Rhoda Omirenya, wife of Joel, a farmer whose corpse got missing in a mortuary, tells EMMANUEL OJO about the trauma the family is facing over the development
What came to your mind on hearing the news that your husband’s corpse was missing?
I haven’t recovered since I heard that my husband’s corpse was missing at the morgue. My mind is yet to find rest.
What came to your mind first? Do you nurse any suspicion at heart?
I don’t know what the matter could be; that was why I had to go there with my son. I had to go to the mortuary and check myself. They initially didn’t want to tell me, but when I saw that we weren’t getting ready for the trip and things weren’t going as planned, I had to ask on that Monday what the issue was.
From the time I was born, I never visited the mortuary, but God gave me the courage and I went there. On seeing the other corpses, I was hopeful that I would see my husband’s remains, but I didn’t see it. I won’t accept it. I want to let the whole Nigeria to know that I can’t accept it. They better do something about it because I can’t accept that. I have been with him for a while now.
Do you think that some changes that happen at death could make you not to recognise him?
I can recognise my husband’s corpse and that was the reason I entered the mortuary myself, but I didn’t find him.
What response did you get from the hospital management?
They were begging and making apologies, but I can’t accept such an apology. I want to the corpse of my husband, that’s all I want.
Your son had said that your husband passed on at 54. Does he have any surviving parent or older ones?
Yes. His mum is still alive. His father had died, but his mum is still alive.
Is his mum aware of all that had happened?
Yes. She had been told and she was already crying. She is really bothered. Please, Nigerians should come to my rescue because I have never seen such a thing before. It’s not a good thing to experience.
