Agony of a Medical Doctor

Mrs So Said Martins [left] with Dr. Madichie

I  am  rejected   by my family

Dr .Gladys  Ngozi  Lily Madichie who had  recuperated   from  her unsound mind narrated her ordeal to   Taiwo Abiodun 

Her spoken English with   British accent  combined with her beauty could  melt  a man’s heart. Tall   and   slender   with a pointed nose .Apart from having science   as her background , she is also versatile as  she could  communicate fluently in , Ibo and Yoruba languages.

Seeing her living among the destitute could trigger up questions   :Is she a  patient or among the medical team? And the answer is: she was once a patient or an inmate  and now  part of the medical team here at SO SAID Charity Home , Okotas.

 Dr .Gladys  Ngozi  Lily Madichie schooled in Lagos,  Benin and in Anambra states.  She had a scholarship while in secondary school and from there spent two years for her Higher School Certificate[HSC], at the  Federal School of Arts and Science .She gained admission into the University of Benin where she obtained Bachelor of Science  in  Bio-Chemistry and later   she went  to read medicine and bagged MBBS.

Lily Madichie  once   lectured  at a College of Education after she had  completed her first degree in Biochemistry .She again   practised as a  Medical doctor when she finished from University of Benin. Few years later   she  suffered depression  and was rescued from the  Oshodi /Apapa Express road  by Mrs. Concern Felicia Martins  the Chief executive of So –Said Charity Home  , Okota , a Mental Home where destitute are being treated.

Madichie   was there for some years receiving  treatment .Her condition improved   and  returned to her real old   self .Now she is bouncing and kicking but she is not happy still. Reason  : she  suffered stigmatization and was  not welcomed back home by her siblings and family members.

She tells her story :’’When I   returned   to my  country  home , Anambra state I  was rejected and refused entry into  the  family  house ‘’. Seeing  no where to turn to she  therefore decided to go back to where she came from, So- Said Charity Home, her former “ home’’ .She is now assisting the medical team in treating other patients.

According to Martins, she saw the medical doctor on the express road  few years ago on the Oshodi/Apapa express road where she was  lonely and dying as a result of psychological  depression.

Her words ’’When I  met Dr. Madichie  on  Oshodi /Apapa expressway ,  she was abandoned there possibly by somebody , and her  mental condition  was terrible. She was as dead as dodo. I had no alternative   than to take her away from the vicinity or else she could have been pelted with stones or fast moving  vehicles could have ran over her and killed her.  I went later to do a research about her, she too revealed so many things to me and I had to trace her family to Anambra state. And after some years of taking care of her  she regained her sanity. In 2007, I took her back to her home town in Anambra state where she spent some days , until I saw her here again saying she was not attended to and had lost many of her people. I have no choice than to welcome her back home.’’

Speaking with the medical doctor, she narrated her pathetic story, ’’I am from a big family and most of my siblings are in Lagos , Anambra  and in  Overseas . One day I suddenly found myself here , in Martins home. I asked myself what brought me here .Later the woman who brought  me here narrated the story to me. I call it psychological depression , of which the layman calls mental illness, which can happen to anybody.’’

She continued’’ I went   on to  ask her how , where and what   happened to my life. Well, I need not to be told  later where I was .I was among the  mentally sick  people .Now  look at life as unpredictable .’’she said  in impeccable English   while  gesticulating.

She continued her story’’ I am a medical doctor. In fact before I became a qualified medical doctor , I had done my Bachelor in Biochemistry from University of Benin, and I graduated in 1983.I did my National Youth Service Corps [NYSC] in 1984 at College of Technology ,Nekede in Imo state, where I lectured  the National Diploma II students and the   Higher National Diploma I students too. While lecturing them , the students were very happy to have easily  understood my lecture  because they first of all found it difficult but I made it easy for them, due to the way I explained to them.’’

On how she went for medicine , she said’’ it was my  father’s wish to become a medical doctor and immediately I completed my NYSC, I went back straight to UNIBEN f or the course. When I completed it I bagged my MBBS,   I left Lagos and came to Lagos .I worked in Lagos Island and in one General Hospital. Whoever sees my picture would remember my face.’’

Asked whether she wishes to go back home, the  jovial lady laughed and declared ‘’ in fact I cant understand how this life is. When I went back home two years ago , many of my people who I believe would give me support ran  away from me .I was not allowed to enter my father’s compound. I was later told that my parents had died .Since there was nobody to turn to I decided to come back to So –Said Home ‘’.

Asked whether she had any child or  husband .She screamed ,’’ children? Husband ? I don’t have any’’, she responded and went down memory lane to tell a little about her regret in life.

‘’I regretted that I did not marry early .When we were in the University I remember our lecturers then used to advise us to  quickly marry  and have  our children  early so as to  not to bother ourselves about  marriage. Now, all these are now coming into my memory .That is life. Now I want to start a new life and live my life all over again.’’

But does she still practice medicine? ‘’Yes, I do’’, was her response .’’I assist them here when a woman is in labour. I  prescribe drugs for them  and assist in any other form, but I want to leave here and get settled’’

On her future plans , she said she would like to go further and  specialise in  maxilo-facial surgery   or cardio thoraxic  surgery .

What of marriage ? She said ‘’ I will marry , when the right man comes’’.Again pestered further  as this reporter asked whether he would like to marry him, the medical doctor looked at the  reporter and declared ‘’You,  you  journalist don’t stay at home .Apart from that you must  be a happily  married  man and I don’t want your wife to call me husband snatcher and be fighting me .I want to marry a man that understand my problem not just any man just because I once had a problem , it could be anybody , it could be your sister , auntie, niece or even friends, so my own case is not new. 

‘’Now  I need money to go and rent a house , and I am begging the good spirited Nigerians to come to my aid .I am now okay .It is a pity that my people are no longer interested in me .I believe there is God. If not this woman , [Martins] that is giving me stipend  how would I have been living? .I am   okay .I  will go out there and look for a job ‘’, she said without any bitterness .

She continued ‘’ I am a Christian  and I  am praying to God to answer my requests; which are my prayer points.’’

However, Martins  pleaded to the public and good-spirited Nigerians not to reject their kinsmen , family members or friends who had psychologically depression .’’It is not infectious and it is curable. Many have gone back home living a normal life. She  added ‘’many even marry here and many even have children here as many came with pregnancies and they deliver their babies here.’’

Martins pleaded with the family members of Madichie to come out and look for her , ‘’ she bears no grudge against anybody .It is true that I went  to her town with her and later after some days she returned to me in Lagos saying she has no place to stay than my place for she had  been rejected from her family house .I have no choice  other  than   to accept her. Now, she needs   money to be totally rehabilitated and live her full life.’’