Former Golden Eaglet and Under-17 World Cup winner, Danny Joshua, who has been incapacitated after his involvement in an auto crash, shares his experience about his medical treatment and current condition with GODWIN ISENYO

How are you today?

I am much better. I’m improving every day. I thank God.

Can you explain the circumstance that made you to be bedridden?

I was among the Under-17 World Cup-winning team of 2007. Our coach then was Yemi Tela (now late), who won the African Under-17 Cup of Nations and the World Cup in Togo and South Korea respectively. When we came back from the World Cup, we graduated from Under-17 cadre to Under-20.

The Under-20 coach then was Ladan Bosso. So, we played the qualifiers against Senegal and Sudan. After the qualifiers for the Nations Cup, we were given a few days to go for a break. That was precisely December 2008; the break was for us to see our families and come back to camp to resume the competition which took place in January in Rwanda.

When I came for the break, I decided to embark on a trip to Minna, Niger State, because at that time, I was playing for the Niger Tornadoes Football Club, Minna. So, when the list of the invited players that were supposed to play for the African Cup of Nations came out, I decided to pass through the camp which was to take place in Abuja; that was when I had the accident. I was involved in an accident along Sarkin Pawa in Niger State on December 12, 2008.

What medical attention have you received since then?

After the accident, they called my coach, Ladan Bosso, who came to the scene of the accident and I was immediately rushed to the General Hospital, Minna. I was there for some weeks when the Niger State Governor at that time, Babangida Aliyu, came to see me and directed that they should fly me to Germany for medical treatment. In Germany, they carried out a successful surgery at a hospital in Merseburg. It was a teaching hospital.

After the successful surgery, I was taken to a rehabilitation centre where I was supposed to spend some time for further rehabilitation. Suddenly, the then Commissioner for Health then called us back and said that the money deposited for the treatment had been exhausted and that we should come back to Nigeria. That was how I couldn’t complete the rehabilitation because the doctor said I would stand on my feet again if I could spend about 120 days at the centre.

But was the governor aware of the directives from the then Health Commissioner?

I don’t know about that because I couldn’t see him (the governor). After we eventually came back from Germany abruptly, I spent some months at the IBB Teaching Hospital, Minna, to continue with the treatment while there I was solely responsible for the bills. It was difficult to feed at the hospital because of the distance from the city centre. As a result of that, my father was advised to take me back to Kaduna since our family house is in Kaduna. When we reached here (Kaduna), I was taken to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital.

How far did the NFF go in funding your treatment and ensuring that you get back on your feet?

When I came back from Germany and subsequently moved to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, things became difficult and I couldn’t pay the bills. That was when the Nigeria Football Federation came in. They gave me some money to settle the hospital bills. They came with lots of promises that they were going to do everything humanly possible to see that I walked very well again. But since that time, we have written a series of letters to the NFF but to no avail.

We also wrote about the Kaduna State Government when the former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, was the governor. Sambo only wrote ‘noted’ on the request. When my father was alive, he also wrote to Ibrahim Yakowa, the former governor that is now late, and he said that since I was a recipient of a national honour, I was no longer a state property and as such, my case would be forwarded to the Federal Government for prompt action. But since then, I don’t know if my case was sent to the Federal Government as promised by the late governor.

You were a member of the Under-17 World Cup-winning team in 2007. Can you remember how your team fought hard to win the competition?

With the support of our coach, Yemi Tela, whom we considered as our father, we were able to make it. He was a strict disciplinarian; whatever he asked us to do, we did. We played according to his instructions to achieve the feat during that tournament in South Korea.

How were you received at home when you came back from the Under-17 World Cup?

When we came back home after lifting the Under-17 World Cup, the then President, Umaru Yar’Adua, awarded us national honours and houses but there was no cash backing. He didn’t give us any financial reward. It was only the national honour and the houses that he gave for which we were immensely grateful. My teammates received national honours; Member Order of the Niger (MON) and houses in Abuja.

Are you still in touch with your teammates and what promises are they giving you?

The last time this issue came up, the then NFF President, Amanju Pinnick, promised to do something that would uplift me from my current state. He promised that he would make me a ‘scout’ whereby I would be getting young talented players for them for a fee but since then, I haven’t heard from either the Nigeria Football Federation or him, even though he is now an executive member of the world football governing body, FIFA.

