Nigerian Ebola Survivor Shares His Story


He had high hopes. He would have married late Justina Ejelonu come 2015. They didn't want to depend on friends and relatives to fund their wedding. They wanted jobs first. They got the jobs, almost at the same time, but it never lasted. Patrick Sawyer gave a first class ticket to Ebola to enter Nigeria, Justina Ejelonu was among the first to treat him, on her very first day of work. According to Dennis, she didn't want to go to work on that day, she had morning sickness, caused by the pregnancy, but it was the very first day of work, he persuaded her to at least go there, and ask for an extension of her resumption date.
And so began Dennis Akagha's drastic change in life, he lost his fiancee, their unborn child, lost his job and now has to live as someone who once had Ebola. The only thing he has to hold onto is his life, the engagement ring he gave to Justina, and Justina's pet project.
This is one guy with a basket full of faith and hope. He believes he was saved for a reason, I mean, he cleaned Justina's blood with his bare hands, she vomited on him, he fed her pap and fed himself too with the same spoon. He says he did all of this because its hard to watch someone you truly love go through pain, he just had to do something to help her.
At his residence, outside the gate is a typical down town situation, congestion, dirt, open drainage, but in his small and modest apartment, you can feel a sense of cleanliness, you can still perceive the heavy smell of disinfectant, his hand sanitizer on his reading table, his anointing oil and thermometer on his CD table, his communion wine and bread beside his chair, things he must use everyday.
The Lagos state health ministry still pays him a daily visit, just to check his temperature.
His boss at his former place of work no longer picks his call.
Some of his friends have deserted him.
A friend who came to have a hair cut left the barbers shop because he saw him cutting his hair there.
His street vendor refused to sell a toothbrush to him.
Will the stigmatization ever end, even though he does not care about what they think?
He is the only Nigerian Ebola survivor who has agreed to speak to the press for now.
I still wonder at this man's courage, I pray he finds love again.


Please click for the text story



Dennis preparing his communion

Taking his communion

Interview time
Certificate of discharge

Federal government clears First Consultant Hospital

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