Fallen Heroes: # 2

Another was felled. Not by bullets or natural causes but by enemy action, purportedly. 

This is only a page in the thick books of association football deaths.

Orobosan Adun, ebullient, full of life, young and promising, met death in the most unfortunate way on 26^th of May, 2009. Smit with cudgels; maimed by rogues and battered to pulp; Orobosan was assaulted by thugs. Reports say thugs were suspected to be supporters of a rival team.

Warri Wolves Football Club – a symbol of pride in the southern Nigerian belt travelled to the coal city of Enugu for a league game encounter with the local side. Unbeknownst to most, special plans were brewed for the visiting side’s goalkeeper by a group of the home side’s loyalists. Luck – depleted, unfortunately, gave opportunity to evil and BANG! Disaster struck. Orobosan was beaten, disgraced and sorely injured. The satisfied hoodlums fled the scene leaving the 28 year old sprawling in a near-death state.

72 hours later, in the course of training and physical warm-ups; Orobosan, determined to get over the attacks; unfortunately slumped. He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

The cause of death was reported as ‘internal haemorrhage’.

The Situation Room

‘Haemorrhage’ a term coined from the Latin word ‘haemorrhagia’ means violent bleeding. It occurs as a result of trauma or physical damage to the troubled organ. In this case, the occurring haemorrhage was internal, that is, within the body. This was particularly dangerous because gushing blood from the internal organ caused compression of nearby organs, interfering with their functions and compromising the entire physical state of Orobosan. Traumatic cases where this is rampant are automobile accidents that occur as a result of sudden application of brakes at high speeds causing vehicles to skid or somersault, thus, killing the victims.

Since haemorrhage is essentially loss of blood, it is classified on four levels of severity.

Type 1 – involves loss of less than 15% of total blood volume.

Type 2 – involves loss of between 15-30% of total blood volume. The sufferer’s skin may look pale and cold because the body is closing up other blood vessels to the skin to make up for the loss.

Type 3 – involves loss of between 30-40% of the total blood volume. The sufferer’s mental health dips and heart rate increases.

Type 4 – involves loss of more than 40% of the total blood volume. The body cannot compensate for the loss any longer and aggressive resuscitation by the care giver is needed to prevent death.

Orobosan’s blood volume had already dropped; the effect being reduced available oxygen which was responsible for his slump. In the ensuing shock from his team mates, his heart, whilst pumping in the face of blood loss beat violently to its eventual stop.

This could have been averted by monitoring the chap’s health after learning of his attack. 72 hours is not enough to recover from a trauma!

The scheduled game between Orobosan’s team and Enugu Rangers was never played.

Today, Orobosan’s assailants are still at large.