FATHER, 7 CHILDREN HOSPITALISED AFTER AMALA MEAL

A 65-year old man and his seven children, yesterday, were hospitalised after taking a meal of Amala to commence the Ramadan fast. Mr. Kola Oseni, a retired Vice-principal and Chairman, Community Development Council (CDC) from Ofatedo in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State and his children said they developed complications after eating the food.

Members of the family were said to have been vomiting blood, feeling dizzy and unable to walk properly, hours after the Sahur (dawn meal). Only the mother was spared from the ordeal as she did not participate in the meal due to ill-health. Oseni and his children escaped death by the whiskers as neighbours quickly rushed them to a private hospital in Osogbo.

Among Oseni's seven children were; a youth corps member, Musibau Oseni; a 300 level medical student at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Naheem Oseni; Kabiru Oseni; Akin Oseni and three others. Oseni told newsmen while on his bed at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, Jaleyemi area, Osogbo, that what saved members of his family was the fact he did not go to bed immediatly after the meal.

According to him, he was preparing for the morning prayers when he started feeling uncomfortable and few minutes later, he started vomiting all he ate and later blood. Speaking on the incident, the Chairman, Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr. Bamidele Salam, attributed the incident to poor processing of the yam flour that was used in preparing the amala.

He disclosed that council officials have commenced work, in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and security agencies on how to evacuate the remaining yam flour. The Director, Primary Health Centre for the local government, Dr Elijah Adeyemi, who accompanied the council boss to the hospital, explained that the chemicals used in preparing the yam flour could be the cause of the poisoning.

Adeyemi advised members of the public on the need to standardize the method of processing their food.