The Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime has finally opened up on the reason why he was away from his duties for almost four months.
While he was away, there were
speculations that he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment
at a London hospital.The governor admitted that he was ill, and that
after he found that he had cancer of the nose, he had to find a way to
get it removed.
His admission has portrayed some
government officials in Enugu State as peddlers of falsehood; as they
had consistently claimed, while he was away, that he did not go abroad
for medical reasons.
Chime revealed to the News Agency of Nigeria the events that led to his diagnosis and treatment:
“In August last
year, I was privileged to be one of those nominated by the Nigeria
Governors’ Forum to go to Germany to study their federalism, I was to
represent the south east zone; I had to use the opportunity of the trip
to pass through London to do my medicals since it was the only
opportunity I had to do that. After my medicals, I was certified fit by
the doctors, but I noticed that I had a little growth beneath my jaw.
Ordinarily, nobody could see it but I felt it seriously and asked the
doctors to further investigate on it.
“I was later
referred to a GP who after examining me said there was nothing wrong
with me. I still asked for further investigation. I even made
arrangement with them to help me set appointment for closer
investigation. I left for Germany and had to still return to London to
keep the appointment for proper screening of the growth. It was after
the screening that it was discovered that the growth in question was
cancerous. It was also discovered that the main tumour was behind my
nose; it was simply called cancer of the nose.
“Cancer is such
thing that when you hear it, the person involved will even declare
himself dead instantly. I was subjected to further scanning at the nose
and neck and was told that it was curable, not manageable. When I asked
how to go about it, I was told it has to be as early as possible before
it spreads to other areas. Accordingly I arranged for it to be done. I
had to cancel further trips and agreed to be back to London in two
weeks. Within the period, I came back to Nigeria and made arrangement
for transmission. I wrote a letter to the speaker, informing him of my
decision to proceed on leave and sought his cooperation to work with my
deputy who will act as governor. We even held two executive council
meetings within the period where I informed members of my exco that I
was proceeding on a long vacation.
“I left for Abuja
the next day and attended the Governors’ Forum meeting and the next day I
left for London, settled in and saw the oncologist the next day. By
Monday, I commenced treatment. Cancer is a deadly disease and the cure
is also deadly. Its not like panadol, not drugs we buy off the counter.
You go through different stages. The treatment altogether lasted for 12
weeks and throughout the treatment, I was an out-patient. I was never
admitted in any hospital in London. During the period of the treatment, I
had challenges and these are challenges I will not even wish my enemy
to go through; it’s not easy to imagine.
“The treatment ended
on December 14 and the period of recovery commenced. I was asked to
stay away from office for six months but by late January when we went to
review my state, they were shocked with my recovery rate which showed
that the tumour had gone. I was almost declared cancer free. I will be
required to be going there from time to time, but I can assure you that
they succeeded in curing the disease.”
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