Newly ‘born-again’ self-acclaimed journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, who is also a daughter of former Governor of Oyo State, Omololu Olunloyo, has revealed the harrowing life of her brother, Akintayo, who has been on the wheelchair for 40 years.
According to Kemi, Akintayo’s ordeal started 40 years ago when there was a protest by students. He was attacked and sustained brain injury.
She wrote on Instagram:
“My brother #akintayoolunloyo has been fighting for his life for a week now. He left the hospital & was brought home. I am very distraught and I prayed for him before I left for #Lagos yesterday. Continue to pray for him. He’s the product of how the government FAILED US.
40 YEARS ON THE WHEELCHAIR ?
While some of trolls during my birthday @instablog9ja chose to mock my disabled brother #AkintayoOlunloyo, I would love to tell you his story at 8yo in 1978 when his livelihood was taken by the Nigerian government system that has failed many. My brother Akintayo Olunloyo is 47yo now. 48 in April 1st 2018.
He is still a kid at heart despite a devastating accident which cost him his livelihood. On April 28th1978, Tayo suffered severe brain injury during the 1978 #AliMustGo riots where Nigerian University students protesting increased tuition attacked government vehicles as they passed with my entire family in one as we drove straight into the riot from Ibadan to Lagos via Ikorodu road with no prior warning.
The Minister of Education was Ahmadu Ali, a former #pdp working committee Chairman and first DG for the NYSC. Rioters pelted our car with rocks and set the petrol tank on fire.
His life was saved by the brain surgeon team of late Dr Kwaku Adadevoh (My late childhood friend Ameyo Adadevoh’s father) and late Dr Ojikutu one of #Nigeria’s best neurosurgeons. Tayo is a quadriplegic paralyzed waist down since 1978. He also lost the use of his left hand.
The plight of disabled Nigerian kids has been one of my causes as many are simply abandoned and forgotten on the streets. Many are #Hausas who were either crippled from the #Kano Trovan Meningitis epidemic drug trial tragedy or #polio and other ailments.
I want the feds to help our disabled youth and end this. I spoke to Ahmadu Ali in 2017 who felt so sad in his faint elderly voice telling me he thought Tayo had passed on years ago. I told Ali Tayo has lived a life of pain and was still battling powerful seizures in the brain.”
