Wife of Ras Kimono, the late reggae maestro, Efemena Okedi, died yesterday. Efemena’s death in her Magodo-Isheri, Lagos home came three months after Ras Kimono passed on.
Onome Akpobome said that she had only complained about a chest pain in the early hours of Sunday, and was taken to three hospitals which all refused to admit her.
Efemena, who was Ras Kimono’s third and closest wife, was also a member of the Rum-Bar Stylée’s band. Kimono, who celebrated his 60th birthday with friends and family, had concluded plans to travel to the United States before his demise in June.
He said: “On Saturday, we went to the beach for my uncle’s birthday. Nothing went wrong until about 2 a.m when she woke us up to change over because PHCN had brought the light, she then went upstairs and started complaining of chest pain. At this point, she started breathing awkwardly”.
“Her elder sister who is a nurse attended to her and gave her first aid but her breathing was still laboured so we decided to take her to the hospital.
First, we went to (a hospital in) Ogba but the staff we saw were unresponsive. I was shocked to see their unconcerned countenance. When we saw that they were not ready to help us so we left and drove to (another hospital).
A doctor saw her there, checked her pulse and said she was still breathing but that they had no facilities to treat her. So he referred us to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja.
“When we got to LASUTH at about 4 am, they also wasted our time for over 40 minutes and by the time they were ready to treat her, we heard she had stopped breathing.
“The pain is worse for me because none of the three hospitals treated the case as an emergency. In fact, I have given up on Nigeria because they all had up to three hours to save my mum, how can over three hospitals in Lagos not have the right facility to treat breathing problems? – None of them even had a stretcher, I am just totally done with this country.”
Confirming Efemena’s death, the Project Manager of Premiere Music, Michael Odiong, expressed shock at the sad incident.
He said: “Yes, Efe Kimono is dead. She was confirmed dead today, early this morning (yesterday).”
Notable singer and entertainer, and the President of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Pretty Okafor, expressed shock at Kimono’s wife’s demise.
He said: “I don’t know what to say again. I can’t handle it.”
Also, popular songwriter and gospel artist, Zubby Enebeli, described the news of the death of Efemena as devastating.
He said: “It’s very devastating, I am dumbfounded. I and Efe chatted yesterday afternoon. We talked about Oge, Kimono’s daughter’s new single.
I complimented her for all she’s been doing in helping to package Oge. Then I further asked her, if she was going to continue her singing career, as we all are very much aware of her singing abilities, and she said she was working on a single to be released soonest, only to receive a call from Segun Arinze informing me of her death.
My brother I’m just tired. Just a month after Kimono’s burial, I am shocked. There is nothing in this life at all.”
Ras Kimono died on 10th of June and was buried in his hometown, Onicha-Olona, in Aniocha North, Delta State on August 26, amidst outpouring of tributes.