Godspower Unye-Awaji Jeremiah is a native of Asarama Community in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State and married to his wife, who hails from Bonny LGA. They have four children, two of whom are pupils of Toplife International School, Bonny. One of the two was the one that was injured by his school bus at the drop off after school on Monday, April 24, 2023.

When the issue surfaced on social media and concerned stakeholders reached out to Kristina Reports to check the claims that he was not being taken care of by the owners of his school, our due diligence team hit the road and was able to contact his father, Godspower Unye-Awaji Jeremiah.

In this interview with the Publisher of Kristina Reports, Godswill Jumbo, he gave an account of how things panned out and also expressed his feelings over the development, asserting that his priority as a concerned father was the restoration of his son’s injured leg. Give a read!

Kristina Reports: We understand your child was hit by his school bus in front of your house in Bonny, can you confirm this?

Godspower Unye-Awaji Jeremiah: Yes, Sir.

We also understand that the church that owns the school is sponsoring the treatment of the child at the Orthopaedic Department of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital?

Yes, Sir.

Can you also confirm that you have an appointment with the doctor treating him today (Thursday, May 11, 2023)?

Yes, Sir, we are.

Are you at the hospital now?

Yes.

How’s the treatment going?

We’ve not seen the doctor yet, once we’re done with the x-ray then we’ll proceed to see the doctor.

We understand that POP was put on him, has there been any improvement since the POP was put?

No, the POP, what they did was a hip cast that was done on him after the bone had a fracture. So, if at the end of the process, then we would be able to know if there is any improvement so far from the doctor. The feedback we have made to the doctor and what they are saying Okay, there’s improvement, that’s when we will know. For now, until we see the doctor. 

For some people, who are saying different things about how the church is caring for the child, from your own point of view, what’s your opinion? How is the church handling the matter?

The church, that is the school, has been responsible for the bills. Although, there were some negligence in other aspects that we were not comfortable. It has been an issue.

Can you throw more light on the area of negligence?

What the school did, they provided me N25,000, three times and N35,000 once because I made a list of what I needed for him which they asked me to organise them and I did and sent to them; and the school admin got back to me telling me that it was outrageous, what I sent to them. I told him that I’m not the one using it, it was this boy direct, it was based on the doctor’s prescription. I now said OK what can you people give us?

Sorry, Sir, to cut in, when you said the doctor’s prescription, which particular doctor and which hospital?

It’s UPTH now. UPTH here.

Okay, was UPTH the first hospital you went to?

This is the first place. We only went for x-ray at St. Charles, it was St. Charles that made the referral to UPTH. The first hospital we went to was this hospital at roundabout…

Pan-Oj?

Yes, Pan-Oj, that’s where we did the first x-ray because when the child was complaining of pains and other things, we needed to be sure. What if there were the other things that were also not okay. So, when we were trying to get them to do those things we weren’t getting the results that we need, we approached Jamaica. It was there that he invited the school admin that the child should be taken to the hospital if not that their school them go close am, that was how we went to St. Charles, and St. Charles made a referral to UPTH.

Let me also clarify, the x-ray and whatever thing was done at Pan-Oj, who paid for it?

The x-ray at Pan-Oj, I paid for it, then later I met the school admin because he was telling me that they gave my wife some money. So, when I asked, my wife said they didn’t give her money, that the money they gave was the money for the man that was doing the massaging. Anyway, that was sorted out and they refunded me back the money. So, every other one they have been responsible for it.

Okay, is it true that you are asking the church to also take care of your 3 other children, yourself and your wife alongside the particular child that had the accident?

The only thing I said was that I’m not doing anything, my wife is also not doing anything, there’s nobody to take care of them, I’m the one taking care of them. Now, I’m with this child in the hospital, now, how are they going to feed? Knowing that they are three girls and a boy. So, since I’m not around, nobody is going to do that. This is why it’s like I’m not there as a result of me being with this boy in the hospital. So, I put a suggestion to them that if they can get someone across for the person to be here and take care of this child, fine, I’ll go out and sort myself out and my family because me staying here they are not paying me. So, how do I cope with myself and my family seeing that I don’t have a job in the first place and I don’t have money for me to be able to be in the hospital and I’m taking care of my family. It was for to see how they can help because I cannot be here and my family is hungry. You too, on your own, should be able to look at it; you know the situation on ground.

So, I wasn’t telling them to take care of my family as such, it was an appeal that I made to the man because we spoke when my wife sent me a message that they said they cannot be responsible for the upkeep of my family. So, I told him at that time that you know the situation on ground; how do you want them to cope? How do you want her to survive with those kids? So, I was making an appeal that whatever you can do, you should do. And that was when he said he was going to send me money which he sent, N15,000 and since that N15,000 he has not sent any other money. I’ve not called him to ask any other money again, any other money that I’m spending is from my hand, and what people have been sending me from friends and families.

Then the next money they sent to me as of when we were discharged from hospital when we got home; that was on the 2^nd when I went to the school to make an issue with them because nothing was provided for this boy as I was coming back, and that was what I discussed with the admin that he should get to his director so that at least, if I’m back, I can be able to get something for the boy, then get other thing that they need which they didn’t respond to me. So, I had to go to the school to make that trouble. It was later in the evening that they now sent me N30,000, after that fracas. So, when we were coming to Port Harcourt that was day before yesterday, I was like ‘admin, there’s nothing in my hand because the last money I had was N4,000. He brought out N4,000 and gave to my wife, and we moved. So, when we got to Port Harcourt, he now – it was late in the night – I picked up my phone and saw that he transferred N15,000. So, yesterday morning I was asking him, I said ‘what is the money for? He said the Director asked him to give me the money and then he never said it.

Now, for your transportation to and fro Port Harcourt, the church is taking care of that, right?

Yes, it has been said.

In Port Harcourt where do you stay, in your place or in a hotel?

In Port Harcourt, this is my first time. This is our first check-up that we came. So, they are responsible for it, they lodged us in the hotel, me, my son and the admin. The admin is also here.

Lastly, two more things we want to clear; one is, is it true that on the day this accident happened, that the child was not supposed to be in school that the school informed parents that for the children who have finished their exams not to come to school. And that on that particular day, the child didn’t have any exam or anything to do in school but he still came to school, is that true?

That was not true, Sir, because, normally, if they’re observing their mid-term break or any holiday, they do give us print outs to let parents know that they are not supposed to come to school. So, there was no information to us or whatsoever that we should not come to school. Even that morning I was like if they are done with their exams, then they should stay at home. Then my wife was like they didn’t send any message across so and we are writing the exams. So, there was need to send him because no information came to us that he shouldn’t come to school that day.

Okay, lastly, where exactly did the accident happen, was it the school premises or along the road, or at your place?

In front of my gate there.

Okay, where do you stay in Bonny?

I stay at King Jaja Street.