“The car suddenly lost control and faced our direction. The three of us scampered. My friends were lucky to escape. However, luck ran out of me as the car continued to chase me till it hit me beside the fence.”

These were the words of 15-year-old Kemisola Afolabi (not real name), who lost her left leg in an accident while returning home from school on November 18, 2022.

Listening to Kemisola narrate how challenging life had been for her since the auto accident happened, this reporter almost betrayed his emotions.

“I loved sports so much,” she said. “I used to participate in relay races, march-pasts and even football. It is what I love do as extra-curricula engagements,” Kemisola told FIJ.

Kemisola spoke about how she was a sports enthusiast participating in virtually all sporting activities in her junior secondary school classes and even flying the flag of her school in inter-school competitions.

“I was also a class leader coordinating my fellow students and reporting to our teachers their conducts to ensure their was orderliness,” she said.

She also expressed how her present condition had robbed her of the opportunities she had thought would be easy to grab both now and in the near future.

“Since I was brought here (Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti), I have been ruminating on how I would cope with life. I have lost a leg and would now live on one leg,” she said.

“My brother, I had never thought this would be my lot. However, I have accepted it as my fate. Even though I believe it wouldn’t stop me from succeeding, it could make the process challenging for me.

“I’m the second child of my parents. I shoulder responsibilities such as helping my parents in their business.

“Usually, I hawked groundnut and garri, which are commodities my mother sell. I did that after school hours and during weekends.

“Together with my two siblings, I also used to work on my father’s farm. We are a poor family struggling to make ends meet and this happened; it has struck me off.

“Nevertheless, I still have faith that this incident would not weaken my ability to become useful to my society.”

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‘MY DAUGHTER IS A SPORTS PERSON’

“My daughter wanted to cross the road when this accident occurred. We have been left distraught,” Kemisola’s father explained to FIJ.

Although the driver of the vehicle had given the family ₦225,000, the man said, the situation was beyond his family and the driver’s capacity in terms of money.

“The driver has been with us. When the accident happened, some good Samaritans drove my daughter to the FMC, where she is presently. The driver was arrested by the police and agreed that he would be responsible for the treatment,” he said.

“My daughter is in pain and we are seriously losing the ability to pay for her treatment.”

Kemisola is an SS1 student of Notre Dame Grammar School, Usi-Ekiti. She told FIJ how the accident happened.

“I was not lucky to escape being hot by the car on that day. We were three standing at the entrance of my school when this car ran off the road. My friends ran away, and the car moved in my direction. I ran, but the car knocked me down. My left leg broke immediately,” Kemisola explained to FIJ.

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THE DRIVER SPEAKS

Mr. Olatunji Alabi, the driver, narrated his plight to FIJ on Thursday.

“I was driving on Usi road, Ido/Osi Local Government Area, on November 18 when the unfortunate incident happened. I hit the girl and she was taken to the hospital for urgent medical attention. I paid some money immediately for her to be attended to,” Alabi told FIJ.

“The police arrested me and obtained my statement. Since then, I have been paying N10,000 every three days. So far, I have paid more than N200,000. The investigating police officer is aware of all this.

“The police have impounded my car and this has crippled my ability to raise enough money. Usually, I use the car commercial transport in the evening to fend for my family.

“As a farmer, I have sold my farm produce and even borrowed money. I have spoken with her father today and he explained to me that the hospital wanted to discharge them. But I asked him why they would send them packing when she was yet to recover.

“I have even pleaded with the hospital to continue treating the girl while I run around to get the money, even if I would obtain a loan. Oga help me, I cannot abscond.”