On the evening of Wednesday, May 12, a small number of young people dressed in white shirts with LARRY BILLION inscribed on top and a picture of a young lady below it gathered under a canopy in front of a house on Wendy Garba street, Arepo, in Ogun State, Nigeria. It was the posthumous birthday of Omolara Omoyajowo, the young Nigerian lady whose sudden death sparked outrage on social media.

She was the type of person who put others before herself – Omolara’s sister Photo: Omolara, Instagram. 

The mood was a mixture of sadness and nostalgia. A pastor offered prayer to the soul of the departed young lady. A colleague from her work place at the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) recalled how Omolara was always quick to offer help to everyone. When he spoke about a specific event when she helped him to get a wrapped gift in the office, the mood changed to sadness and drew a few tears.

Shortly before the candles were lit, a strong wind blew and a light rain fell. The mood became more sombre. Many of the people there began to cry. One lady prayed quietly, hiding her tears behind her glasses. There was a general consensus that the spirit of Omolara was with the group, hence the slight, sudden shower.

Another lady said loudly that if not that “death is cruel, the gathering would have been a proper birthday celebration with Omolara physically present. Sadly, she died before the celebration of her 29th birthday as a result of Nigeria’s hellish health sector.”

A long night of pain and death

On the evening of her death, Omolara had gone to Beachland Hospital in Arepo after a peptic ulcer attack. On her Whatsapp status, she posted a picture of herself at the hospital waiting room with a light-hearted caption. She said she did not wish for her enemy to go through the pain of the peptic ulcer.

“That is Omolara for you”, her sister, Lola, told Neusroom. She was too kind and put others before herself even in dire situations.“

She was given a quick injection and returned home. However, things got worse as the evening progressed. At around 10:pm, her friend, Oni Ayomide, went around to her place and took her to the hospital as she narrated on social media:

“I got to Lara’s place at past 10. She had tried to eat and vomited, she was sweating profusely. I started to clean, she vomited again. I went to her neighbor so we could go back to the hospital since she wasn’t getting better, she was breathing hard too.

Omolara went to the hospital herself on the evening of her death after a peptic ulcer attack before the situation got worse. Photo: Oni Ayomide, Twitter.

“We got to Beachland Hosp. AREPO and she saw the same doctor that attended to her initially, I excused them but I heard him say “I’ll have to admit you” I dashed back to her place to pick stuff that she’d be needing. Before I got back she had been taken to the wards.

“I met a nurse there giving her some injections through her hands (the way they give drips) Lara was so uncomfortable, she kept on insisting that she couldn’t lie down cos she’s not breathing well. “How am I supposed to sleep when I’m not breathing well?”

According to her friend, Omolara’s situation deteriorated to the point where she could not breathe properly and found it difficult to sleep.

“Somehow, Lara lost consciousness, another doctor came in and said she (the new doctor) didn’t know it was this kind of case (meaning it’s critical) and then asked that she’s placed on oxygen, there was reluctance to get that oxygen.

“I made efforts myself at some point I went to the emergency room to get the oxygen myself, I almost lifted it alone before one of the nurses came to give me aid and eventually another collected it from me, she was placed on oxygen.”

According to Ayomide, the hospital informed her that the oxygen would soon go empty in three hours. Thus, Omolara would have to be referred to another hospital.

“I told them not to take her off the oxygen supply.” Omolara’s sister told Neusroom. It was as if I knew they would want to do that. When her friend told me she was being referred to another hospital, I had a feeling the hospital would want to remove the oxygen even though that is not the right thing for a hospital to do but it crossed my mind.“

According to Ayomide, not only did the hospital remove the oxygen mask but no nurse followed them.

“I thought they would let us go with the oxygen, a nurse only brought it to the car door and put it in her nostrils for a while, I even thought she was gonna go with us. They left us and told Lara’s neighbor to move with the “highest speed”

“They placed her head on my lap and asked me to raise my laps, the windows were wind down as they advised. When we got to LASUTH, the doctors at the medical emergency announced Lara dead and they filled a form ‘BID’ (Brought in dead) Lara died! She died on my lap and in my arms.”

A shiny star has fallen

All Omolara wanted in life was to be an independent strong lady who would positively impact the lives of everyone around her until Nigeria’s medical problem caught up with her and dimmed her light, Lola, Omolara’s elder sister told Neusroom.

Omolara was born on May 12, 1992. She was the last of four children. Right from when she was young, she was already standing out as a self-sufficient and enterprising person. Her sister recalled one memory of Omolara that confirmed their assumption about her creativity and desire to always try things others her age would be hesitant to do.

