Malik Akowiah nearly lost his life in Nigeria

UNKNOWN to the fans and many of the officials, what could have been a tragedy

was averted during the second semi-final match between the Super Eagles Team B

and Ghana Black Stars on Thursday.

Midway into the match, which was played under floodlight, Black Stars’ player,

Akowuah Malik, had a head-on collision with his Super Eagles challenger and went

into coma immediately after that. According to the Director, State Accident and

Ambulance Services, Dr. Adeyemi Adekunle, the Ghanaian suffered what he called

“Cerebral Concursion” and it took the medical team 12 minutes to revive him.

“It was a very serious issue, but thank God we were able to handle it,” he said.

“There was a head-on collision and the player passed out immediately. We offered

a first aid treatment on the pitch before he was stretched out.

“As at the time we took him into the ambulance, he was still in coma and our

initial plan was to rush him to the hospital to carry out a scan in what we

refer to in medical term as ‘Computer Tolographic (CT) on his brain. But then,

there was a vehicle blocking the entrance of the gate and the owner was not

forth coming even when the announcer was making repeated calls for him to move

his car.

“Time was running out and what I did was to work on him inside the ambulance. He

eventually regained consciousness and that was after about 10 to 12 minutes. He

told me later that the only thing he remembered was that he jumped up to contest

a ball with a Nigerian and that was all.

“Even when I took him to his hotel at Continental Suits, I had to take the

ambulance to my house and I slept with one eye open. I was really scared but

thank God for his mercy.”

Nigeria had just equalised through Ekiho Ehiosun and each team was struggling to

outdo the other when Malik got the injury. He was replaced by Atiah Sumaila, but

the Eagles went on to win the game 2-1 with an extra time goal by Warri Wolves’

rave of the moment, Ehiosun, in the 119th minute.