Frank Kokori, the former General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers ,NUPENG, is currently receiving treatment for a kidney-related ailment at a private hospital in Warri, Delta State.
Despite his weakened state, Kokori, lying in his sickbed, shared a heart-wrenching account of his plea to the hospital’s management to run generators throughout the night. The desperate request aimed to keep the air-conditioning in his private ward operational, a lifeline for his precarious condition.
Struggling to articulate his thoughts, Kokori, a once prominent NUPENG leader, acknowledged the hospital’s efforts while expressing the unfortunate reality of diesel rationing due to economic constraints.
His vulnerability echoed in the occasional sips of water he took while recounting the ordeal. Bemoaning his financial limitations, he expressed a desire for overseas medical attention if resources allowed.
Amid the challenges, Kokori commended the hospital staff for their sacrifices, revealing a recent episode where he lapsed into a coma before being revived and brought to the facility. Remarkably, he managed to traverse the hospital’s stairway, a testament to his resilience.
“The hospital is trying, for running its generator till night. Without the air-conditioned ward, I could have just given up,” Kokori shared, underlining the critical role the hospital’s efforts played in his survival. He recounted the emotional plea to ensure the generator stayed operational through the night, emphasizing its pivotal role in sustaining his life.
Reflecting on the state of the country, the octogenarian labor leader, despite his health challenges, urged the Joe Ajaero-led Nigeria Labour Congress ,NLC, to extend patience to President Bola Tinubu.
Kokori empathized with the economic predicament inherited by the new administration, citing a battered economy and the burden of servicing over 90% of revenue to inherited debts.
In the midst of personal adversity, Kokori’s plea for understanding and compassion for the nation’s leadership underscores the human side of a seasoned labor leader facing health challenges and the broader socio-economic struggles in Nigeria.
Crediblenews.ng
