Distinguished readers, you are welcome to our page and you are about to read through the Lakadaistical Behaviour of Lagos Government Officials that Consumed Life of Late Dr. Vwaere Diaso, it is with pain and anguish that I am interacting with you. This is due to the nature of the incident I am discussing and the implication for leadership.
In my last column, I bemoaned the lackadaisical attitude of our leaders, and by extension the civil service in the delivery of services, adherence and enforcement of the laws. That discussion basically stemmed from the impunity often exhibited by the leaders/government in the care for her citizens.
The crux in that edition was around the incessant building collapse and the impact on innocent citizens. In conclusion, as if I foresaw the incident of Dr Vwaere Diaso , I opined that the culpability and responsibility I advocated therein for those in the regulatory area of built environment, should be extended to other spheres of public service.
Virtually contemporaneous with the submission of the conversation for publication, the lift at the Lagos State General Hospital, Doctor’s Quarters, gave way with Dr Vwaerre trapped inside and ultimately leading to her death. The doctor, who had just about two weeks left to complete her housemanship was sacrificed, just like that, for the inefficiency of the authorities.
All she had budgeted for that evening was to rush down to collect her dinner, unknown to her that death was lurking around the corner. This is one death too many to bear. For how long are we going to live with perpetual avoidable deaths? For how long are we going to bear this impunity? We seem to have lost count of the number of deaths resulting from the building collapses, and now adding the other ancillary ones.
I thought the essence of government is to protect us. When the same government now turns to be the source of our deaths and fatalities, what do we say? Is there any excuse for government on the incident? Certainly not. It simply depicts inefficiency and failure of leadership. From the story told by all and which I believe, the elevator has been malfunctioning for years.
Slightly over a year ago, I witnessed the challenge with the equipment when I visited one of my protégés there and I thought that by now, that incident should have been history. I was rudely shocked to the marrow when the incident happened last leading to the loss of a brilliant young lady together with the investments of her parents and the nation.
Primal was the loss of a brilliant future, a glorious life and a great service awaiting humanity in the knowledge and skill of Dr. Vwaere. In the first instance, this is a simple demonstration of lack of commitment to the maintenance of the state our infrastructure.
Practically every public infrastructure is in a state of neglect. Manholes continue to injure our people daily without remedy. This is now pervasive as I remarked in one of my earlier interventions. How do you mandate my vehicle to be roadworthy when the roads vehicles ply daily are not vehicle-worthy? This is unfair extortion.
Who was responsible for the maintenance of the building? What was the routine maintenance package for the building? Who checks compliance? Where was the janitor?
What was the emergency response plan that led to about an hour delay, but for the intervention of her colleagues? What was the budget made? Why is it that the management of the hospital is not involved in any way whatsoever?
Like virtually all other public infrastructure, they are grieving for attention. I am aware that a probe panel has been set up like others before it, I am not optimistic of any positive outcome. Even in the unlikely event of any revelation, I am not equally optimistic that anything concrete will be done.
The truth of the matter is that there is negligence somewhere, leading to the death of someone. In law, it is embedded in the Latin maxim, res ipsa loquitor, the thing speaks for itself. We need no probe to ascertain that some people are naturally culpable in the circumstances.
All that is required is to ascertain the degree of culpability. By my reckoning, some culprits in my view are already culpable of murder, some manslaughter, while others for other ranges of smaller offenses. This must not go the way of Ikoyi building collapse and others.
I join the Nigerian Medical Association and the family in insisting that justice must be done. This is a test of the resolve of the leadership. Should the leadership fail, I am somehow sure that the soul of the departed will continue to haunt those responsible.
Mr Governor, the ball is in your court as we need to make people scapegoats and set the right precedent for the future. Anything less is not acceptable.
Leadership Talks with Dr. Muiz Banire
