Victim Of One Chance And A Failing Health System: How Greatness Olorunfemi’s Life Was Cut Off In Her Prime

Greatness Olorunfemi as her name implied was a woman with great dreams but today she is gone due to a failed system.

Her journey to the great beyond began after she was reportedly stabbed and thrown out of a fast-moving vehicle by ‘one chance’ robbers on September 26, 2023, along the Maitama-Kubwa Highway in Abuja while on her way home from work.

Miss Olorunfemi, an author, coach, and member of the Young Africa Leaders Initiative Network (YALI) was rushed to Maitama General Hospital but was denied treatment which led to her death.

According to a video that went viral, an unconscious Greatness was taken to the medical facility, where the medics kept requesting a police report.

The hospital was however accused of negligence and complicity in her death for refusing to treat her. The case, which was reported at the Mabushi Police Station, was taken over by the FCT Commissioner of Police for proper investigation.

It was also gathered that the police had summoned the medical personnel on duty on the night she was brought in for questioning.

Speaking on the circumstances surrounding the death of Greatness, Moyosoluwa Oladayo, the YALI Network Abuja coordinator, said they called on the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, and relevant security agencies to thoroughly investigate and ensure that the culprits face the full force of the law.

FG inaugurates nine-member panel

A nine-member panel was inaugurated by The Federal Government on Thursday to investigate the death of Greatness Olorunfemi, a victim of the notorious ‘one-chance’ operators in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

Speaking at the inauguration event, the Mandate Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Health Services and Environment, Adedolapo Fasawe, said members of the panel were nominated to help bring to bear their wealth of experience through painstaking investigation and interaction to unravel what led to the death of Ms Olorunfemi.

Ms Fasawe said the panel will play a crucial role in investigating the case and bringing about justice.“We have explored the legal framework for establishing an independent and investigative panel, the process of appointing and constituting a nine-person panel, and the role and responsibilities of the panel in investigating the alleged death and ensuring accountability,” she said.

Senate summons Wike, IGP, Pate

The Senate on Thursday summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; Minister of Health, Ali Pate, and his Federal Capital Territory counterpart, Nyesom Wike, over what it described as the “avoidable death of Ms Greatness Olorunfemi, at the Maitama General Hospital”.

Senator Ekpenyong had, while presenting the motion, quoted copiously from the Gunshots Act 2017.

The Act stipulates that, “As from the commencement of this Act, every hospital in Nigeria whether public or private, shall accept or receive for immediate and adequate treatment with or without Police clearance, any person with a gunshot wound.”

He also quoted Section 3 of the Act, which states “No gunshot victim shall be refused immediate and adequate treatment whether or not an initial monetary deposit has been paid.”

He equally suggested that the Senate should amend Section 13 of the Act to provide stiffer penalty for violators of the Act.

Co-passenger shares her side of the story

Kike Okere has given a vivid account of the incident that led to the death of her co-passenger, Greatness Olorunfemi.

Okere while narrating the incident at a press conference held in pursuit of justice for the late community leader by Young Africa Leaders Initiative Network (YALI) in Abuja said they were both beaten up by members of the syndicate who demanded their ATM cards and mobile phones shortly after they boarded the vehicle.

She said one of the operators, a male, opened the door after moving around the town and pushed Ms. Olorunfemi as she (Olorunfemi) was trying to get her balance, she fell from the vehicle.

Ms Okere further said after Ms Olorunfemi fell and was lying on the ground, the ‘one chance’ operator still ran over her with their car.

Father reveals her plans to begin PhD in 2024

At the press briefing, her father, Rev Joseph Olorunfemi also revealed that Greatness was planning to travel to America to begin her PhD.

He said,

“Greatness Abigail Olorunfemi was the beginning of my strength, my firstborn, my first daughter, well-learned, and still aspiring to learn. My longest last discussion with her was on Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 4pm in a conference call with two friends from the United States of America in respect of her ambition to further her education in 2024.

“There and then, she delivered her profile, and a decision was made that she would commence her PhD in Microbiology in July 2024. We ended the meeting with excitement, and by Monday, September 25, she began to supply the necessary documents to facilitate the relocation.

“I remember on Monday, September 25, I had a dream and I saw a pit around the family, I summoned the family members, including Greatness, for a prayer meeting online, and we prayed to avert the evil that was pending, not knowing that it would be irreversible.”

The bereaved father said he received a call on September 28, to come to Maitama District Hospital, Abuja where the late Greatness was said to be receiving treatment.

While there are different narrations of the incident from the driver who took Greatness to the hospital and the hospital, the father said being denied immediate treatment by the hospital was “inhuman, cruel, injustice, negligence, and disregard for human life.”

He noted that if the demand for police reports continues, it will have negative implications for the society.

Olorunfemi appealed to aggrieved friends, families, colleagues, church members, and organisations to allow the government to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, an online memorial has been opened for Greatness.