The Complete Story Of Agunwa, Nigeria’s Second COVID-19 Casualty; Why, And How He Died

By Charles Igbo

Chief Chris Aguwa Osuagwu was young, and upwardly mobile. He had quite a chunk of money. And invested here and there, including the hospitality industry.

His most prominent investment, for which he was popular in his native state, Imo, is his Fancy Hotel located in new Owerri. The hotel is the toast of many.

But he had his draw-backs and challenges.

In 2012, he escaped death in the hands of alleged assassins. And, even though he escaped death, the bullets pumped into him left a permanent damage.

It affected his heart and, allegedly, his kidney.

Perhaps, because of the damage done some to his organs, he often travelled outside Nigeria for his medicals. He was a constant, almost, in Germany and South Africa.

Incidentally, his last visit was to South Africa, before his death in Abuja from complications associated with the raging disease, Coronavirus.

His death, however, became enmeshed in  politics and controversy.

It also caused a lot of anxiety, and fear, amongst his family members, friends, associates, but worse, also amongst his staff members and guests to his hotel.

On return from South Africa, Osuagwu visited Owerri, as usual, and was  at his Fancy Hotel where he spent a couple of nights before he went to Abuja, where his wife and children reside.

He took ill in Abuja after he had stayed for sometime. Sadly, he passed on.

That was when the problem began. As soon as his state of health and  subsequent death became public, the Imo State Government did the most sensible thing any government could do.

They sealed his hotel, and quarantined all the workers and members of Staff therein. The Government, also traced all those who had any form of contacts with him Owerri – his two brothers. They were quarantined.

But that was when panic, fear and politics set in – in his state, Imo.

Initially, nobody knew what to believe. Many speculations set-in. Some said he knew his COVID-19 status, and  deliberately visited the state, and especially his hotel to spread it.

But the question is: Why would he deliberately want to spread the disease and destroy his business, especially, his family?

Others said the state government knew of his status, and covered up. On his death, in Abuja, the state government and the boss of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, incidentally, an Imo State son, were accused of  deliberately conniving to hide the facts of his death from the public. A demand was even made to the effect that both the Imo Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and Ihekweazu; should resign from their offices.

The questions: Was the state government aware of his presence in the state? Did it smuggle him to Abuja? When it knew of his circumstances, did it not take action? Did the government not seal the hotel, and quarantined the guests, and all those that had any contacts with him? What else remained to do?

Indeed, some others said Osuagwu died in the hotel. One man, who claimed to be an eye witness, swore he saw Osuagwu’s body as it was being evacuated from the hotel in an ambulance, accompanied by medical and security personnel.

Not true.

The truth is: the ambulance and the other people were at the hotel to seal it, and quarantine all those inside.

But, finally, respite has come. There is good news. All is well that ends well. And not a few Imo people,  including  government officials, are breathing easy.

All those quarantined in the hotel tested negative for COVID-19. And so did Osuagwu’s wife, children, relations, driver and friends and associates.

On Saturday,  the Imo State Government, through the Hon. Commissioner for Information and Strategy,  Declan Emelumba Mbadiwe, announced the good news of the clean bill of health given everybody. He, also, used the opportunity to clarify the issues surrounding Osuagwu’s ill-health and death from COVID-19.

Following, excerpts from the Government’s statement.

“Of late, spirited attempts have been made to heighten the anxiety of Imo people over COVID 19 pandemic by spreading misinformation and bare faced lies over the death of one Chief Aguwa Osuagwu. It is necessary, therefore, to state  the facts as they are, and reassure all Imo people that the  death of the said Osuagwu should not be any cause for alarm in the state.

“FIRST: It is true that the said Osuagwu came back from South Africa, not U.K or Europe as some have averd, where he went for medical check.

“SECOND: When he visited Imo after his South African trip; he did not have the virus.

“THIRD: He was suffering from a complex heart condition resulting from a  gunshot on his chest around 2012. This eventually affected his longs.

“FOURTH: lt was in Abuja, long after he left Imo state ,that he tested positive of the virus and died some days later.

“Instructively his wife and children who were with him in Abuja, and the driver who drove him around even while he was coughing, have all been tested of the virus and they are all negative.

“FIFTH: The staff and guests who have been quarantined in his Fancy hotel in Umuguma, owerri, where he visited while in owerri, have been released today, Saturday, April 4th, exactly 14 days of their isolation, because they have also not tested positive of the virus.

“SIXTH: Even two of his brothers he visited in the village while he was in owerri, have tested negative to the virus.

“From the above simple, verifiable narrative, it is clear that the probability that anyone who came in contact with him in owerri could have been exposed to danger of COVID 19 was almost absent.

“However, it is noteworthy that the government did not take anything for granted. Instead, in  a prompt proactive fashion typical of the Uzodimma led government of Imo state, the government moved promptly,  and sealed his  Fancy hotel, and equally sealed  his village , because he visited these places while in town.

“The truth of the matter is that no one in Imo state was exposed to COVID 19 danger because of Osuagwu’s peculiar severe health conditions which culminated in his ending up as a COVID 19 victim.”