Story: Two Realms ( Romance Thriller)-Season 1

Episode 10
Richard could hear the chirping of the crickets jumping outside his bedroom. This time, he enjoyed it and didn’t shut the bedroom windows. Nothing than their chirping and the blustering of Ezinne’s showering could have best created the moment.
She walked out of the bathroom, coated with the soap’s fragrance, which added to the moment. Richard inhaled all of her as she dawdled to the wardrobe for her nightgown. He decided it was better he asked the question before she clothed.
He sauntered to her behind and held her trim, slender waist. Her gaze fell on him and remained there as he brought out the ring case from his trouser pocket.
“I want to marry you, Ezinne. Will you be my wife?” Holding the ring, he looked fixedly into her small, round eyes, but couldn’t find an answer there. She kept looking and looking, but didn’t speak. It was surprise. Yes, it was, and she would soon be over it. She would soon say the word. His year break in LA wasn’t enough for her to say otherwise.
“Rick…”
His name wasn’t important at the now.
“Rick… Yes Rick, I’ll marry you.”
He lifted her into his arms and complemented her smile with a wider one. “We’ll be having two girls and two boys.”
Joining lips with hers, he la!d her atop the mattress. Sooner, he wouldn’t be balancing both worlds. A wife, a home, all in one world, one complete world, one complete faith. But now, he had just proposed and got a yes. For this little time before they climbed the altar, God, please forgive him. He ripped off her towel and pressed himself against her. God, he prayed, please forgive.
#
He greeted her with a good-morning kiss. She yawned and stretched arms, her first sign of tiredness after a rough night. He rose from the bed, did a short prayer and lumbered into the bathroom.
When done bathing, he turned on the lights and met her eyes.
Her helpless self was stretched on the bed, and the memory of the hospital girl slunk into him. He eased closer to her and sat by her. A second good morning kiss fully opened her eyes.
“There’s something I’d like us to discuss,” he said.
“What’s it?”
“It’s concerning that kleptomaniac.”
She spun herself fully to him. “What happened to her?”
“She will soon be discharged.”
“She’s cured?”
“Will be. Very soon. It’s a process. The therapist said there is one last thing. He said she should lodge here for about a month so she can create close ties with us. It’s needed to effectively complete her therapy.”
The whir of the ceiling fan amplified. It soared until Ezinne’s words came forth. “When is she coming?”
“I’ll talk with the therapist.”