Omolara began her enterprising career at a young age making and delivering food. Photo: Omolara Omoyajowo, Facebook. 

“Our mother always warned us against entering the kitchen but one day, Omolara defied this warning and cooked. To everyone’s surprise, the food turned out to be delicious. She was always stubborn but in a good way. That strong sense of doing something for herself and not relying on others followed her all her life.”

‘Impossible’ was not a word that existed in her vocabulary because she believed that the only way not to succeed was simply not to try it.

Omolara attended Ansarudeen Nursery and Primary school and Iganmode Grammar School for her secondary school education. Tragedy however struck when Omolara was 14 in 2006. Her dad died in February of that year while her mum passed away in August of the same year.

“I used to tell her jokingly then that she was the responsibility our parents left behind for me to take care of and I would take care of her”, her sister said.

The demise of the parents forced Omolara and her sister to go and live with family members.

“She was always there for us. She was a big sister to me,” Abike Alakija, who was Omolara’s cousin, told Neusroom as she fought back tears. “She taught all of us in the family house where we grew up self-respect. Losing her parents at a young age made her very self-sufficient. She had a solution to everyone’s problem despite the fact that she had her own too. There is nothing difficult I go through that I don’t tell her and she would always have a solution to it. She was truly a big sister.”

In 2011, She gained admission into University of Ado Ekiti in Ekiti state to study Sociology and that was when her cooking and entrepreneurial ability were combined according to her sister.

“It was in school she started Larri Meals, a registered food service. One of her clients was the GTBank in Ado Ekiti where she would deliver home made meals to the staff there every day.” Her sister,Lola, recollected fondly. “Omolara was always full of ideas. Sometimes, she would wake up in the middle of the night and write down her business plans and ideas. She would say jokingly that she had business ideas and was only waiting for capital to execute them”

Omolara tried her hands on different businesses with the intention of being an employer of labour. Photo: Oni Ayomide, Twitter. 

Thus when she graduated from university in 2016, she set sight on getting a job only for the purpose of raising capital that would enable her to set up multiple businesses. After the mandatory National Youth Service Corp in Kwara state, she started work with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, a befitting job that required her to provide emergency help to people.

“While doing a white-collar job, Omolara still had multiple businesses. She started a perfume distribution business and continued with her Larri meals with plantain chips sold in plastic containers. There was a time she sold snack hampers. She was always thinking about new businesses.” Lola said. “She even started a new business that had not gone public yet; logistics. She started with friends and family members where she helps people make purchases and delivery. She was looking into expanding on it before she died. She was also into the skincare business. She saw opportunity in everything.”

Most of her friends who spoke at her posthumous birthday echoed the fact that she was a tough independent lady who was set for greatness. Sadly, all that ended due to what many of them blamed on medical negligence.

A heart full of kindness

If there is one word that Omolara’s family and friends used to describe her, it was kindness. At the posthumous birthday, it was one word that was used over and over again. One of her friends who had known her from her university days recalled an incident where she was very broke and had no one to turn to because she had borrowed money from a lot of people already.

She said when she saw Omolara, the latter noticed that something was wrong and asked her what the problem was. When Omolara learnt that it was something money could solve, she dipped her hand inside her purse, gave her friend the money she was planning to use to eat and walked away quickly before the dumbfounded friend could react.

You made people around you better – A friend wrote in a tribute to Omolara. Photo: Forever Missed. 

“I was even calling her to wait but she just went away,” Tomisin recalled while tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. “I was planning to surprise her for her birthday but she surprised me instead.”

Lola described Omolara the same way emphasizing on how kind-hearted she was.”Omolara got my back all the time. She can cry in her room but when she comes out, it is always with a smile. She would not want to bother anyone with her problems but she was always ready to listen to other people’s problems and help them solve it.”

On the Memorial page created in honour of Omolara, many of the people who dropped their tributes recalled the act of kindness she had shown them.

