A 32-year-old man, Shola Adebayo, is battling to regain his sight after consuming two shots of a locally produced alcoholic drink popularly known as “Monkey Tail” in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Adebayo, who is currently receiving medical treatment, said he took the drink with a friend on Friday but woke up the following day with severely impaired vision.
His experience came amid an ongoing investigation into a suspected poisoning incident in parts of the council area, where preliminary reports indicated that more than 30 people may have died, while over 50 others were hospitalised.
The affected communities include Odigbo town, Newtown, Orita and Araromi-Obu.
Recounting his ordeal from his hospital bed, Adebayo said he had consumed the locally made alcoholic beverage on previous occasions without experiencing any health complications.
He said, “I took Monkey Tail on Friday with my friend. I took two shots and went home. On Saturday, I discovered that I could not see well. I called my sister, and she took me to the hospital.”
The survivor said his condition had improved since he began treatment, although he remained uncertain about whether his sight would be completely restored.
“I am improving, but I am praying to regain my sight,” he said.
Adebayo said the person who supplied the drink claimed it had been purchased in Ore, adding that five people had consumed the product before going their separate ways.
The incident, he said, had changed his attitude towards alcoholic drinks, promising to abstain from alcohol if he survived the ordeal.
“If God saves me, I swear I will never take any drinks again, including beer. God should please save me,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government has stopped the burial of victims of the suspected poisoning as authorities commence autopsies to determine the cause of the deaths.
The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, said families of the deceased had been instructed not to bury the bodies until the necessary medical examinations were concluded.
Adegoroye disclosed that three bodies had been taken to the General Hospital, Araromi-Obu, for autopsy, while the council had approached the court for a coroner’s inquest into the deaths.
He said he alerted Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Saturday after receiving reports of a series of deaths in the affected communities, leading to the deployment of a medical team on Sunday to investigate the situation.
According to him, the team visited the affected communities and health facilities, speaking with residents and gathering information on the possible causes of the deaths and illnesses.
The council chairman also said the local government had ordered the immediate suspension of the sale of locally produced alcoholic drinks in the affected areas pending the outcome of the investigation.
He added that security agencies had been directed to enforce the directive, while some suspected sellers of the product had been arrested.
Adegoroye said investigators were also working to trace the source of the suspected alcoholic drink and establish whether its consumption was connected to the reported deaths.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, who visited health facilities in Araromi-Obu, said the government had not yet established the exact cause of the deaths.
Ajaka said preliminary investigations had ruled out viral and bacterial infections, while information gathered by the medical team suggested that some victims might have consumed alcohol mixed with an unidentified substance or concoction before they became ill.
He, however, stressed that the suspected substance had not been scientifically established as the cause of the deaths.
The commissioner said samples of the suspected substance had been collected for laboratory analysis, while blood and urine samples were also being obtained from surviving patients for toxicological tests.
He added that post-mortem examinations would form part of the investigation, noting that the exact number of deaths had yet to be conclusively determined.
Ajaka urged the public not to jump to conclusions until the results of the ongoing investigations were available.
The Ondo State Police Command has also commenced an investigation into the reported deaths.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said policemen, including personnel from the Police Medical Services, were collaborating with the state Ministry of Health and health officials from Odigbo Local Government Area to gather evidence and relevant information on the incident.