Femi Otedola Offers to Save Another Life

Fortune favours whomever it favours and is kind to whomever it is kind to. Not long ago, news of a dying Nigerian academic was the buzz on papers and blogs. The reports revealed that the said academic, a former lecturer, was in urgent need of medical care—a predicament that was reportedly not unrelated to the injustice enacted by his superiors. But all things have an end, and thanks to the kindness and compassion of Femi Otedola, the shadow of death over Inih Ebong has been thrown off.

The hearts of several Nigerians were stirred when the case of Inih Ebong, an associate professor that was fired working as a lecturer at the University of Uyo, Department of Theatre Arts hit the newsstands. Because he had reportedly spoken up against the criminal practices of his university’s management, he was unjustly laid off. Even after different courts have instructed the university to reinstate and compensate him, Ebong has remained unemployed. Consequently, he fell gravely sick.

Recently, Ebong was reported to be in very poor condition, suffering from critical heart problems, and with 20 percent chances of survival. Folks rushed to save the life of Ebong, among whom was Nigerian billionaire, Femi Otedola.

Under the aegis of his Femi Otedola Foundation, the renowned businessman and philanthropist has offered to foot the bills for the medical operations needed to save the life of the distressed lecturer. Because Ebong has been out of work for 18 years, his sessions of treatment in Uyo Teaching Hospital, St. Athanasius Hospital, and Prime Clinic resulted in debts of about 500,000. Were it not for the goodness of members of the management of these hospitals, the tale of Ebong might have ended on a sadder note long ago.

With Otedola’s involvement, the chances of treatment—and Ebong’s survival—have been greatly improved. Otedola is the foremost paragon of humanity in Ebong’s case, with several other Nigerians bringing up the rear. Nobody knows the truth of this better than Ebong’s wife, Uduak Ebong. She has been the one nursing her husband with the meager proceeds from her own employment as an entertainer at the Ibom Hotels & Golf Resort—until she was laid off on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.
There are angels amongst us indeed, and Ebong has just benefited from the goodness of one.