‘My life is on the brink of collapse’

Olakotan cries over ordeal after accident involving Dangote’s truck
FOR the family of Mr. Sodiq Olakotan, this is certainly not the best of times. Since his involvement in an accident along Papa-Ilaro Road, in Ogun State, his life has not only fallen apart, he is now at the brink of being deformed as a result of the injuries sustained in the crash.

The incident, which occurred on December 5, 2013, involving a Mitsubishi Pajero Jeep with Registration number CU 455GGE and Dangote Cement truck, fully loaded with 900 bags of cement with Registration Number XA348AKD-ICT-IB-10, had left his life on the brink of collapse.

Not only that he cannot make use of his limbs, he is becoming deformed for lack of attention and as such, cannot earn a living to sustain his family.

Painfully, Dangote Cement, owner of the truck, which dragged the vehicle they were travelling in into the bush for a distance of three metres and finally climbed on top of it, has left him to his fate.

According to his principal, Pastor Abraham Isiaka Olaosebikan, who was driving when the accident occurred, Olakotan would require surgical operation and services of specialists in physiotherapy for any chance of recovering , since he cannot move his limbs.

This, he said, would cost a lot of money, which the family cannot afford, having already incurred a medical bill of N603,000. He is, therefore, calling on Alhaji Aliko Dangote to come to his aid by providing the necessary logistics for the immediate surgery as well as compensation for the damaged vehicle.

Narrating his experience of December 5, 2013, Pastor Olaosebikan said he was travelling from Sango Ota towards Ilaro in Ogun State with Olakotan, his assistant in his Mitsubishi Pajero Jeep, when the unexpected happened.

According to him, on getting to Oteyi Village, along Papa-Ilaro Road, he saw a Dangote Cement truck, with Registration Number XA348AKD-ICT-IB-109 and the truck fully- loaded with 900 bags of Cement was moving from Ilaro towards Papa.

Suddenly, the said truck left its lane in a bid to overtake but swerved into my lane at a terrific speed.
“To avoid a collision with the ferociously rushing truck, I was forced to go into the bush beside the road to escape deadly collision, yet the truck came after me with excessive speed, dragged my vehicle into the bush for distance of three metres and finally climbed on top of my vehicle with myself and assistant inside the vehicle.

“My Jeep was reduced into complete wreckage and as soon as that accident occurred, the truck driver came down from the truck, ignored our distress calls while still trapped in the wreckage and ran away from the scene of the accident.

“We were trapped in the wreckage for about 12 hours before men of Nigeria Police from Ibogun Police Division arrived the scene and with the assistance of bewildered but compassionate passersby, they were able to use axes, cutlasses and other metallic object to pierce the wreckage of the jeep and rescued us.”

Olaosebikan, who said, they had written to the management of Dangote Industries Limited, through his solicitors, attaching the medical bills, as well as a police report of the accident, expressed dismay that the company has not made any effort to reach them till date.
Efforts to get the reaction of the firm were unsuccessful as enquires made were not answered.