12/10/2024
FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF SURVIVAL FROM COVID-19: I am today, October 12, 2024, full of appreciation to God for keeping me alive to see this day. Exactly four years ago, October 12, 2020, I was discharged from the University College Hospital, Ibadan after being cured of COVID-19 and other medical complications.
My medical challenge sojourn, which started like a ‘child’s play’ on September 15, 2020 cannot be forgotten in a hurry. Can I forget that experience of collapsing in the studio moments after hosting the then Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Sh*ttu on our live Radio Show, ‘Parrot Xtra Hour on Radio’?
What of those lonely nights inside UCH’s Isolation Center? How about the excruciating pains experienced while permanently coughing with bloated lungs and ribs fighting for restricted space in my… To God be all the GLORY!
Take a bow, my darling wife, Oluwatoyin. God bless our children too. Thanks to my siblings, Funsho, Abosede, Oludayo, Taiwo & Kehinde and other close family members including Baba Agbo (Elder Femiwa Agboola), Mr and Mrs Adewale Adepoju and my The Adetunjis, my in-laws.
I also appreciate alllllllllllllll members of FRIENDS OF PARROTS (Our highly respected WhatsApp Group). They stood by me in allllllllllllll ways immediately the news broke…
I specially thank His Excellency, Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde, the Governor of Oyo State who, despite our differences, personally came to UCH to see me on a Monday morning, September 28, 2020…my situation was so bad on this very day of his visit to the extent that he was not allowed to see me… I appreciate this gesture of good-naturedness from His Excellency. During the visit, he told Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, the hard-working Chief Medical Director at UCH that he would offset my bill. Of course, he did! I am forever grateful to Engineer Makinde for this.
I equally thank my classmates, 1982 set of boyyyyyzzzzzz from Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan who demonstrated the spirit of ‘semper Optimum’ fully…Bolanle Adeyemi, Ayobami Salami, Kayode Afolabi…and others, you are the very best!
And my doctors, led by Consultant, Dr Adekemi Adekanmbi and other personal doctor friends – Dr Sikiru Adebayo, Dolapo Afuwape, Olubunmi Olapade, Funmi Adepoju-Soleye, my nurses and many others…please continue to be good ambassadors of your chosen profession!
Finally, I wish to dedicate this ‘note of appreciation’ to my bosom friend, Olajide Adesina, a Chartered Accountant, who died some few months ago. He stood out at this time of my medical challenge.
Apart from my wife, Oluwatoyin and my brother, Honourable Kehinde Agboola, his visit was also frequent despite the fact that nobody had access to me. When I got better, he would bring newspapers for me to read, we would be communicating from about 10 meters… we would make jest of each other and laugh heartily over it… May his enigmatic soul continue to rest in peace…
To all our friends and colleagues out there, let us persevere, we will be in sound health to witness and experience that Nigeria of our dream despite all odds. It is well with us all. (Accompanying images recorded on the day I was discharged from UCH)
Signed: Ambassador Olayinka Agboola (Mr Parrot!)