Adekunle Ligali wrote: “Whenever I check my work Rota and see I’m working a night shift with Lara’s team… Mehn, the joy in my heart knows no bounds. Cos, you’re the epitome of good vibes. A reason to want to work from 8pm till 4pm/5pm non stop. I tell myself “If Lara can do it with so much ginger, why shouldn’t I?” There were a lot of things I really wanted to emulate about you… Your dedication, mental strength, positive vibes no matter the circumstance. You made people around you better. Got me out of a pinch one too many times. I love Omolara, and I miss you. But, I’ll carry you in my heart, and mind cos that will be your legacy. You’ll certainly forever in my heart ❤️”

Ayodeji Olusola who said he had known Omolara since 2009 wrote about the positive impact and kindness she showered on him.He wrote: “Omolara, I met you in 2009 and ever since then you’ve never for once fallen short of being amazing. I taunted you for years about how I have never eaten your food and you promised to cook for me when I am around which you kept to your promise. We speak daily even till dead of the night and you were never bored of my complaints. I had an issue last year which I shared with you and I remember how you’d join me in prayers and at a point you took the prayers more seriously than I myself. I called you my special adviser on spiritual matters because of how fervent you’d pray and fast with me and I remember you jokingly said I should put you on payroll as government officials do pay their advisers. I came around and got too busy for you, I hope I can ever forgive myself for this grievous offence. You loved me dearly and I took you for granted and acted nonchalantly and yet you stuck by me. It’s so sad that we were both having a prayer session from Tuesday night to the wee hours of Wednesday. You called me to complain of chest pain and how you wanted to go buy gaviscon opposite your house, you came back telling me you are at the hospital and they gave you an injection. You came back home feeling uneasy and I asked if I should call Ayo, which you obliged and that scared the hell out of me because you don’t like to bother anyone. You called me at 10:58pm on Wednesday to tell me you’re at the hospital and I could see you’re all sweaty and you couldn’t breathe properly. I told you to relax, drop the call that I will call you in the morning and you promised to call me in the morning when you wake up. Omolara never made it to the morning, I got a message saying you left us. Of all the things I could have thought of, death was the last thing Omolara! This truly hurt my soul and I do not know how I will recover from this. You were fearless, hardworking, a goal getter and always happy about your little wins. It shouldn’t have been you Omolara, but I guess we can not question God. Rest in peace Omolara Basirat Omoyajowo.”

Allegation of Medical Negligence

Omolara’s demise is being blamed on Beachland Hospital. Many believe the young promising lady would not have died if the hospital had acted professionally. Abike strongly believes that the hospital should have done more to save her life especially when it was clear her situation was critical.

“I know nothing will bring my cousin back but this can happen to anyone. Whatever they (doctors) do should be for humanity. Hospitals nowadays focus only on money. It was just so painful because if you guys (hospital) had said you wanted more money, that day, we would have paid for that oxygen. I believe that if you have taken an oath to become a medical personnel, you should know that regardless of money, it is for humanity. It’s just so sad. If it was a government hospital, we would say they are not paying them well but private hospitals, it’s bad.”

Lola too believed that the hospital acted less than professional when they took off the oxygen mask of her sister despite the fact that she was complaining about having difficulty with breathing.

“I did not expect them to take off the oxygen but I kept repeating that they should not take it off as if I knew it may happen. It’s so sad.”

Neusroom sent several emails and text messages to Beachland Hospital for an interview to get their own side of the story but the hospital did not respond. Several calls were also put through to the official number listed on the website but it was switched off. Neusroom also contacted one of their doctors who was reportedly on duty on the night of the incident via LinkedIn but she did not respond to messages.

Neusroom then visited the hospital at Plot 16, Al-Firdaus Estate, off Lagos – Ibadan Expy, Arepo on Tuesday, May 25. It was observed that business was going on as usual as patients went in and out of the hospital. When our staff asked to speak with the doctor in charge, we were referred to the Human Resources Manager who acknowledged and signed a letter formally asking for an interview.

She however said the hospital has refused to grant any interview related to the Omolara Omoyajowo incident and will also be declining Neusroom’s request for an interview or a comment. As at the time of this report, the website of Beachland Hospital has been taken offline.

Neusroom reached out to a medical practitioner, Dr Zubair Abdulahi of Hellocare Nigeria, who declined to speak on this specific case but gave his general medical perspective on situations where a patient requires oxygen.

He said: “The oxygen mask is connected to an oxygen tank. If the tank isn’t the small mobile one that can easily be carried around, it’s difficult to keep it on and carry it around. A way to circumvent this, of course, would be an ambulance vehicle. Those ones have oxygen. Or a mobile oxygen kit.

If someone is having serious problems breathing and needs oxygen, it’s not the best idea to take off the oxygen and drive very fast. The best scenario is to find an ambulance or a mobile oxygen tank.’

(On the issue of ) Referral: This depends on the status of the patient (okay or unstable), the hospital policy, availability of ambulance, staff available at the hospital and current status of other patients in the hospital. These factors (and others) may or may not allow the hospital to send a personnel with the patient to the referral facility. Again, most appropriate is an ambulance service. Those ones come with transport staff and equipment.

“If someone needs oxygen, not getting oxygen means that they will eventually tire out and die.”