Story: Two Realms ( Romance Thriller)-Season 1

Episode 9
All Richard wanted to hear was “All is done” or something close. The therapist refused to tell him that. Instead, he chose his everyday words that didn’t fit. The man arranged his spectacles the way he did when about vomiting something important.
“Disorders might take years to heal, but it does heal with the right approach. The hospital has done its part. What is left is hers. And yours. She would leave the hospital, but that doesn’t end her therapy. It’s only a transition from one phase to another. The new phase is very fragile and has to be done perfectly. She is now at your watch, yours, and no one else’s.” He pointed a finger to Richard. “You’re now the one to do the talks. You’re now her therapist. She should be able to confide in you, so you can be aware of any lapse she makes, and if such happens often, do the good of coming here. If this phase is done perfectly, her illness would forever be history.”
That would have been easy but for the way the therapist had sounded. Never expect anything good from the doctors; that didn’t apply to only those in the surgery wards. Worse here. Worse in a psychiatric hospital. “Any idea on how to do that effectively?”
“Stay close and be very sensitive. I know it isn’t easy for a man of your status, considering your work and all, but spare some time for the woman.”
Now that his work needed time, he had been asked to cut out of the little he had, the little he shared with his woman.
“What if she remains here, then I will come see her at intervals? Maybe spend few minutes after closure from work.”
“Here?” The therapist’s left cheek folded up. “Right now, here is a cage to her, which is the last thing you’d want.” The therapist paused and Richard sensed the formation of another set of words—another set of dangerous words. “She’ll have to lodge with you, or you lodge with her. You’ve been the one with her since her therapy began. I can’t risk you being too far from her, because your work won’t allow you see her much often. And I can’t risk her staying in a house alone, not at this stage of her recovery.”
Non-sequitur. Worse than what he had thought.
He didn’t live alone. He lived with a woman; that was supposed to make the therapist come up with another option, but it didn’t. Make your partner close to her, he said. They were both women. It could be an advantage and would reduce the workload.
The truth that Ezinne had never been a fan was hard to deny. The girl stole her perfume, and that was not a thing to like someone for. “What if I can’t have her in my house? And of course, I can’t stay in hers.”
“I didn’t expect to have trouble from you.
The trouble I think I should have is getting her to agree lodging with you or you with her. This last phase can either strengthen her health or melt it back to its very bad onset.”
“How many weeks are we talking?”
“All goes well, then it may not exceed a month.”
A month. That contained four weeks that housed so many days.
“You should go see her before the day gets darker.”
It was already dark enough. He rose and headed for the door.
#
Richard lingered over cutting out a piece of fish from its chunk. He cried over his toothache that denied him beef as he watched Jide slice his. Jide carved beef the funny way Ezinne did—into small squares. It was interesting to know not only Ezinne sliced beef into squares.
Jide sometimes looked at his wristwatch as though a thirty-minute break in a cafeteria was a sin. No, it wasn’t a sin, Lauren had called him she would be coming and like he had said, he didn’t want her to wait any minute in his secretary’s.
Richard wondered why the white girl liked Erneto so much. Her dad had an office like Jide’s. If she so much liked offices, that would do, rather than perching in and out of his company at her will. “Why exactly is she coming to Erneto?” Richard asked Jide, trying not to sound too grim.
“I don’t know. She called this morning, saying she would.”
“When is her school resuming?”
“They have. Her phone call was from school.”
Now, he was sure she was that type of girl.
Serious girls never left school for no important reason.
Jide’s phone rang. He answered it and told someone to meet him at the café. Lauren.
“She reminds me of my little yellow nephew.
You’d think this nephew of mine is from overseas,” he said.
“Have I seen that one?”
“No. She stays in the east.”
Through the glass wall behind Jide, Richard saw Lauren dawdle, topped with a bobble hat too small to swallow the whole of her blonde hair.
She approached them without missing a smile, and dragged a chair to their middle, grazing the tiles. Sweat circles edged her earlobe the same way her red lipstick thickened at the edges of her lips.
“Jide… you’re not in a suit jacket today,” she said as if it was a good thing.
“I’m not always in a suit.”
She turned to Richard. “Bad we can’t say the same for Mr CEO.”
