15 years after losing his two arms in the line of duty, respite has come the way of Tairu Quadri as the management of the Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company, NELMCO, compensates him with N30 million.
National Assembly Correspondent, Joke Adisa, who traced his story from 2008 puts together the travails and triumph of a young man whose vibrant and promising life came to an abrupt end with the amputation of his two arms.
Young and full of life, Tairu Quadri had a vision to become a reputable Electrical engineer in Nigeria and beyond.
In April, 2008, he secured a placement at the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Lagos, for his internship as a 400 Level student of Electrical Engineering from the Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ogun state.
But on the 5th of May, barely two weeks into his industrial training, tragedy struck.
While on official assignment, Tairu Quadri was electrocuted, a situation caused by a breakdown in communication between a dispatch operator and a switch operator at the office.
And his life came to a standstill.
His academic journey also ended abruptly.
Thankfully Tairu Quadri lived to tell his story, though with visible scars of the tragedy, his colleague died in the process of trying to save him.
Since then, his life has taken a different turn.
He depends largely on family members, particularly his wife for feeding, bathing and more.
But he is active on social media , makes calls and he shows me how.
This brief ceremony to present him a cheque has brought back memories of his struggles.
The battle for compensation started in 2016 through Wale Raji, member representing Epe Federal Constituency where Tairu Quadri hails from.
Wale Raji recounts the quest for justice by the 8th, 9th and 10th House of Representatives.
Through the Committee on Petitions, the House awarded N100m to the victim as compensation from PHCN.
But the resolution of the House remained so until now when NELMCO finally agreed to pay N30m after series of computations.
Tairu Quadri is grateful for all the efforts that has led to the compensation but says it is not enough for his lost two arms.
Tairu’s wife of over 13 years recounts her family’s ordeal.
The mother of 3 tells me it has not been easy coping with the sad reality of her husband’s fate but she is thankful all the same.
Tairu Quadri’s father and Representative Wale Raji advised the couple to make good plans and invest more, especially in the aftermath of the N30m compensation.
