This Chime is Sick!

Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime

-culled from THISDAY

Health, the cliché says, is wealth. But that’s an advice for the wise. For the greedy and short-sighted, reverse is the case; the overriding principle is wealth accumulation- sometimes primitive! It is no wonder, therefore, that many of the so-called rich and the highly placed, who desire endless accumulation at the expense of their health often die cheaply.

There have been stories about how some of them discover certain ailments late; many of such, terminal. But before they start to roll out their ‘hard earned’ fortune to rescue their health, money, at that point would have become helpless. And lo, they bid an untimely goodbye to their labour- sometimes left in the hands of total strangers.

Whoever loves the Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, and has seen him of late should know that he is sick. From his recent pictures, especially the one taken when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the slain Kwara State Police Commissioner in Enugu, Mr. Chinwe Asadu, there is no doubting the fact that his health had deteriorated from the time he returned to the country after about 140 days for cancer treatment abroad.

Chime has come out to say he had cancer but that it had gone into remission after thorough treatment at a London hospital. To show that it was not a big deal, he claimed he was an outpatient for the period he was in London, meaning since he was not hospitalised, there was nothing to fret about.

But his swollen face, a couple of days ago, was worrisome if not scary. No wonder he declined picture-taking at an interview he granted select journalists when he newly returned to the country.

Chime needs not worry about what people may say and concentrate on his health. There is the feeling that his return to the country was borne out of political pressure. But as it is, there is nothing wrong if he steps down from office to take care of his health.

If he does not want to embrace that option, he still could approach his brothers at the legislature and ask for more time to go back for treatment. He just does not have to take a needless risk by feigning to be well. He should put his family first and consider what the implications would be for them if anything unexpected happens to him in the event that his health depreciates any further.

Chime does not have to approach this the Nigerian way. It is health matter. Instead, he can prove to be different by being honest with himself. If anything, the Chime that was seen a couple of days ago is still sick- very sick- and should go back for further checks, politics or not, until he is completely certified fit. Pray he gets round this phase as soon as possible. This is food for thought!