“He didn’t use to always be like this,” Jide said, and Richard knew exactly where his friend was headed. The topic never left his mouth.
“How?” Lauren asked.
“You’re sitting with an old soldier.”
She whirled to Richard with bulged eyes that might fall the next minute. “Is that true?”
Keeping her inquisitiveness hanging wouldn’t be the best thing to do, especially for one with such zest. “For a little time. I went through the academy and served in the forces for some time.”
“Hmm, interesting. So was it a field marshal, commander or…”
“A lieutenant.”
She gathered her eyes at him. “What do those ones do? Are they the ones that shoot guns?” She imitates a gun with her fingers, sticking out her middle and fore finger. “Pardon me, I haven’t watched many army movies.”
“Every soldier shoots guns.”
“So you’ve fought? You’ve put bullets in the enemy’s skull?”
Introducing topics on the dining table of two men wasn’t the best thing a teenager should do.
Keeping her quiet would have conveyed the message, but Jide didn’t allow that; he introduced the peacekeeping mission in Syria, giving her more things to talk about.
“Peacekeeping,” she said. “You risked your life to maintain peace in a country that isn’t yours. That’s generous. So how did you end up in a suit instead of a uniform?”
“Dad died. I had to take over his business.”
She dropped cheeks and kept the face of a year old baby, the kind of face everyone kept when they hear of a death. “Oh…my condolences. And you’re managing the business pretty fine.”
“I travelled to LA to do some catching up, did fast learning.”
“Business suits you more than the army.”
He considered that as a compliment. “How is school?” he deliberately ended the topic.
“School would be fine if the lecturers could try some nice and stop giving me too much attention because I’m not as black as them.”
Only bad students blame lecturers, as only bad recruits blamed commanders. “With time they might grow nicer.”
“Hope the eyes on you have reduced,” Jide said.
“It’s still there. I’m seriously searching for another white to share some of the stares.”
“Don’t put much hope. You might not find any white.”
“You might find,” Richard said and focused on Jide. “Ezinne had two white course mates.
Before she and I went to bed last night, she told me of a funny, foreign course mate.”
“Your girlfriend?” Lauren asked.
The word had many substitutes. Searching for one wouldn’t have done her any trouble. “Yes. She attended the State’s university.”
“Two. Two whites is many enough. I’d be glad if I could find one to join me.”
“Would you eat something?” Jide asked her.
“No, I’m good.” She glanced at Richard’s plate. “You don’t eat meat or you’re abstaining.”
“I’m abstaining.”
“Why? You’re Catholic?” She asked with a stare that carried something resembling surprise. Perhaps, she was thinking men who had served in the forces couldn’t be Catholics.
“I’m abstaining because I have a toothache.
But I’m Catholic.”
“A devoted one or just by the name?”
“I’m a full time Catholic, a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul.”
Her white teeth flashed between her lips. “You’re not.”
“He is,” Jide helped.
“My dad is a knight of St. Jude. I know the entire tenets of the faith.”
“Meaning?” Richard asked, searching for anything funny because her teeth still flashed out.
“You’re going against the tenets. The church forbids living in the same house with a woman who’s not your wife. You just revealed you have a girlfriend whom you live with. I’m not saying it’s wrong, but… I merely thought you were the type who obeyed all the rules.”
She was right, undeniably right, but that didn’t mean he was not a Catholic. “We’re courting.”
She chuckled, the kind that neared a laugh. “Fine excuse. I didn’t expect less. Well, no one is crucifying you. Everyone does it.
Everyone tries to balance both worlds. Truth is I do it. My dad would say Jesus could meet people like us in the wrong world when he comes. That shouldn’t be your prayer—our prayer.”
The word “balancing” was too extreme. He wasn’t balancing both worlds. He wasn’t.
Even if he were, he would end up marrying his woman. He breathed in some of the hot air. It was a bad thing her words were true. God forgive him.
She reached for Jide’s glass and drank the remaining wine. “It’s not alcohol,” she said to Richard, “so stop whatever you are thinking. To why I’m here, I wanted to invite you two to my matriculation.”
Richard allowed that take him from his thoughts. “When is it?”
“13th next month.” She faced Jide. “Say something.”
“Is that why you came from school?” Jide asked.
“Actually no. I’m home to see my dad. And seeing you in person will tell you how serious I am.”
“I can’t guarantee coming.”
“Why?”
“What day is 13th?”
“A Thursday.”
“I’ll be working.”
She slackened face and pushed out lips like a sU-Ckling child. “Please just say you’ll try.”
“Yes, I’ll try.”
“Richard, you’re coming?”
She asked again, and Richard shook his head.

