Remember Dr. Vwaere Diaso, the young life snatched away by a plummeting elevator at Lagos’ General Hospital, Odan? Five months have passed, but the wound gapes open, a raw testament to the government’s neglect. The rusty cage that claimed her still mocks doctors, forcing them to climb endless stairs like modern-day slaves.
It wasn’t instant, no. They say Dr. Diaso clung to life, trapped in that mangled metal coffin for an hour before rescue. Can you imagine the terror? And the outrage that followed? The state promised action, heads rolled, apologies flew. But action? In Nigeria? Don’t make us laugh.
Governor Sanwo-Olu himself declared, “We’re on it!” So much for his word. A reporter from PUNCH climbed those endless stairs, past the barricaded “construction zone” that’s nothing but an insult slapped on a gaping wound. No contractors, no renovations, just empty echoes of broken promises.
Is this who we are? Are we so cheap, so disposable, that a doctor’s life is worth only five months of inconvenience? Haven’t we had enough? Haven’t we all screamed ourselves hoarse demanding better?
This isn’t just about an elevator, it’s about respect. It’s about recognizing that every life, from the brightest doctor to the humblest street sweeper, matters. It’s about a government that serves, not scoffs.
This is Nigeria, they say. But it doesn’t have to be. We, the people, can change it. We can climb beyond the broken promises, beyond the apathy, beyond the injustice. We can demand, we can shout, we can climb until someone, anyone, finally hears.
Because Dr. Diaso deserves more than empty apologies. She deserves action. She deserves a legacy of change. And it’s time we, the living, claimed it for her.
