By Emma Nnadozie & Chinenyeh Ozor

The inexplicable nature of life and existence has continued to stun humanity to no end. Recently in the university town of Nsukka, Enugu state, a pathetic story of a family crippled with indecipherable illness played out, revealing the unpredictability of life. It showed in the family of 75-year-old Edwin Eze, from Umabor village Eha-Alumona community, Nsukka Local government.

The nature of their unknown illness is such that father is blind while three of his sons have withered hands and legs and are also dumb. The enormous responsibility of catering for the family was then entrusted into the hands of their 60-year-old mother, the only person without deformity.

However, succor came to the embattled family when the head of department, Special Needs Education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu state, Prof Mrs Victoria Onu came across them and graciously undertook to lift their burden.

Succor to the family

Prof Mrs Onu, first female professor of creativity in Africa said she had been shouldering the challenges of the family for the past eight years when she came in contact with them. According to her, “I didn’t know the family before. I was touched by the unbearable health challenges of father, three physically challenged sons with impaired eyes, withered hands and legs and speechless for several years without food and water.

The family lives in mud house of a single room attachment where the entire family squat day and night while their aged mother struggle to feed the blind husband and three adult sons before my intervention. I now feed, buy drugs and provide toilet facility for the family. I am excited the way the family takes life very simple, not minding their challenges but something has to be done urgently to give them a sense of belonging,” she stressed.

Prof Onu then pleaded with the federal, state and local government as well as donor agencies, churches, philanthropists and NGOs within the country and Nigerians in the diasporas to come to the aid of the family.

Victim opens up

Speaking to journalists at the family compound, 45-year-old Eze Edwin Onyebuchi,, first son of the family who is on a wheel chair said Prof Mrs Onu had been the only one helping them to feed daily, buy drugs and other needs for the past eight years she came in contact with the family.

He said, “I learnt how to repair phones but lacked funds to establish any trade before mummy (Prof Onu) came to our assistance and established small poultry farm with about 40 birds which some people came and stole.

“When we were born in Enugu, none of us had any deformity. I cooked with my mother the previous night but couldn’t stand up the next day and from that point, my legs started shrinking till I became totally paralyzed till date. My parents exhausted their resources trying get me back on my feet and took me to several hospitals in Enugu at the early stage of my problem.

“As my parents were battling with my condition, my juniors, Sunday, 37, and Izuchukwu,30, took turns as their hands and legs withered and they became paralyzed and later our father became blind.

“That was how we found ourselves, living at the mercy of God before relief came from mummy who took our health challenges to heart with foods, drugs among other needs.”

We were born healthy

“If you go inside, you will see our father lying down with two of my junior ones. This is the state of our lives. We were born healthy, schooling at Marist College, Okigwe, Imo state before our problems began.

“We are appealing to both federal and state governments to assist us to eat while we wait for God. No assistance rendered to us will be too small as we presently survive at the mercy of only our mummy.

“She is currently constructing water closet toilet facility, she established small poultry with birds and buy food stuff amd drugs among others for us. We are soliciting help from philanthropists, NGOs and private individuals to enable us to eke out means of livelihood.”

Also in a brief interview, Mrs Mary Ugwoke Eze, mother of the entire family said she could not describe what had befallen her husband and sons adding that Prof (Mrs) Onu had been there for the family by providing food and other necessities in the past years.

Vanguard News