Story: Two Realms ( Romance Thriller)-Season 1

Episode 8
The waters falling from the shower were spikes to Ezinne. As the foam waned off her skin, she replaced them with new ones. She rubbed the sponge from her face to her shoulders and down to her middle. She stopped rubbing and stared at her belly, slid some foam off the belly and continued staring at it.
Still fixed on her belly, she began sobbing.
The water raining from the shower mixed with the teardrops hung at her eyes, washing them off and bringing in new ones. When the water washed off the remaining lather clung to her skin, she reached for her towel and cleaned up herself.
The doorbell rang. Rick. She stood front of the mirror and cleared every fold before going down the stairs. On opening the door, she met Rick and his friend.
“Echem, nn?. How was work?”
“We thank God,” Jide Echem said.
“You two loosen your ties while I go set the table.” She strained for a wide enough smile and ambled to the kitchen. After microwaving the rice meal, she set the dining and called in the men, ending their office talk of how to increase purchases and all.
She downed some of her drink and returned to her rice, pinned the salmon’s tail and sliced out its flesh into neat edges.
“I love this fruit wine,” Echem said. “Where did you get it from?”
Rick did not reply.
“Rick brought it from LA,” she said, and Richard offered to give Echem three bottles before he leaves.
They rambled on the previous day’s news of how the ocean banks overflowed again, and the folded-hands response of the Government.
“Could you pass me the wine,” she said to Jide Echem.
He passed the wine to her and continued his governmental talks with Richard.
“How’s Erneto’s condition?” she asked after sipping to evade the eyes on her. The last time they had eaten together like this, Echem asked her why she was so quiet, and she said she was merely obeying table manners, and immediately regretted her reply, because it insinuated that the men didn’t have table manners which wasn’t her intention. If she was asked the same question again, she wouldn’t have a reply to give.
“Erneto is okay,” Rick said.
“We’ll have to live in competition with Cherlet forever,” Echem added, in a way that said he wanted the conversation to continue. Someone else should pick the baton from him.
“What of the donations to the children hospital, is that still on?” Ezinne asked.
“Yes.” Richard mouthed a small piece of beef.
She returned the dishes to the kitchen and as she washed them, she tried to condone the noise from the men’s after-meal talks. They talked football. It didn’t last, no matter how Echem tried. Richard wasn’t a fan. They tried news, and it lasted for a while before they began talking work, the issues they would address in their next board meeting.
She sauntered to the sitting room and stretched on the long sofa. Finally, the men’s talks ended, and Echem rose to leave. He took his three fruit wines from the bar and made for the door.
They said goodbyes without meeting eyes.
Richard pulled off his sleeves and complained of how tired he was and needed sleep. He staggered out of the sitting room and she was finally left alone, she and the little sunlight fading from the curtains. She placed a cushion behind her head and switched on the TV. Musician’s cracked voices welcomed her.
The white clouds gave way to darkened ones, and the curtains blew with the invading storms that rattled the windows. No more of the musicians’ voices, but thunder roars, rattling windows and squeaking signal faults. All made her dwell deep and deeper in her thoughts.
The cushion behind her head was useless. Its softness couldn’t stop her from thinking. It couldn’t stop her from thinking of that killing moment; neither could it soothe the torture. Instead, it fuelled it. It brought those times back to life. It brought her tortures back to life. Three years gone, and it didn’t seem as such. She had forgotten nothing. The sore was still very fresh, tormenting her without pity. But how could she forget? How could she forget when she was to live with it forever, when she had been deprived of children forever? Nothing could wipe away the thought, no matter how soft the cushion was, or how melodious the musicians sang. Nothing could wipe away the thought of the doctor’s blades inside her womb, cutting her flesh, killing her innocent twins, killing her womb. Those were impossible to forget. She pressed the remote button and muted the TV. She should dwell in the thoughts, the best she could do.
The rain came down and battled with the storms.

