He broke down in tears when I removed my face mask at his bedside. It was Monday 11:30 am. The mask was part of the visitor’s costume at the theatre. His name: Haruna Rasheed Osman, Nasara Coordinator for the New Patriotic Party, Agona West. Why the tears?
He was apparently overwhelmed seeing Prof at his bedside as he reeled in pain; he had earlier been visited by Chris Arthur, the NPP Parliamentary candidate. ‘We are with you, you are not alone,’ I told him carefully holding his right hand, the last two fingers wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage.
Rasheed was one of the victims from a bloody clash between two factions of Agona West NPP Sunday night, commonly coded as Cynthia Morrison versus Chris Arthur. Shots had been fired by an unknown gun man into the crowd including a convoy of party supporters advancing from a nearby village, he said. Like a dream, he suddenly realized two of his fingers had been badly hit, almost chopped off; and a hail of pellets lodged in the left side of his body frame. He sobbed uncontrollably narrating the incident: ‘If I had died I would have died for nothing’.
‘No Rasheed, don’t cry. Your party and Agonaman are solidly behind you, and doctors say you will recover soon.’
A nurse came around, adjusted his drip, and asked a few questions common with preparations for surgery.
Thereafter came a medical team, ready to be briefed by the doctor on duty.
Rasheed was virtually on his way for surgery.
Let’s pray for Rasheed and all who sustained injuries or were traumatized from the clash.