It has emerged that Dr. Alwell Orji, the medical practitioner who took his life last Sunday by jumping into the Lagos Lagoon, had attempted suicide a
It has emerged that Dr. Alwell Orji, the medical practitioner who took his life last Sunday by jumping into the Lagos Lagoon, had attempted suicide a number of times. On one of such occasions, about four years ago, he attempted to jump down from the family’s two-storey house. Only the intervention of neighbors staved off the disaster.
According to a neighbor who pled anonymity, “Ever since then, his family had been monitoring him. We don’t know the kind of sickness he was suffering from, but we knew he was being monitored. That was why he was assigned a driver to take him around.”
Continuing, he said, “He was such a gentle boy, who never made any trouble. His family has lived on this street for long; his father died four years ago.
“Perhaps the driver who drove him didn’t know about his condition because he was engaged about three months ago.”
Dr Oji who had just completed his post graduate studies in family medicine worked at Mount Sinai Hospital on Plot 32, Olanibe Street, Papa Ajao, Mushin, Lagos. One of his colleagues spoke glowingly about him.
“Dr. Orji was such a dedicated person. He was the firstborn of his family. He was a thoroughbred doctor who paid profound attention to the very minute things in Medicine. He was such a quiet person and at the same time very active.
“He was most preferred by our patients. In fact, when some patients came here and he had not arrived, they would wait for him. He was sure to get to the root of things by asking penetrating questions. That was his trademark and why he was so much loved.”
Another staff who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, described the doctor as an easy-going person, every lady’s man.
“He was such a happy person and the favourite doctor among our patients. He would listen to his patients and spend long hours with them. Even after treating his patients, he always called on them to find out how they were doing. He had personal relationships with them. He showed no sign of depression.”
On his mother, the staff said,
“His mother, a member of Deeper Life church is a director in one of the banks,” the staffer said, suggesting that he was not married, she was always coming to check on him. The vehicle he was actually riding in belonged to his mother. Oftentimes, the driver used to bring the 35 year old doctor to work and came to pick him.”
Meanwhile, more than 48 hours after the incident happened, Orji’s body is yet to be found. Emergency workers and divers are still at the scene, with different patrol boats searching for his body. The police have debunked rumours of a suicide note saying that the doctor had received a phone call before he jumped into the lagoon. According to the statement by the driver who was interrogated by the police at the Adeniji Adele Police Division, his boss had told him to park so he could urinate. He obeyed, as he had no premonition anything untoward would happen and it was to his dismay that his boss jumped into the lagoon before he could prevent him.
Some concerned people have gone to the police pleading for the driver’s release as he was innocent and had no part in his former employer’s death even as the police have said that he isn’t under arrest but merely helping them with the investigation.
Daily Sun
