by Rachel Ogbu

The viewing centre and Ismail

In an ironic twist of events as Nigerians celebrated the match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Elephants of Cote, there were cries of anguish heard at the Ismail household.  Moshood Ismail, 40, on Sunday February 3 collapsed and died at a viewing center in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while watching the match.

The game had only just started when Ismail, a father of two and an engineer with the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency suddenly collapsed.

According to reports, an eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that Ismail became agitated and later collapsed when an Ivorien defender deflected a goal-bound shot from Victor Moses.

Ismail’s neighbor, Taiwo Adebayo, who was also at the viewing center when the incident occurred, said, “He (Ismail) fell on the ground and immediately started foaming in the mouth before he later died.”

Reports alleged that he was immediately rushed to Success Medical Clinic where no doctor was available to attend to him.

Adebayo said that Ismail was, however, given some first aid treatment before he was taken to another hospital but died on the way. “We were together when the match started. When Moses fired a shot and it was deflected by an opposing player, he (Ismail) fell and started foaming in the mouth.

“We immediately rushed him to a clinic. When we got to Success Medical Clinic, the doctor was not available and the nurses gave him first aid treatment.

“He was referred to another hospital (First Alpha). But on our way, the vehicle gear got damaged and we took a taxi.

“When we got to the hospital, the doctor confirmed him dead,” Adebayo said.

The Punch reports:

But the Medical Director, Success Medical Clinic, Sulaiman Kolawole, said that Ismail was brought into his clinic dead, adding that efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful.

Kolawole said the death was due to excessive intake of carbon dioxide which resulted in “anoxia”.

He said, “The man was brought in dead. It is supposed to be a heart attack, because he looked weak, like someone who had been sick for a very long time.

“He looked like someone who was managing his life and was now in the midst of a crowd with shortage of oxygen in that area. We call it anoxia, which is excessive intake of carbon dioxide persistently for a long period of time. But it was late before he was brought here.”

Ismail’s widow, Tawakalitu Temilola, told our correspondent at their Abeokuta home that her husband’s sudden death was still like a dream.

Sobbing profusely, Tawakalitu said that hours before the match started, her husband in company with some of his friends left the house. There was no hint that he would die.

She said Ismail, who survived an accident about two months ago, left behind octogenarian parents.

She said, “He was involved in an accident about two months ago. The accident was fatal but he survived. So, this incident is like a dream but we give thanks to Almighty Allah.”