As Nigerians, the last thing we want to think about is what will happen after we die. First off, we鈥檙e not even dying anytime soon.
Although blood transfusion is common in Nigeria, not a lot of Nigerians have been in a situation where they鈥檝e had to either donate or receive an organ from another person. So we wondered, is organ donation something Nigerians would consider and why? We asked a few Nigerians and here鈥檚 what they said:
Festus, 33
I was very indifferent about organ donation until six years ago when, while still living in New York, I had to rush my roommate to the emergency room for a surgery that ended up requiring a kidney transplant. Apparently, somebody had recently passed away in the hospital, and based on the severity of his case, he got bumped up the UNOs list or something. Because his parents lived far away, I had to be on top of everything. Watching him finally get a kidney was a lot for me. I registered to become an organ donor that day. What if the person whose kidney he got hadn鈥檛 registered? Would he be alive today? We鈥檇 never know. If it could save my friend, I鈥檇 love to give someone else and their family a second chance as well.
Babatunde, 26
God forbid! Unless it鈥檚 a family member, I鈥檓 not trying that shit鈥攊t鈥檚 creepy AF. So many times we鈥檝e seen movies where someone receives an organ and creepy shit starts to happen to them. I know I鈥檒l be dead and it鈥檚 not my business what happens to the person who collected my organs, but I still think it鈥檚 weird that a part of me would be out here living in someone else鈥檚 body.
Kelechi, 22
Once I鈥檓 dead, I don鈥檛 see why I should be holding on to something I鈥檓 not using. It makes zero sense to me. Alive or not, if I can help, I鈥檓 more than happy to do it. Science and medicine have come a long way when it comes to giving people a second chance at life and I want to play my part. I鈥檒l be dead either way, so why not? They can take everything, down to my eyeballs and skin, it鈥檚 not like I鈥檒l be using it. But I鈥檒l prefer it if it goes to a human being that needs it, not some random research facility.
Akinola, 30
When I was still a teenager, I donated a kidney to my older brother. Unfortunately, his body rejected it and he passed away not too long after. While I鈥檝e done it before, I don鈥檛 think I can do it again unless I鈥檓 actually dead. But even at that, I鈥檇 rather donate it to a research facility. Something about my brother dying despite all we did to save him still has a strange effect on how I view organ donations.
Ifeyinwa, 27
I鈥檓 a doctor, what do you expect? I鈥檝e seen so many people lose their lives simply because they couldn鈥檛 access an organ, or maybe the organ got to them too late. That feeling of knowing you can help, but the power is out of your hands 鈥 mehn, it can be devastating. If I feel like this, think about the person鈥檚 family and loved ones. As a doctor, I鈥檝e seen too much to not want to help in any way I can. For now sha, I haven鈥檛 had to give one out but when the call comes, I鈥檒l be there like NEPA bill.
Musty, 30
People can do that in Nigeria? I thought it was only outside the country like India or something. Either way, I鈥檓 totally down to donate my brain because the truth is, a lot of Nigerians don鈥檛 have sense. LOL.
Cynthia, 22
I don鈥檛 think the Bible speaks against it, but my spirit just doesn鈥檛 agree with the idea of either having someone else鈥檚 organ in or me giving out an organ to someone else. I can鈥檛 categorically explain it, but it just doesn鈥檛 work for me. If a family member needs an organ, the hospital should provide it. If they can鈥檛, I鈥檓 sure God will provide another solution. I鈥檓 not sure I can do it.聽
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