Details of how a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, died in Abuja were made public on Sunday.

The former CBN chief died at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada.

He was 64.

The Middle Belt Forum (MBF), which gave the details in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Isuwa Dogo, said: “Arising from various enquiries from Nigerians over the circumstances of his death, the forum wishes to state as follows: that Dr. Mailafia arrived Abuja last Sunday, September 12, 2021, from Akure and was received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by his wife.

“On arrival at home, the wife noticed he was not in the best of health conditions and seemed to be suffering from malaria. After three days of treatment without signs of improvement, he went to the CBN Hospital on Friday September 17, 2021, where he was shabbily treated. It took the intervention of a senior medic who immediately placed him on oxygen and admitted him.

“Dr. Mailafia’s was later given the option of choosing three hospitals: Gwagwalada Hospital, National Hospital and EHA Clinics. The wife opted for the third choice. On arrival at the EHA Clinics, the wife was subjected to yet another moment of anxiety as it took a direct order from the top management of the hospital to accept him.

“After few hours of treatment, the EHA Clinics told the wife that it was expedient to transfer the former CBN Deputy Governor to Gwagwalada as the clinic was not fully equipped to handle the case.”

MBF said: “The death of the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada this morning (Sunday, September 19) came to us as a great shock. As someone who relentlessly participated in the activities of the MBF, his untimely death has dealt a deadly blow to ethnic nationalities of not only the Middle Belt but the country at large.” Mrs. Mailafia was said to have opposed taking her husband to Gwagwalada but agreed when the consultant assured her that nothing bad would happen to the ex-CBN chief.

“Yesterday (Saturday, September 18, 2021), Dr. Obadiah was transferred to Gwagwalada. On arrival, the name of the doctor that was billed to attend to Dr. Mailafia was not on duty. Even when an attempt was made by foreign health consultants to save the situation, the doctor on duty got angry and said he was not obligated to listen to any foreign consultants that had been brought into the matter with the sole purpose of ensuring nothing goes wrong.

“Wife of the former CBN deputy governor was asked to pay N600,000 as deposit, even when it was a referral case, with accruing medical bill to be settled by the CBN. At a point, Dr. Mailafia complained over his breathing problems and pleaded with the doctors to place him in a ventilator. The doctors flatly refused.

“Even after the doctors declared Dr. Mailafia dead, foreign consultants who were brought into the matter through Dr. Mailafia’s son that is living abroad, had directed a family member, who is a medical professional, with the wife of the CBN deputy governor, to mount pressure on the chest of Dr. Mailafia for resuscitation and thereafter place him on a life support.

“The doctors in Gwagwalada refused all entreaties by the family members of Dr. Mailafia to follow the advice of the foreign consultants, insisting that they had already pronounced him dead. Even when the wife could feel the pulse of her husband, the doctor flatly declared there was nothing they could do since they had already pronounced him dead.

“While the above narration sums up the circumstances under which Dr. Mailafia died, we still await the result of the actual cause of his death. As a nationalist and patriot that he was, Dr. Mailafia was completely dedicated to the emancipation of ethnic nationalities from the clutches of oppression.

“The economist was never afraid to speak truth to power just as he remained committed to the enthronement of justice and equity to all citizens across ethnic and religious divides.

“In the twilight of his life, this consummate technocrat and global scholar of repute beamed his searchlight on the raging insecurity ravaging our country. He expressed regrets over government’s incapacity to rein in the activities of insurgents and criminal groups terrorizing the nation.”

There were tributes yesterday from many Nigerians mourning the former CBN deputy governor.

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, described the death of Dr. Mailafia as a “great loss to Nigeria and his beloved family that he loved dearly”.

“I just got off the phone with Dr. Bitrous Porgu, President of the Middle Belt Forum to confirm the distressing news popping up on my phone. It is true we have lost Obadiah Malafia,” he said.

The national leaders of an emerging political platform, the National Consultative Front (NCF), expressed shock and sadness over Mailafia’s demise.

A statement by its spokesperson Rukaiya Mohammed described the late Mailafia as an indomitable icon who would be greatly missed by the leadership of the group. Also, spokesman of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Luka Binniyat, said: “You know, following his harassment by the DSS, he has been taking refuge from place to place.” Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday alleged that Dr. Mailafiya may have been killed.
In a joint statement by its National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko and National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, the organisation called for an independent autopsy to ascertain the cause of Mailafia’s death.

President of Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, Akin Malaolu, mourned the late banker and prayed for his soul to rest in peace.

Source: thenationonlineng