Says Don’t let your condition stop you
Emmanuel Ukudolo I Monday, July 28, 2025
OSUBI, Warri, Delta – Is there anything that can ever stop you from achieving your dreams, your aspirations in life? Could lack of legs, a non-functional heap and the rest be a hindrance?
Certainly not for Eric Ebodaghe, a young cab driver in his 40s, that transports passengers between Warri and Ughelli, Benin and as far as Lagos.
It was just a chance encounter on my way from Ughelli to Osubi Airport, Warri, Delta State.
I had arrived Afisiere from Isiokolo where I visited for a brief holiday and laboured in vain seeking an Uber Ride from Ughelli to Osubi Airport.
After the fruitless search for over five minutes, I had the hunch to approach the Afisiere Park, which I had ignored upon my arrival. I could only see a number of Toyota Sienna and buses all heading to Warri. I approached James, a middle aged man who was playing with his little baby that I need a small cab, not Sienna that can drop me at the Osubi Airport on my way to Lagos and he led me to Eric who is seated in his Toyota Corolla.
We haggled the fare after he told me N15,000 for the drop. I told him I will pay N12,000. Osubi is just about 10 minutes drive from the Afisiere park. Eric grudgingly agreed and we set out after putting my baggage in the back seat, his tailgate was unsuitable since it had a folded wheelchair but it didn’t occur to me it was his.
We set out on the journey but midway into the trip I spotted protruding irons, one from the accelerator and the other attached to the brake. I became curious but not apprehensive due to his expertise and excellent driving skills. I pulled out my phone and took a photo shot.
He smiled and said, “You take the picture?”, and I said yes, adding yours is an inspiration and it was just enough for Eric to reel out his experience even as he equally turned an interviewer along the way: He wanted to know how I make my money, if the Federal Government gives me money after I introduced myself as a journalist.
Eric is a trained truck driver. On a particular day, he was on a motorbike rushing to his park when the motorbike conveying him crashed into another motorbike and he found himself on the floor, an approaching vehicle picked him up and dragged in a long distance along the road but it was the wailings of eyewitness that slowed down the vehicle and disentangled him from the vehicle but all the same the driver escaped and he found himself in the hospital for treatment.
The treatment was successful, at least his life was saved. But he was rendered almost useless.
He was paralyzed from the waist down and unsuitable for a prostatic feet. It was partly a spinal cord issue. No sensation from the waist down to the legs and left with no option but to move on wheelchair.
But in this situation, he asked the reporter how long he will have to beg for assistance. “If they help you today, the story will be different tomorrow. They won’t even pick up your calls and they may not even want to see you again”.
Just as he said those who promised to assist him started foot dragging but an interested party advised him to look for something to do and be useful to himself.
He took the advice. But prior to this crippling accident he had a car. He made up his mind to drive it nonetheless but how will he do it without his waist and feet?
He thought of something unusual. He picked up some metals and off he went to consult with a welder.
After some initial hesitation that the idea was novel and something that is new to him, the welder set out to work, and with his careful guidance, his ideas became a reality.
He said it was not easy at first driving with the metals but that he had to learn for two weeks even as a licensed truck driver
until he perfected the skill.
He has since been driving in the past three years. So far, he has used 4 four cars and that he changes the car as soon as they develop fault. This Corolla he drives was purchased last year for N4 million with N2 million loan. He said he pays N10,000 daily. He is optimistic that the car will be his as soon as he is through with the loan repayment.
He takes about two to three trips daily before he retires for rest. After listening to his inspirational story, I told him in Urhobo that I will pay the initial N15,000 he charged from Ughelli to Osubi as part of my contribution to what he is doing and told him that Jehovah God is able and his hands are not far from us as parked his car to drop me off at the airport.
However along the way it was clear he is well known to the policemen who were very quick to give him passage at the numerous checkpoints.
His advice to those in similar situations is “don’t let your situation hold you back”. He added that instead of begging he is the one giving alms to others in need
