Two Shots of ‘Monkey Tail’ Leave Ondo Man Fighting to Regain Sight.

A 32-year-old man, Shola Adebayo, is battling to regain his sight after consuming two shots of a locally produced alcoholic drink popularly known as “Monkey Tail” in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Adebayo, who is receiving treatment in hospital, said he consumed the drink with a friend on Friday, unaware that it would leave him with severely impaired vision the following day.

His account came as the Ondo State Government intensified investigations into a suspected poisoning incident in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area, where more than 30 people were feared dead and over 50 others hospitalised, according to preliminary reports.

The affected communities include Odigbo town, Newtown, Orita and Araromi-Obu.

Narrating his ordeal from his hospital bed, Adebayo said he had previously consumed the locally produced alcoholic drink without experiencing any adverse reaction.

He said: “I took Monkey Tail on Friday with my friend. I took two shots and went home. On Saturday, I discovered that I could not see well. I called my sister, and she took me to the hospital.”

The survivor said his condition had begun to improve since he commenced treatment, but expressed concern about whether he would fully regain his sight.

“I am improving, but I am praying to regain my sight,” he said.

Adebayo disclosed that the person who gave him the drink said it had been purchased in Ore, adding that five people consumed the product before going their separate ways.

The experience, he said, had changed his perception of alcohol, vowing never to consume alcoholic drinks again if he survived the ordeal.

“If God saves me, I swear I will never take any drinks again, including beer. God should please save me,” he said.

Meanwhile, the state government has withheld the bodies of victims of the suspected poisoning from burial as authorities commence autopsies to determine the cause of the sudden deaths.

The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, said families of the deceased had been directed not to bury the bodies until the necessary medical examinations were completed.

According to him, three bodies have been taken to the General Hospital, Araromi-Obu, for autopsy.

He also disclosed that the council had approached the court to seek a coroner’s inquest into the deaths as authorities intensified efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.

Adegoroye said he alerted Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Saturday after receiving reports of incessant deaths in the area, leading to the deployment of a medical team to the affected communities on Sunday.

He said the team commenced investigations in the communities and health facilities, engaging residents and gathering information on the possible causes of the deaths and illnesses.

The council chairman also disclosed that the local government had ordered an immediate suspension of the sale of locally produced alcoholic drinks in the affected areas pending the outcome of the investigation.

He said security agencies had been directed to enforce the order, adding that some persons suspected of selling the product had been arrested.

According to him, investigators were tracing the source of the suspected alcoholic drink and determining whether its consumption was linked to the deaths.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, who visited health facilities in Araromi-Obu, said the government had yet to establish the exact cause of the deaths.

Ajaka said preliminary investigations had ruled out viral and bacterial infections. At the same time, information gathered by the medical team indicated that some victims might have consumed alcohol mixed with an unidentified substance or concoction shortly before falling ill.

He, however, stressed that the suspected substance had not been scientifically confirmed as the cause of the deaths.

The commissioner said samples of the suspected substance had been collected for laboratory analysis, while blood and urine samples were being obtained from surviving patients for toxicological examination.

He added that post-mortem examinations would also form part of the investigation.

Ajaka said the exact number of deaths could not yet be conclusively established, urging members of the public to avoid concluding that the results of the investigations were available.

The Ondo State Police Command has also commenced an investigation into the reported deaths.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said officers, including personnel from the Police Medical Services, were working with the state Ministry of Health and Odigbo Local Government health authorities to collect evidence and relevant information.

He said medical and toxicological examinations were being conducted to determine whether any substance was responsible for the fatalities.

The police cautioned residents against spreading unverified information or attributing the deaths to any particular substance while laboratory analyses and investigations were ongoing.

The Command urged residents of the affected communities to remain calm and cooperate with investigators, while advising members of the public to avoid consuming unregulated or suspicious alcoholic and herbal preparations pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, assured residents that the Command would unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths and take appropriate action against anyone found culpable.

The authorities are awaiting the results of the autopsies, laboratory tests and toxicological examinations, which are expected to provide clearer answers about the causes of the deaths and illnesses.