Nigeria’s Rights Activist, Fred Agbaje dies of Cardinogenic-Shock in London…Pains, Regret over Non-Silk Title as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria
*How he Battled Death for 14 Days in Emergency Room
*Nigeria Bar Association in Mourning Mood
* “I am so Devastated”-Festus Keyamo
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU
NIGERIANS are mourning. Nigerian lawyers are grieving the demise of Fred Agbaje, a Human Rights Lawyer and Civil Rights Activist whose legal adventure was tied around fighting for the masses, the less privileged and oppressed. He died of Heart-Attack which culminated into shock few hours ago in a London Hospital.
Agbaje had arrived Heathrow Airport 15 days ago (November 10) for his regular general medical check-up since he was not feeling well the previous week in Lagos, South West Nigeria. To the consternation of British Immigration officers he collapsed while his inbound procession of his document was on-going. Medics and few other Immigration officers at the airport that witnessed the scene rushed him to a London Hospital.
Team of expert medical professionals were on hand attending to Agbaje who had gone into coma 24hours after his admission in the British hospital. Sources in the hospital told our correspondent that the cerebral lawyer developed Cardiogenic-Shock and was moved into Emergency Room,ER Section. “Nigeria’s Barrister Fred Agbaje suddenly developed weakened heart which could not pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. The condition is a medical emergency and we know it is fatal if not treated right away. That was why the best of British doctors were flown in from different specialist hospitals in United Kingdom to medically treat him. He was strong. For 14 days, his heart beat though weak was still beating slowly, until few hours ago that he gave up the ghost. We are making arrangements to reach out to Nigeria Embassy in London, as we have also informed his family members,” added a Nurse in the British Hospital.
But what causes Cardiogenic-Shock? The most common cause of cardiogenic shock is damage to the heart muscle from a severe Heart-Attack. However, not everyone who has a heart attack has cardiogenic shock. In fact, on average, only about 7 percent of people who have heart attacks develop the condition. If cardiogenic shock does occur, it’s very dangerous. When people die from heart attacks in hospitals, cardiogenic shock is the most common cause of death.
Meanwhile, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA members are so saddened at this development considering the value and legal accomplishments of this great Nigerian. Festus Keyamo,a fiery Human Rights Layer and good friend of the deceased plans to issue an official press statement on the death of this legal icon on Monday December 28. But Keyamo presently in Kenya said: “I am in Kenya. I am so devastated. Will issue a full statement when I return on Monday.”
Our Correspondent gathered that Agbaje may have died unfulfilled as a Nigerian legal luminary, reasons been that on three different occasions he was shortlisted and listed to be conferred on the silk, but failed to make the final list as he was denied this prestigious title of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, through ‘power-play.’ May his gentle soul rest in peace.
