Good Samaritan seeks help after he was bathed with acid
Be your brother’s keeper, so says the Bible, but the story of Felix Adewale Adedayo, a pastor and researcher seems to have taken another turn.
While he lives his life to gain souls for God and be useful to the society, the same society has turned a helper to someone seeking help.
The native of Idanre narrated his ordeal on how he rendered help to two men and that changed the story of his life: unfortunately, from positive to negative.
In his words, “My church has two branches; one in Ogun state and another one in Lagos. We had a programme in our Ogun state branch and I was returning home.
“I saw these two people stranded by the road side and I thought within myself to give them a lift because it was late in the night.
“I just bought a new motorcycle in Ogun state just to ease my movement and evangelism in the area. So, I was on the bike when I picked them up.
“So, when we got to a particular part of the road, with a little bush, they told me they would alight. So, I stopped for them.
“Immediately they stepped down from my motorbike, they burst this substance that happens to be acid on my face”, he dolefully.
He explained that his new motorcycle was taken away by the assailants and it took the help of people living in the area for him to get to the hospital.
“It was around 6:30 pm. Those within the vicinity came to my aid when they heard me shouting. The name of the place the unfortunate incident happened was Black and white junction in Ogun state.
The founder of A.A.C Announced Apostolic Church told The Hope that he was rejected in some hospitals before he landed in University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital (UCTH), where he received some treatments before he was referred to a specialist hospital, where his eyes were examined for treatment.
When asked whether he reported the case to the police, his response was yes but the assailants, till today, are nowhere to be found.
“I was on bike then and it was my newly bought bike which I used to take them for a lift but they have carted away with bike and I was not cautious of the fact that they were after the bike. I just bought the bike in Ogun state with the hope that when I am back, I will be able to ride it within communities.
“So, when the people of the community heard my voice, they carried me and took me to a nearby hospital and that was where they reversed me back to UCH. I was reversed to Letioju eyes foundation.
“I called the police immediately and they intervened. They told me to go and take care of myself first. My friend that I was talking with that told me that when I was coming to church, I should branch at his place but when I got there and I did not meet him, I then left.
“He was also investigated since he was the last caller I had. When we got back to the police, they said they do not have traces yet”, he revealed.
Since the unfortunate incident in December 2018, Mr Adedayo said he had spent over 5 million naira on hospital, drugs and other treatments but a lot still had to be done for him to have his face back.
His only succor was that his two eyes were not totally destroyed as he can still see but not properly as he should.
He said, “In fact, for a whole year, I could not get myself. God has something He wants to do with me. What I really appreciate God for is because of this eyes.
“I was told that nothing was wrong with the eyes. So, while at UCH, they said the chance is 50/50 because they do not have the gadgets they can use to do it.
“The doctor advised me to do everything at once in general. There are some drugs the doctors prescribed for me which will make the burns soft and that takes up nothing less than N20,000 every month.
“It would be up to five million naira because I sold my properties, even my land. Recently, I sold one of my lands.
“So, I was told the government cannot fully help me that I should also seek for help from the people as well”.
Being an engineer with many years of experience before his acid attack, Mr Adedayo, who had worked on certain engineering engagement with both Nigerians and foreign expatriates explained that the contracts he had hoped to take up were given to other organisations and his other engagements had been terminated.
“It is up to 12 years that I started my ministration. After graduation, I attended technical college where I studied electrical and electronics engineering. It was formerly a college and I moved from there to UI.
“I joined engineer association and I was working as an engineer. So, I have worked with the Chinese in Shanghai.
“Actually, I was coming from church and I wanted to get a work from China which worths up to 100 million naira then. So, when I got there, the Chinese people said they had given it to their Chinese colleagues.
Being a natural good Samaritan, he said he never stopped engaging in research to proffer solutions to issues in his immediate community, adding that he wrote a book on his ugly experience.
“Through this condition, I have published some articles. One is titled ‘Ina Ori Pepe’. I even gave the kabiesi and it was part of the reason he demanded to see me simply because of the book. The book really inspired him. That was how we got into this matter.
He revealed that he never stopped his ministration, revealing that it was after his attack he established a branch of his church in his home town, Idanre.
Mr Adebayo said he had been to several prominent people for help and his church members had done the best they could to raise money for him but his continuous treatment continued to gulp most of the funds he realised.
The pastor, in his doctor’s report, said he needed to be taken to India for surgery and this would cost about $59, 000, which is approximately N33,630,000 at N570 per dollar.
He therefore appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to come to his aid and help him to get his life back.
To render assistance to him, he can be reached on 08056786995 and his bank details are GTBank: Feliz Adewale Adedayo: 0150514119.