Story: Two Realms ( Romance Thriller)-Season 1

Episode 7
The therapist’s door was ajar. Richard tapped and entered. The therapist raised head to him and returned them to the small book on his desk.
He placed the book atop others and gave eyes to Richard. They were without his round, archaic specs, and were better off without them.
“Your girl’s lack of the necessary attention hinders rapid recovery,” the therapist said. “If you can’t see her regularly, find someone close to her who can.”
“It’s my work. It steals all my time, and I don’t know anyone close to her. You know her kind. They don’t tell friends of their situation, and you’re aware of her family’s absence.”
“You didn’t visit the whole of last week. If you can’t come often, try to keep contact. Get her a phone.” The therapist opened his glasses case, pulled out his pair of glasses and pushed them to his eyes. It wasn’t the round, archaic one, but a rather rectangular one, probably the one he wore on the pictures that hung at every top corner of the office.
“Doesn’t she have one?”
“If she does, then you should ask for her phone number.”
“I’ll do that.”
“It will curb some of the distance, but you should also come in person as many times as you can. You’re virtually the only one who visits her.
Patients here don’t tell many people they are in a psychiatric hospital.”
“Is she in?
“You can’t reach her now. She is being desensitized. Exposure therapy.”
Richard wondered what that meant, but there was no need asking.
#
The sunrays streaming into the room doubled and landed on his black suit, almost whitening the black. They reminded him he had to be on the road before it got jammed. He brought out the phone and SIM pack from his bag and tossed it to the bed. “I’d use that in contacting you,” he told Ivie.
She held the phone and surveyed every side of it, carrying a face that made it difficult to tell if she liked it or not, if his money was a waste or not.
“I have a phone at home.” She la!d the pack on the bed.
It seemed his money was going to be a waste. “Why didn’t you go get yours ever since? When you didn’t give me a number, I assumed you had none.”
“I never thought a phone was allowed.”
“Anyway, you now have a new phone and a registered SIM. Better.”
“I’ll go get my old one.”
Nothing worked easy with her, not even accepting a mere phone.
The rays in the room brightened. Brightened rays never met him at any place other than his office. She was supposed to be glad he offered her a new phone. Thus, relieving her the worry of going to her house for her old one.
“Thanks, but the one I’m using still works.”
“Where do you stay?”
“Olodi. It isn’t too far. I will go when I have the time.”
The therapist had mentioned he seldom allowed his patients leave the hospital alone because some of them left and never returned. “The therapist won’t allow you go alone.”
“Is the phone necessary?” Her tone concluded it wasn’t.
“I have to contact you regularly. The therapist said it would hasten your recovery.”
She braced her jaw with a palm. “Thank you, Mr Richard, but how will that hasten my recovery?”
“I’m not a psychotherapist. You should ask the doctor. I believe he has his reasons.”
“Mr Richard.” She held out the pack to him. “I wouldn’t want to delay you for work. I’m thankful, but you should return this.” On his refusal to receive it, she la!d it on the bed.
“All right, let’s go to your place and get yours.
I will drop you there on my way to work. I think there’s a route linking Olodi to my place of work.”
Her face thickened; a sure sign her next words wouldn’t be likeable. “You’re doing too much.”
“I don’t think that’s too much. You need a phone. It’s a necessity.”
Her cheeks flattened. “I-I don’t—”
That was the part he didn’t like—when her guilt showed up. It shot through her eyes and circled the small sphere of her face. “Ivie, your first encounter with me doesn’t make it wrong for me to help. It wasn’t your fault. You shouldn’t feel any guilt.”
She said nothing, did nothing but eyed the milky rug.
“It’s guilt. You’re not conscious of it, but it’s there. Don’t allow it conquer you. Give some room.”
“I’m not used to this kind of help,” she muttered.
“We should get going. I don’t want to reach my office by noon.”
#
He didn’t know why the woman fixed eyes to the side window. She could be admiring the passing coconut trees that were encroaching into the main road, or she simply didn’t want to catch his gaze. The second was most likely.
The road to Olodi was not very clear, but the billboards guided and saved him asking her for directions. It didn’t seem she wanted to talk or do anything than stare at the out and play with the crucifix at the end of her hung rosary. He needed to make her talk.
“You’re a Catholic?” he asked.
“No.”
No? She was a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul. Or was supposed to. “Your rosary.”
She bobbed head to it as though ignorant it rounded her neck. “I’m not a Catholic. Not a Christian.”
“You’re not a Christian?”
“I’m not.”
How could she not be a Christian, a Catholic? “I thought I once saw a necklace of St. Vincent de Paul round your neck.” He glanced at her neck for the necklace. It was no more there.
“My parents are parishioners of Vincent de Paul.”
“And you?”
“I’m not.”
How couldn’t she? Christianity fitted her. “You’re a Muslim?”
“No.”
Only three base religions existed in Nigeria. He didn’t want to guess the third, those ones who worshipped carved deities and made living sacrifices to the deities in shrines that had all sort of things, ranging from human skulls to full human skeletons. “Then which are you?”
“None.”
None. That was first he was hearing. Everyone in the country belonged to a religion. “Why none?”
“Religion is a choice.”
“And you choose none?”
“Yes.”
He glanced at her neck, at the rosary’s crucifix resting on her chest, so clean and shimmering for an unchristian person. “Then why wearing a rosary?”
She eyed the crucifix and stroked its white surface with a thumb. “My parents are Christians, so there happen to be many of this in my house. I picked one.”
“You should take it off.”
She looked at him and shifted eyes away. “Why do you say that?”
“It’s an abuse to the Christian faith.” He didn’t want to ask himself if he was in the right position to say that. Nonetheless, it abused the faith.
She pulled off the rosary and la!d it by the gear. “You’re a Christian?”
“I am, and maybe you should consider being one, too.”
“Religion is a choice, and I have no reason to choose any.” Her words formed without any form of hindrance, giving him no reason to believe she might be unsteady about her absurd choice of sticking to no religion. Everyone on earth needed a higher power to survive.
He drove into Olodi and needed some directions, which she gave before he could ask. He followed the routes she pointed at even though he sometimes doubted if some were actual routes cars could follow, and even if some of them were the backyards of unfenced houses that littered around like the dirt on the streets. They bounced to the potholes, and he watched her to ensure her head didn’t hit the car’s roof. It never could have. She was not tall enough. Even so, he took caution.
He diverged into a junction, and as she directed him, they rode further and stopped front of a manicured lawn fronting an emerald bungalow with aluminium roof and leaded windows. Only few houses in the town had that.
She opened the door and stepped out of the car, promising she wouldn’t stay long.
He pondered on if to follow her in or remain glued to the seat. The second. She opened her gate and stepped in, giving him a small view of the compound. The ground had concrete tiles that seared to the falling rays, announcing that the sun was at its peak. Mondays never caught him this late.
She walked out with a phone enclosed in her hand, a Samsung good as the one he offered. She stepped into the car and he started the engine.
“Your place is good. What job do you do?”
“I do small-scale painting.”
Small-scale painting wasn’t enough to get such a place, unless Lagos had changed.
“My parents own the place.” Her voice sprung up. “They left it and headed north.”
It was good she had a decent place to lay head. “Your painting, how small is it?”
“I paint and sell to interested individuals.”
That should be enough to grant her three solid meals.

