By BENJAMIN NJOKU
When the popular music producer, Babatunde Okungbowa a.k.a OJB was down with kidney related disease, and consequently was flown to India for a transplant, two things pre-occupied his mind. They were, the fear of the unknown and that of the mystery of death.
But in the mix of these depressing thoughts, OJB did not give up the hope of cheating death. He went through the surgeon’s knife and came off successfully. Today, the popular music producer is not only bubbling with life again, but he’s championing a worthy cause geared towards affecting the lives of those who are suffering from kidney related diseases.
OJB-illedIt would be recalled that shortly after his return to the country, OJB set up a foundation called, OJB Foundation, which he is using to solicit support for those suffering from kidney related diseases. He stated that the foundation would majorly act as a dialysis centre, providing financial relief for patients who spend their life savings on undergoing weekly dialysis.
While he’s still working on actualizing the project, the respected producer last week launched a Kidney Trust Fund, in collaboration with The Bow Tie Club, a non-profit making organization.
The trust fund, according to him, is being set up to address the issue of funding of kidney disease treatment. The two organizations decided to come together to champion fund raising efforts at supporting people with kidney and renal issues.
Speaking at the launch, OJB said, “It is in this regard that two Non-Governmental Organizations, OJB Foundation and The Bowtie Club have come together with support from well- meaning institutions to launch the Kidney Trust Fund with the sole aim of galvanizing funds towards assisting those who otherwise would be left to die as a result of their poor financial status.”
Continuing, OJB said, “The fund aims at raising over N200 million monthly, solely for the purpose of providing medical succor to as many Nigerians who are suffering from this disease as possible.”
The fund, he further disclosed, will be run on a structural tripod. FCMB, he explained, will serve as the collection bank, while CSL Trustees Limited will also act as the trustee firm having full custody of the funds and reserving the rights to disbursement, usually directly to the partner hospital in India known as “Vikram Hospital”.
OJB Foundation, however, would provide the patients from their register of Patients which grows astronomically almost on a daily basis as a result of their periodical kidney health clinic.
“Our projection is that in the next five years, the initiative should be in a position to build a local facility with up to date modern equipment with which we plan to render the transplant and other associated services to our people, according to set international standards,” OJB said.
Recounting the horrible experience, he had, while fighting to survive the life-threatening disease, the respected producer said, he was tempted to consider the possibilities of giving up the ghost.
According to him, “What was going through my mind was basically what was going through the minds of over 30 millions people that have kidney related problems. Honestly, when you are younger, you don’t think about death. But for some reasons, I had to think and consider death. I considered the possibilities that it could happen. And of course, when I start considering the possibilities of dying, everything starts flashing back to me; did I do enough, what didn’t I do right, should I die now, what is going to happen to my family and business.
As a result, you start to think about all these things, and the pressure of the thought begin to increase upon you, as the days go by. The psychological trauma is bigger than what you can imagine.
OJB said, while the trauma lasted, he did not give up the fight to survive because he was blessed during that passing phase of his life. “ I had over 14 million people who were interested in my predicament. So, why should I give up hope of surviving. That was the lucky situation I found myself then.
However, narrating his experience while undergoing the kidney transplant in India, OJB said, he said, it was horrible, “but I had confidence that I would make it.” He said, I wanted to set up a foundation before now. According to him, his daughter died of heart related disease about seven years ago. The sad experience, he said, prompted his decision to set up a foundation. “
I had already started working towards setting up the foundation, before I fell sick. My sickness was more of an awakening call for me to set up a foundation. I feel that setting up a foundation is something I was meant to do. I also feel that what I went through was for a purpose. I think people that have kidney related problem need a voice, and that was why God allowed me to go through the trauma,” he stated.
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