikoro, the community Woman Leader, Ijeoma Ugwuzor, the victim’s sister, Ijeoma Okpokiri and her cousin, Chioma Okpokiri.
Jonah said, “It is a very big testimony that she (Amarachi) could recover from this incident. The one that surprised me is that she can now walk on either of her two legs and can see with her two eyes.
“Kudos to the FMC, Umuahia. The FMC remains the best hospital within the state. However, if there are areas that the hospital is not going well, they need to improve. I am calling on the Federal Government that there are places in the centre that it has to touch. There are dilapidated infrastructure which it has to come to the aid of the FMC. We need more specialists in that hospital and should make things easier for patients in terms of the bills.
Reacting, the MD, FMC Umuahia, Prof. Azubuike, said, “I am very fulfilled, That is the main reason why the Federal Government set up the hospital to deal with such difficult cases. And we thank Her Excellency, Mrs Priscilla Otti, for picking up Amarachi’s bills. She has shown that she is the Mother of the state. Our doctors are capable of doing what their colleagues in other parts of the world do. And I am proud of them and will motivate them to do more.”
In her remarks, Amarachi expressed her deep gratitude to Otti and the wife for their continued care and intervention, recalling how the governor’s wife ensured her medical bills were covered and constantly monitored her recovery, stating, “You have been my pillar of support. May God continue to bless and guide you,” she said.
