By Adebeso Precious (SIWES student, D S Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic)
Eyewitnesses watched my father, the driver, bleeding to death while recording them – Akunyili’s son, Obum Akunyili, expressed during a special session at the second public hearing of the Anambra State Truth, Justice, and Peace Commission in Awka.
He lamented that if prompt medical attention had been provided at the scene of the attack, his late father, Chike, might still be alive today.
Obum Akunyili further revealed that those who could have assisted his late father, the driver, and the security man were preoccupied with making videos at the scene instead of rushing them to the hospital for essential medical care.
The incident occurred when the late Chike Akunyili was reportedly attacked by unidentified gunmen on September 29, 2021, while returning from an event in Onitsha, Anambra State, where his late wife received a posthumous award.
The Anambra State Truth, Justice, and Peace Commission, initiated by Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in June 2022, aims to investigate the unrest and violence in the state and the South East region, seeking to understand the root causes and restore peace and justice to the area.
Obum commended the Commission for instilling hope and belief in the citizens.
He emphasized that timely medical intervention could have given his late father a 10% chance of surviving the gunshot wound to his head, but the bystanders failed to act.
Obum urged Nigerians to prioritize assisting those in need over recording videos of them.
In response, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, the Chairman of the Commission, emphasized the importance of fostering hope as leaders and institutions, highlighting the Commission’s role in seeking truth, justice, and peace while maintaining a focus on instilling hope in the community.
