- Safiu Kehinde
At exactly 7:30pm on Thursday, residents, former residents, survivors, and victims gathered at a now cleared parcel of land within Bodija Estate for the candle night procession.
Standing distance apart from the land now outgrown with weeds, the haunting memory of this epicenter where mining explosives detonated from on the 16th of January 2024 glowed in the minds of the crowd just like the candle they held.
The Bodija explosion, which occurred around Adeyi avenue and Dejo Oyelese street axis, was a toast with death to some, and a source of permanent scars to others who lost loved ones and properties.
I thought rapture had come
For Pamela who was visiting the scene for the first time since the explosion, the night of the ugly incident was like rapture to her.
“By this time last year, it happened around 7:30pm. This one is not as if they told me. I experienced it. In fact, I’m a survivor. I went to do road walk like I usually do every evening. Last year by this time, I went to Osuntokun. So as I was coming back, I already got to my house but stood outside. The next thing I heard was gboah! And I was outside. That was the only thing I remembered.
“I did not know where I was for like five minutes. I didn’t know what I was seeing. After I opened my eyes, everywhere was covered with smoke. I couldn’t even recognize my house because I was outside the compound. I couldn’t find my way inside. It had directly pulled out our gate. As at that time I didn’t know what was happening. I thought rapture had taken place.” Pamela narrated.
A Call from Work
Banji Fadehan rushed back to the estate he left few minutes before disaster struck only to see huge brick lying on his bed in what he could barely recognize as his home.
He had received a prompt call from work around 6:10pm which led to him leaving the house before receiving the news of the explosion while on his way to Osogbo.
“I left home ten minutes after six because I was called from work that night. I said I may not be able to make it back that same night so I decided to spend the night at Osogbo. Then I received a call that Daddy are you at home? I said no.
“They said there was an explosion at my house. I was like I just left home. They said it was so serious! Then I drove back. I drove in such a manner I couldn’t imagine.
“As I came back, I saw everywhere in tatters. I got home, I saw the place that I left and was deeply devastated. Dust everywhere. The bed that I stood up from, there was brick stone lying on that same bed.
“I could have been killed on that bed that night. It was a call from work that prompted me to be on my way to Osogbo. That was how I was not with those affected.
“But all the windows, roofs, doors were shattered. That night, I was in total shock. I couldn’t sleep. It was a night of terror. It was a night of trauma.
“I would rather say may the good Lord not allow us experience such again.” Fadehan said.
We thought it was a Coup- Former Oyo Deputy Governor
Also recounting the incident was former Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Iyiola Oladokun, whose house was over 100 meters apart from the scene of the incident.
Iyiola who is also an executive member of the Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group (DVOG), recalled thinking a coup had taken place as he saw some other members caked with dust.
“We give glory to God almighty for his mercies over all of us that survived this horrendous event that happened one year ago.
“It was about this time exactly that we started hearing gboah! gbo! I just started wondering where it was coming from. Was there a coup? Before we knew it, we started seeing shattered glasses, windows, and doors flying around.
“It is only those that are affected that could imagine because it cannot be described. One can only describe it in the state of what he witnessed or experienced.
“I came out, my house was just 100 meters from here, not knowing the extent of what had happened until I got to the junction here and I saw some of members in dust.” Iyiola said.
The ex-governor further expressed his gratitude to God for the timing of the incident as well as to the members of the community and those who supported the victims.
“I want to appreciate God once again and for all those who came to assistance. Because as the President said this afternoon, if that incident did not happen as at the time it happened, only God can imagine the extend of the damage that would have happened.
“I want to appreciate our people for the spirit of togetherness- most especially members of the executives of Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group.
“As of today, I cannot recount but I know we must have had not less than 100 meetings- unscheduled and emergencies to attend to issues that come up.
“For all of us to be here this evening shows humanity in us because it is very easy to say well I don’t have the time.” The ex-deputy governor added.
On his part, the Chairman of Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA), Muyiwa Bamgbose, disclosed that the association has recommended an undisclosed amount for every single life that was lost in the incident and also for those who lost property and cars.
While blaming the cause of incident on carelessness, Bamgbose hinted the possibility of maintaining the annual remembrance.
“Someone was rushing in to help people and lost his life. Someone want to move his car away from danger, himself and his car were badly affected.
“As a community, we made this pledge not to allow this to go unmarked. For some days now, we have been meeting with the committee set up by the Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to plan or structure how people will be supported. We were looking at only financial support. They had recommended some amount for every single life that was lost. We have five on the record. We earmarked an amount for them and for houses that were damaged, cars that were damaged and so on.
“But we never thought of minds that were damaged. In church, somebody told us that a mother said ‘is this how he will die like dog?
“As someone who meant well, we promise that this will continue to be a memorial. If we continue to gather like this every year, it will do. If it is not possible, we make a promise to keep these people’s memory in our hearts.
“As we do this, let’s promise ourselves that we will remember this people and we will also remember why this happened. It happened because some people were carelessness and we will not allow that happen again if God help us.” Bamgbose said.
Speaking earlier at the memorial service at Bodija Baptist church, the community chairman held that things have not been the same since the blast.
Commiserating with the families of the deceased victims, Bamgbose called for justice, adding that some families are still continue to face hardship, especially on accommodation.
He, however, expressed gratitude on the timing of the incident which he said would have been brutal had been it occurred in the, afternoon, midnight, or on a Sunday.
“Since the blast, things have not being normal. You will see light coming on and off. Sometimes, fans will blow when it shouldn’t blow and not blow when it should blow.
“We remember Mr. Fimihan Fagbemi, Mr. Toluwalase Kehinde, Mr. Ladipo Oyebanji, Mrs Agnes Badmus, and Mr. Bolu Adegoke.
“Their absence are really felt and we extend our condolences to their families and loved ones. May their souls rest in peace.
“Our gratitude and support to the aftermath of this tragedy is an outpouring of support that exemplifies strength and unity of our community.
“There are things that worked in our favour. If it was in the afternoon or middle of the night, they story would have been worse. If it was on a Sunday, this particular church, this particular church a lot of things came down. So you could have imagined.
“Despite support received, many residents continue to face hardship. Numerous families remain unable to return to their homes. Some properties overgrown with weeds. We are waiting for compensation.
“As we remember those we have lost, let us also renew our commitment.
“Number one, advocate for justice. We want the authorities to ensure that those responsible are held accountable to prevent such incidents.” Bamgbose said.