The Story of Thomas

Left by the roadside and abandoned by everyone there came a Good Samaritan and the humanity of doctors against the view of authorities who would rather the helpless were left to die on the streets - that included the police and amazingly ambulance crew too. See the milk of human kindness flow.

  1. The BackStory

    It starts off with @RMAjayi seeing a man abandoned, lying alongside a gutter, apparently, delirious, weak, and very ill. She makes inquiries and seeks to find help for him - The story more of less tells itself within the Tweets.

    His name was Thomas.

    I have concentrated mainly on @RMAjayi's Twitter narration and then the Tweets posted by a government apparatchik which in my view exhibits power to make things happen (on the good side) and unconcealed bombast that just emanates from those who have that power as they belittle others in what is worthy of obloquy.

    I will be extending this log as I get more information from eye-witnesses and others who tweeted on this matter.
  2. @eggheader Your phone's switched off. I'm still waiting with the man, no one's turned to help yet.
  3. A little while ago I alighted at my junction & nearly stepped on man lying alongside gutter, head on bag! Relieved he's not dead...
  4. Walked past him towards my street, then went back to ask some young men around what had happened. Shocking story!
  5. Young men who worked in small shop infront of the gutter said the man, Thomas, had arrived on Okada with one other party who left him there
  6. By the roadside after buying him meds from the chemist next door. He'd been lying there since about 3pm. I arrived after 8.
  7. After he was left, he collapsed from his ailment. The irony is that, he was lying a few metres from the gate of the State hospital!
  8. It's a busy road. Dangote trucks & all. Some crazies face oncoming cars at this spot. It's dark. Thomas is darker. He'll be crushed by morn.
  9. Been over an hour since I called for help. Still waiting. People are afraid he's mentally ill, pretending to be mentally ill or a kidnapper
  10. Apparently, there was an unkempt looking man at this junction recently begging for money who was alleged to be a kidnapper.
  11. No way I can leave Thomas here. Says he's come from Niger State. Some people brought him. He speaks English but not Yoruba.
  12. I also can't take Thomas. My suggestion is that he lie in gutter. He'll be safer there. We've now placed him in gutter. Water for his meds.
  13. @PrinceofSydney It's that my junction. Still there. Still waiting for help.
  14. @seuncr8vwox He's ill. He's got some meds he's particular he needs to take 4 of. He was took weak to break the blister pack.
  15. Some Samaritan students have gone to buy bread for his meds. Stopped just like that & offered help. Took 4 tablets. Laying back in gutter.
  16. @alkayy Here with a young lady who speaks Hausa. An elderly landlord nearby and another young man.
  17. Just got home. Chemist owner gave Thomas a place to rest till morn. Turns out govt officials had been driving around looking for us for ages
  18. Egg came out too. Helped that Egg speaks Hausa. Thomas will rest & we pray he's lucid enough tomorrow to tell us more about where he's from.
  19. @PrinceofSydney We'll know more tomorrow. He's on Chloroquine & confused. Can't remember much. @eggheader
  20. @PrinceofSydney Is there any Nigeria state with a dept that picks helpless stranded folk off the street? I doubt so! @eggheader #EkitiState
  21. Would have haunted me if harm had come to him. I think anyone would have done same| "@akkintunde: rmajayi good one Rosemary. Am proud of u."
  22. Amen. Thanks. Thanks for the suggestions. | "@seuncr8vwox: rmajayi God bless you"
  23. It doesn't happen that way! We'll have him checked out tmrw | "@fowora: rmajayi OMG won't anyone from the state hospital come out to help?"
  24. He'll be fine for the night | "@ImpactHouse: :( rmajayi"
  25. @Tosyne31 Found a sick man lying by the roadside at our junction. He's alright for the mean time.

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Akin Akintayo

ICT consultant, blogger & anglo-Nigerian in Amsterdam. News tweets can take care of themselves except where I have an opinion, ReTweets are not endorsements.

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