OUR HEADS OUR ALL!

The first, last and only slap I received from my dad was a resounding and resetting (corrective) one that I promised myself “never again” will I ever put myself in any position where  such a slap would be warranted from him again. The shock and the lasting effect gives me the shivers till today even though I was barely a teenager when it happened. Just imagine that kind of slap from an angry uniformed ‘oga’ commandant at the barracks, then you’d understand the kind of slap I’m talking about. Even though he later apologized when he found out I was wrong accused, I didn’t feel any better as the horror was beyond explanation.

And so it is with such a horror I watch any boxing match and always wonder how the boxers cope with the heavy blows received on their heads and faces. I keep wondering that if a single slap did what it did to me (as I saw many stars hovering about my head) then one can only imagine what the blows would feel like. Forget about those headgears! I think they do little or nothing in protecting them.

I’ve always feared for them, wondering if it wouldn’t lead to head concussions or brain injuries. Thus it didn’t come too much as a surprise when I heard on sky news that young Patrick Day, an American boxer has just died at 27  as a result of a brain injury he received while in a fight with Charles Conwell in Chicago barely four days after. I wasn’t too surprised.

Head injuries are some of the most complicated injuries in the world today.

People mostly get head injuries from accidents anywhere, including domestic accidents. Sometimes from just ordinary play to hitting your head against a wall or even as little as while getting into a car and hitting the head against the door frame, can cause issues in the head. Those are examples of accidents.

Even some parents and guardians are very guilty of hitting their wards on the heads and this is a "no no" that should  be stopped.

But then, how does one handle the boxing sport? What are the kinds of steps taken to ensure that these injuries are reduced or completely eradicated? No one would suggest that it should be stopped; as it’s a means of livelihood for those involved and also an exciting game for some. So what measures should henceforth be taken?

As the world mourns the exit of Patrick day, we hope that the issue of injuries during these money spinning fights be looked into in order to save other young ones like Patrick, premature deaths.

©Stella Ene – Inyang