THE family of Sebastian Brodrick-Imasuen has lamented the high cost of medication for the hospitalised former Nigerian national team coach.
Brodrick-Imasuen made history in 1985 when he became the first coach ever to lead a team — Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets — to win the inaugural FIFA U-17 World Cup in China.
He also became the first Nigerian and African coach to win a global tournament with that feat.
Now 84 years old, Brodrick is on life support at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital in his state of origin Edo.
He is said to have suffered a stroke and has been receiving treatment at the Benin institution since December.
Brodrick’s son Chuka spoke with The Punch and revealed that the ailing national hero is clinging on to life, with oxygen and medicine to keep him alive costing the family over N40,000 daily.
“My father has been in and out of the hospital since last year, but for the past one month, he has been hospitalised at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital after suffering Ischemic stroke,” Chuka said in an interview with The Punch.
“He has been managing diabetes as well, but now the stroke is the major concern as he has totally lost all motor functions. He can’t walk, speak or hear anybody. He is fed through a tube and he is currently on oxygen.
“He underwent an MRI scan, which showed that he also suffered brain atrophy complications as well. He has a reduced size in his brain and he is more or less not here.
“It has not been easy for the family having to pay for the oxygen daily, his insulin injections and his feeding, which the hospital provides.
“The hospital feeds him and so far they have not told us what we’ve incurred as regards his feeding for over a month now because he is not allowed to eat what we bring for him after he was diagnosed with diabetes. So, the dietician recommends what he takes because it has to be blended.
“We pay N24,000 daily for oxygen, while the injections amount to N18,000 every day, so we pay N42,000 daily to keep him alive.”
According to Chuka, the family has reached out to the sports ministry and the Nigeria Football Federation but no assistance has been provided by either of them so far.
He added that he had to leave his job in Lagos to care for his ailing father and paying the enormous hospital bills has been difficult for the family.
Brodrick-Imasuen followed up his 1985 triumph by taking the Eaglets to the final of the tournament again in 1987, when they lost controversially to Russia.
He also coached clubs in the league after his successful tenure with the Eaglets. He played for the national team before becoming an elite coach.
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