Sad as this story is, I am happy about a number of points:
1. His wife is (still) with him, and even a teenager is around to do some chores. That means that he is being minimally taken care of. Men his age deteriorate even faster without wifely/motherly/routine care. We men must note that....
2. He appears to still have his (brain) faculties about him, and is looking forward to some mentally productive activities, like writing his memoirs. So this is simply a visual disability, not a mental one, which can be much more difficult to handle. He can still learn Braille, or hire someone as his "eyes", but there is no "brain-for-hire."
3. There is a church involvement in his life, physically beneficial through provision of housing, and then spiritually, even if it is derivatively through his wife. There is good hope for him both in this world and in the world to come, even if vicariously through his wife.
But where are his children? Or he has none? Or his immediate extended family and friends/colleagues? Is his pension being paid - or he took it en-bloc upon retirement?
Bottom line is that an accomplished and proud man who does not want sympathy (active concern) cannot refuse empathy (passive concern), but presents difficulties to would-be-helpers. I empathize, but there needs to be more information from the Prof's end. He has short term needs, but a sustainable longer-term solution is most desirable.
And there you have it.
Bolaji Aluko
Junior Colleague VC
On Thu, Sep 3, 2015 at 6:41 PM, Okwukwe Ibiam <o.ibiam@gmail.com> wrote:
--Battered, Blind and Broke: Prof. Theo Vincent, ex-UNIPORT VC who lives in a slum
SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 : CHUX OHAI 27 COMMENTS
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