104 jostle for Unilorin admission

THE vice chancellor, University of Ilorin, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, has said that a total number of 104,000 candidates made the university as their first choice in the 2017/2018 admission through the JAMB.

Speaking at the 40th anniversary celebration of the department of History and International Studies of the university in Ilorin on Thursday, the vice chancellor said that only about 11,000 university admission seekers would get admission spaces.

Professor Ambali, who was represented at the occasion by the deputy vice chancellor, Management Services, Professor Adedayo Abdulkareem, said that the peaceful and stable academic calendar of the university had made the institution to be the most sought among admission seekers in the country in the past four years.

Ambali also said that infrastructural development coupled with accreditation of most of the courses being offered,…

APC leaders move to avert bloodshed in Ikorodu North

A major political crisis among the chairmanship aspirants in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area LCDA was averted on Wednesday over the purported adoption of an aspirant over other nine contenders.

The swift intervention of the party leaders in the All Progressives Congress led to the resolution to pick the party’s flag bearer in the coming election through the party primary.

The decision came on the heels of series of protests that trailed an attempt by some leaders, described by the aspirants as ‘unscrupulous and greedy’, to impose a candidate over them.

At a crucial meeting by the leadership otherwise called the Apex, the aspirants expressed lack of confidence in the leadership, alleging bias of some of its members for unduly adopting an aspirant as the party’s candidate.

They condemned the activities of some leaders who were cited on social media platforms, raising the hand of a particular candidate as the party’s ‘consensus’ choice.

Leaders appease the aspirants

Addressing the aggrieved aspirants, the APC Chairperson in the LCDA, Mrs Toyin Salau sued for peace and implored them to either consult with one another for the possibility of adopting a candidate or choose to go through the primary election.

Subsequently, the aspirants were asked to consult with one another with a view to adopting a candidate; but this was deadlocked as they all agreed to allow the process of a primary election to run its full course.

The Apex meeting then reconvened with the agreement of all the stakeholders to go through primary election in Ikorodu North LCDA.

Aspirants at the meeting included Hon. Olalekan Murisiku JP, Mr Odueyingbo Sesan, Mrs Seyi Babalola, Hon. Mathew Adesanya and Mr Adebisi Banjo.

Others are Alhaji Haruna Ishola Balogun, Hon Wasiu Banwo, Hon Quadri Adeosun and Mr Ibrahim Apanishile.

Mr Dosumu Rasaq the only aspirant that was not at the meeting sent in an apology.

A former Chairman of LCDA, Prince Adeola Jokomba who acted as the Secretary to the leaders explained that, ‘the Apex of APC in Ikorodu Division under the leadership of former Deputy Governor, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye’ directed them to meet with the aspirants.

Members of the Apex who had been indicted in the purported adoption of a consensus candidate were also part of the 9-man Committee set up by Abiodun Ogunleye-led Apex Body of APC in Ikorodu Division.

The Apex members were Prince Kunle Ogunbela, Otunba Olasunkanmi Tijani, Mr Fatai Sulaimon Shoderu, Mr Akeem Oduga and Alhaji Akibu Adewummi.

Others are Mrs Toyin Salau Prince Adeola Jokomba and Hon. Jimoh Odidi.

