When
13-year-old Daniel Oikhena hid in the tyre compartment of a Lagos-bound
Arik plane on August 24, little did he know he was going to become a
hero.
However, luck smiled on Daniel after a safe landing and he became the boy of the moment.
Daniel’s mother, Evelyn, had earlier disclosed that her son had wanted to be a pilot.
Since the incident, seeing Daniel now is like forcing the carmel through the eye of a needle.
In
fact, the mother said she no longer have free access to her own son.
This is so because the state government had taken up the responsibility
to ensure that he gets good education.
According to her “It is
even difficult for me to see him some times because he is undergoing
some training and that is being taken care of by the state government. I
no longer have powers over him. It was even recently that I was able to
see him.
“They decided to allow me see him because they were
preparing him to go back to school. The only thing I can say now is that
the father and his people are bothering my life. They think the state
government gave me money and, rather than think about the welfare of the
boy, they think it is all about money. They have accused me of saying
that my husband was sick or was even dead, but I never said all that and
God knows”.
“But I thank God for his mercy and that is why it is
painful. Instead of the father to be grateful to God that the son
survived in that aircraft, all they have been accusing me of, is money
from the government. I am just saying it because if anything happens to
me, they should be held responsible since they want to kill me for
something I know nothing about.
“Right from day one, I have
been running up and down about Daniel’s matter, none of them cared about
what I went through with my children. My daughters are supposed to have
gone back to school now but due to no money, they have not gone back.
Their father does not care about that and it is very sad really”.
Meanwhile,
Daniel went back to school on Monday, 16 September after he was
examined by doctors and a psychologist and was found to be sound. He was
accompanied by heavily armed security operatives.
A top official
of the school said, unless there was an instruction from the Edo
Government House, no one is allowed to talk to him on the matter.
He
said, “You know that he is a government son now; so the instruction is
to ensure that he is well monitored both for security reason and his
education. So it is difficult for anyone to speak with him. The idea is
to ensure that he forgets about what happened at the airport and
concentrate in his studies and, so far, the boy is doing well.
“We
want him to catch up with all he has missed educationally because we
understand he was in a private school before but due to no money, he was
almost becoming a drop out. Before he enrolled here, we were told that
he told government he prefers this school.
“And that is why he
was registered here. And if you look at our history, you will know that
majority of the great men and women from this state attended this
school, so the boy may be in another journey to glory here”.
“It
is said that Daniel has joined the league of those referred to as
Oshiomhole’s children going by the situation around him. These children
are about 20, in different schools, and enjoying sponsorship from the
governor.
It was learnt that government officials have been
instructed to take care of the children who must enjoy the privileges
accrued to governor’s children.”
Credit
Footnote:
Unexpected Celebrity lifestyle. I've seen every step taken towards this Boy by the Edo state Gov't & NGOs as an encouragement to other kids to do the same. Stowaway seems to be the sure way to fame, money, scholarships etc. There are more intelligent ways to go about this issue.
This is an encouragement to crime.
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