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