The only member of the Apex who was not at the meeting was Hon Abiodun Iyiola.

By Adeyinka Aremu, Ikorodu

Fire kills couple, three kids in Lagos shop

Grief pervaded Ogunseye and Dipo Olubi streets, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos State, on Thursday following the tragic death of a family of five in an overnight fire. 

The victims were a couple identified only as Hope (wife) and Hygnius and their three children, Ada, 9, Nonso, 7, and six-year-old Ugochukwu.

While the woman and the children died on the spot, Hygnius, who sustained first degree burns, died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the fire started around 2am from a makeshift shop on Dipo Olubi Street, where the family resided and spread to three other adjoining shops. Hope also used the shop for laundry service and selling confectionery.

Although the immediate cause of the inferno could not be ascertained, it was said that the sound of explosion was heard from the family’s shop shortly after electricity was restored in the area.

During a visit to the community, our correspondent saw burnt clothes, washing machine, and refrigerator, among other burnt household items.

The Chairman, Ogunseye Residents Association, Mr. Gbenga Orimolade, said his wife drew his attention to the incident some minutes after 2am.

Orimolade stated that men of the Lagos State Fire Service and the state emergency management agency joined residents to extinguish the fire around 3am.

He said, “I came out immediately my wife woke me up. Other residents also came out and we tried to put out the fire.

“Firefighters responded about 20 minutes after the fire started to assist us. We could not rescue the mother and her children. The husband died in the afternoon at LASUTH.

“I don’t know what caused the fire, but it started 10 minutes after power was restored. The couple were from the East; we have been trying to reach their family.”

An eyewitness, who gave his name only as Chibuzor, said, “The fire was caused by electrical fault. The security men said they heard an explosion from the shop. It was very unfortunate. Hope was energetic and was the one making all the money for the family.”

Another resident, Abiodun Adegoke, told PUNCH Metro that he was informed about the incident on the telephone.

Adegoke said, “We could not salvage anything from the wreckage. I saw burnt flesh. I learnt that the couple had initially come out of the shop. The woman went back to save the children, but was burnt to death together with them. The husband also attempted to rescue them.

“She was intelligent and responsible. She just paid about N100,000 for the school fees of all the three children. It was very tragic.”

The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasaq Fadipe, who confirmed the deaths, urged residents to promptly alert the fire service whenever there was any fire incident.

“It might be that the laundry machine was faulty. People should make sure that their appliances are put off while going to sleep,” he added.

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Adeshina Tiamiyu, said the agency received a distress call from the community around 2.38am and responded promptly.

He said, “This prompted the immediate activation of the Lagos State Fire Service and LASEMA’s Emergency Response Team to the scene of the incident. Investigation conducted by the ERT at the scene of the incident revealed that the cause of the fire could not be ascertained. Further information revealed that the fire affected four shops.

“A family, which comprised the father, mother and three children sleeping in one of the shops, were affected by the fire. The corpses were recovered and handed over to the police at the Aguda Police Station.

“The timely intervention of the agency and the fire service prevented the fire from escalating to other nearby buildings.”

Meanwhile, a three-storeyed building under construction on Richard Abimbola Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos State, has collapsed, with several persons trapped in the wreckage while one person died.

It was learnt that the incident happened around 2pm.

A resident, who gave his name only as Ifeanyi said the construction of the building started six months ago.

“But surprisingly, early this month, I noticed that it had been built to that level. Six persons were brought out from the wreckage in my presence. They sustained injuries,” he said.

One of the victims, a bricklayer, Ope Falola, who had minor bruises, said he was at the back of the building when the structure caved in.

He said, “My phone battery was flat and I was trying to look for where to charge it. I was walking along the back of the building when it suddenly collapsed. Three of my friends were also trapped and sustained injuries.”

Another worker, Tosin Olaniyi, said, “I was working on the fence of the building with three others. I just heard a bang and the building came down on us. There was no sign that the building was distressed.”

The LASEMA General Manager, Tiamiyu, said 16 persons working on the site were injured and had been taken to hospitals.

He said, “A number of labourers were doing their various works at different areas. Sixteen of them have been rescued and some are being treated by the agency’s medical team and Lagos State Ambulance Service, while some had been rushed to hospitals.

“Extraction of trapped victims is ongoing and one mortality has been recorded at the moment (10pm on Thursday).”

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