The Vice President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation, Azania Omo-Agege, has promised the body would contribute towards the payment of the hospital bills for ailing boxing legend, Jeremiah ‘Jerry’ Okorodudu.
Okorodudu, who represented Nigeria in the men’s boxing event at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles suffered a mild stroke attack and had extreme difficulty speaking, before subsequently falling into a coma while at Dan’s Hospital in Ikorodu, Lagos.
The Olympian is now feeling better following a series of transfers from different hospitals, mainly due to lack of funds, that have now brought him to Lawanson Lagos Private Hospital.
“We are trying to get his payment together so that they can treat him at the private hospital. The NBF is definitely going to contribute to his payment alongside the rest of the boxing world, which includes the coaches and referees,” Omo-Agege said.
The Africa Boxing Confederation Vice President told pressmen that they visited Okorodudu in hospital, adding that he would not be neglected.
“Just yesterday, we went to his hospital in Surulere, I actually spoke to him, but he was not strong enough to talk. So, we are on top of the matter and he is not neglected at all, he is one of us.
“Jerry is one of us, and this is not the first time this is happening. He took ill at one particular time and we all rallied round him to make sure he got better. We all understand that Jerry’s issue is not just a boxing issue, it is a national issue,” he told reporters.
Confirming the visit Okorodudu’s wife Adenike said, “they sent someone on Sunday to see me and my husband. I have not gotten any assistance from any government officials yet, they said they will gather it but I have not gotten anything from them.
“It is only some of Jerry’s friends that have donated some money for him. We still need a lot of money for his treatment,” she told news men.
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