Do you have any regrets about playing football for the country?

No. Never! Nigeria is my country. I will never regret playing for her even with my current predicament. I am always proud of adorning the green-white-green jersey because it is sheer pride to see that I represent my dear country. My dream is always to represent my country and I am happy about that. I never had any regrets about playing for my country. Not at all and I thank God for that. The fact that this happened to me does not in any way make me hold grudges against my country, Nigeria and anybody

It’s an honour for me to represent my country. While in Germany for treatment, when the professor treating me discovered that I was playing for my country, they invited journalists to interview me which was carried in one of their major newspapers in Germany. What other honour do I deserve than this? If I don’t represent my country, would I have been accorded that honour? So, the management of that hospital respected me all through my stay there. It is a joy for me to represent my country.

You were playing for Niger Tornadoes when the accident happened. What financial assistance did your club at that time render to you?

They did not render any financial assistance to me; instead, they were tossing me around when I had the accident. The chairman of the club then labelled me as an ‘ingrate’ for requesting money for medical treatment. He said I should be grateful that the governor sent me to Germany for treatment. This was somebody who promised me on my hospital bed that whenever I needed money, the club would give me. To date, they never gave me my signing fees. When I cried out to them for the money, they started deceiving me. That was how I let go of the money.

Are you still In touch with members of your winning squad?

Apart from Chrisantus Macauley, I don’t know where a lot of them are today.

What are the doctors saying? Is there any hope to walk again?

When I was in Germany at the rehabilitation centre, the professor told me that with what he was seeing and the efforts being displayed by me, at least, in 120 days, I should be moving some steps. Unfortunately, the Niger State Government abruptly came and removed me from the rehabilitation centre in Germany. So, I couldn’t spend the 120 days; I only spent two weeks at the rehabilitation centre. So, since I came back to Nigeria, everything was being done manually. There’s improvement but it’s slow because the facilities are not here.

But where are you receiving treatment at the moment; still at the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital here in Kaduna?

I was going for my therapy there before now that things are expensive. I don’t go there again. I now rely on my younger brother who now massages me at home. He learnt all this from the hospital where I was treated. For the few he learnt at the hospital, he applied to me at home. Thank God, the improvement is coming but slow, because of the lack of facilities. He only does what he can and will not be able to do it like the professionals.

How old are you?

I was born on December 30, 1990

Are you married?

No, but I am planning to marry this year, December 2. Though I am down, I thought that I couldn’t just sit down and keep to myself. I told myself, ‘I should be able to do something to keep my life going.’ So, I had to write the UTME and got admission to Kaduna Polytechnic. I started some years ago and I am even done with the Ordinary National Diploma. I am doing my Higher National Diploma at the moment.

How have been coping after the accident?

We thank God for He has been so faithful. I can’t just say how, but God has been helping me.

What about your father, mother and siblings?

My father is late but my mother is alive. She has been the one taking care of me. She has been struggling, running everywhere to ensure that she keeps the house going. My siblings are very supportive too.

In what way can federal and state governments help you?

I am appealing for help from the state and federal governments to see if I can be on my feet again. I am pleading because when we were in Germany, the doctor there said I could still walk again; however, the fact that I was abruptly removed from there affected my treatment. But I still strongly believe that with God, through public-spirited Nigerians and the government, I will stand on my feet again. The facilities are not here. So, I am pleading that they can make me go on my feet again.

Who has been paying your bills?

It has been God all the way. My family members have been helping me to some extent because it is not that we are rich but with the little that we have, we try to survive. Sometimes, they can only afford money for tricycle (keke) fare for me to go to school. I remain grateful to them. I also thank God for that too.

Apart from football, were you engaged in any other job?

The school has been keeping me busy. God has been wonderful! Every day, I go to take lectures. It has been fine going to school.

How are your fellow students and lecturers treating you as a former ex-international in school?

The students and lecturers have been so wonderful to me. In fact, on my resumption, the Head of the Department of Library Sciences then told both students and lecturers to always assist me in times of need. Let me also use the opportunity to thank Senator Shehu Sani for taking time off his tight schedule to check on me. I pray that God will continue to bless him. His gesture shows how kind he is. (Saturday PUNCH)

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