Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, has disclosed that he embarked on \u201caccumulated leave\u201d to undergo treatment for\u00a0 cancer of the nose.<\/p>\n
Chime who left the state on September 19, 2012 left the state under the care of his deputy, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, who was the acting governor while he was away.\u00a0 He returned to Enugu last Friday.<\/p>\n
The governor told journalists in Enugu that his treatment for cancer lasted for 12 weeks and ended on December 14, 2012 disclosing that he would have returned immediately after he had finished his treatment, but had to delay his return based on the advice of his doctors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was almost declared cancer free. I will be required to be going there from time to time, but I can assure you that they succeeded in curing the disease,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The governor dismissed insinuations that he was yet to fully recover following his refusal to address the crowd when he arrived in Enugu last Friday, adding that he had to keep mum because \u201cof the chaotic situation at the Akanu-Ibiam International Airport\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIn August last year, I was privileged to be one of those nominated by the Nigerian Governors\u2019 Forum to go to Germany to study their federalism; I was to represent the South-east zone.\u00a0 I had to use the opportunity of the trip to pass through London to do my medicals since it was the only opportunity I had to do that.\u00a0 After my medicals, I was certified fit by the doctors; but I noticed that I had a little growth beneath my jaw. Ordinarily, nobody could see it but I felt it seriously and asked the doctors to further carry out investigation into it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was later referred to a consultant who after examining me said there was nothing wrong with me. I still asked for further investigation. I even made arrangement with them to help me set appointment for closer investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI left for Germany and had to return to London to keep the appointment for proper screening of the growth. It was after the screening that it was discovered that the growth in question was cancerous. It was also discovered that the main tumour was behind my nose; it was simply called cancer of the nose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Continuing, he said: \u201cCancer is such a thing that when you hear it, the person involved will even declare himself dead instantly. I was subjected to further scanning at the nose and neck and was told that it was curable, not manageable.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I asked how to go about it, I was told it has to be as early as possible before it spreads to other areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccordingly, I arranged for it to be done. I had to cancel further trips and agreed to be back in London in two weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithin the period, I came back to Nigeria and made arrangement for transition (of power). I wrote a letter to the speaker, informing him of my decision to proceed on leave and sought his cooperation to work with my deputy who will act as governor. We even held two executive council meetings within the period where I informed members of my exco that I was proceeding on a long vacation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI left for Abuja the next day and attended the governors\u2019 forum meeting and the next day I left for London, settled in and saw the oncologist the next day. By Monday, I commenced treatment.<\/p>\n
\u201cCancer is a deadly disease and the cure is also deadly. It is not like panadol, not drugs we buy off the counter. You go through different stages. The treatment altogether lasted for 12 weeks and throughout the treatment, I was an outpatient. I was never admitted in any hospital in London. During the period of the treatment, I had challenges and these are challenges I will not even wish my enemies to go through; it\u2019s not easy to imagine.<\/p>\n
He described what he read in Nigerian papers as entertainment which became worrisome to the \u201cdeliberate and sustained attempt to undermine the government of Enugu State. If you\u2019ve been following events over the years, we\u2019ve invested a lot in infrastructure but I\u2019ve always said that one thing I would like to leave behind is a workable system just as he applauded his deputy for sustaining the system and decried attacks on his aides for refusing to disclose why he had been away for so long.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey didn\u2019t know the problem because I only told them I was going on vacation. It didn\u2019t concern anybody because I complied with the law by transmitting a letter to the speaker. I ensured that the ship of government remained on course; I didn\u2019t abandon anybody. All those attacks were mischievous and it equally exposed the ignorance of some of our people even those that were supposed to know the law. I can tell you that I was officially discharged, that\u2019s why I had to return. I\u2019m still in the process of recovery and as such, you don\u2019t expect me to be running tomorrow; but I\u2019m free to resume duties to ensure that activities are running on full speed,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
The governor, who appeared physically fit as he fielded questions, also described as mischievous, the attempt by some people to liken his situation to that of the late President Umaru Musa Yar\u2019Adua, saying while Yar\u2019Adua travelled out of the country as a sick man during his time, he (Chime) travelled out a healthy man.<\/p>\n
He also urged Nigerians to be patient with public officers who he said are not \u201csuper humans\u201d, stating that inasmuch as they hold exalted positions, they should still be allowed some privacy, adding that having passed through the experience, he would be ready to do it all over again, if the situation rears up in the future.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the Cross River State acting governor, Mr. Efiok Cobham, has hinted that the state Governor, Dr. Liyel Imoke was expected back in the state this weekend from Maryland, US.<\/p>\n
Cobham however pointed out that Imoke\u2019s ailment was not life threatening as speculated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, has disclosed that he embarked on \u201caccumulated leave\u201d to undergo treatment for\u00a0 cancer of the nose. Chime who left the state on September 19,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9554,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n