I’ll Never Drink Again if God Saves Me’ – Survivor Of Ondo Herbal Drink Tragedy

A 32-year-old survivor of the Ondo herbal drink tragedy has vowed never to take alcohol again if he recovers from the ordeal.

Shola Adebayo made the vow after consuming a locally made alcoholic drink known as “Monkey Tail”, which he said left him struggling with his sight.

Adebayo took two shots of the drink after a friend brought it from Ore. By the following day, he could barely see properly and his family rushed him to hospital.

“I took Monkey Tail. On Saturday, I discovered I couldn’t see very well, so I called my sister and I was taken to the hospital,” he said.

“I’m getting better, but I’m praying for my eyes. If God saves me, I swear I will never take any drinks again. Even beer, I won’t take.”

Adebayo’s experience came as the death toll from suspected consumption of adulterated locally made alcoholic drinks rose in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

More than 30 people have reportedly died, while over 50 others remain in hospitals across affected communities.

The fatalities occurred in Odigbo town, Newtown, Orita and Araromi-Obu, leaving families and residents in mourning.

The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Adegoroye Taiwo, confirmed the deaths and disclosed that authorities had arrested a suspected seller of the toxic drink.

He said the suspect had been handed over to the police in Akure as investigations continued into the source of the substance.

Adegoroye said preliminary findings from medical experts and toxicologists linked the deaths to adulterated locally produced alcoholic drinks.

He explained that the state government responded after he alerted Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The government then deployed a medical team from Akure to the affected communities. Officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and the World Health Organisation joined the team.

The local government subsequently banned the sale and consumption of locally made alcohol. It also directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates the order.

Adegoroye said residents use different names for the drinks, including “Jeji” and “Ere”.

“Those drinks that are not approved by NAFDAC, like ogogoro and ethanol, were the primary suspects based on the results of the toxicologists,” he said.

The chairman noted that earlier reports put the death toll at about 27, with roughly 30 people hospitalised.

However, he said the medical team would provide the official figures after completing its assessment.

Community mourns victims

Meanwhile, a relative of some victims, Adebayo Adetayo Adedeji, said the community had lost three young men in the tragedy.

He identified the victims as Leo, Bidemi and Matthew, describing their deaths as painful and unexpected.

Adedeji said Bidemi had no known illness before he suddenly complained of dizziness and died.

“The death of Bidemi was particularly painful because the young man was not known to be suffering from any illness before he suddenly complained of dizziness and died,” he said.

He welcomed the local government’s decision to stop the sale and consumption of locally made alcohol.

“If they had not banned the drinking or selling of alcohol in the local government, by now Odigbo would have been a death depot,” he said.

The traditional ruler of Odigbo Kingdom, Oba Dr. Rufus Akinrimade, also urged residents to disregard claims that the deaths resulted from a cultural taboo.

According to the monarch, investigations pointed instead to the consumption of locally produced alcoholic substances.

“At the end of the day, we realised it was caused by taking different alcoholic substances, locally made alcohol,” he said.

Oba Akinrimade urged residents, particularly youths, to exercise caution and pay attention to the source of substances they consume.

Health authorities are continuing their investigation as medical teams assess the affected communities and work to establish the full scale of the tragedy.