The last journey of 22 worshipers in Adamgbe Catholic Church

“These coffins are not empty. There are bodies in them. What can one give on a day like this? These 22 coffins are a dramatic reminder that this is who we are.” This is an excerpt from a sermon by the auxiliary Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, His lordship, Williams Avenya. He stated that […]

“These coffins are not empty. There are bodies in them. What can one give on a day like this? These 22 coffins are a dramatic reminder that this is who we are.” This is an excerpt from a sermon by the auxiliary Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, His lordship, Williams Avenya. He stated that the tragedy that struck the Christian community at Adamgbe was not as a result of any form of attack. According to him, it was the will of the Almighty God. But this kind of tragedy was strange to him. In his 30 years of priesthood, he had not encountered anything close to it.

 

In his funeral oration, Governor Gabriel Suswam, who was represented at the occasion by his Deputy, Chief Steve Lawani, described the day as memorable in the history of the state.

He said as the people wished to rise like Jesus Christ, so also the souls of the deceased would be with God. The governor urged the living to hope to die one day so as to make heaven, even as he consoled the entire community and those that lost their bread winners.

Governor Suswam assured the community of government’s resolve to bring succor to the area by providing potable water, electricity, and opening access road leading to Adamgbe community and will also assist in rebuilding a befitting church that will stand the test of time.

The Senator representing Benue North East, Chief Barnabas Gemade remarked at the occasion that Christians should not engage in prolonged mourning. Rather, they should think about their lives and promised to ensure that the Federal Government reconstructs the Vandeikya-Obudu road. He also pledged to assist in rebuilding the collapsed church.

The paramount ruler of Vandeikya, the Ter Kunav, and Chief David Dyako Atser commended all those who shared in their moment of grief and said the traditional council would keep on reminding government to honour is pledge to bring social amenities to the community.

A village head, Chief Oliver Atonko said the calamity was the first in the area, but described it as purely an act of God and not witchcraft as was being speculated in some quarters.

Peter Akpen, who lost his 24-year-old sister, Miss Rosemary Tyogbidye, told Sunday Trust that she visited one of her sisters who resided in Adamgbe when the accident occurred. He said the family initially planned to take her corpse to a location of their choice for burial, but with the insistence of the church, it decided to back down.

Mr Orechi Timin, 50, who lost his 30-year-old wife, the late Veronica decried the death, saying the best honour was to bury her at a place where the children would be seeing her grave regularly. However, because of the insistence of the church, the family agreed to the mass burial at the church’s premises.

Two of the victims on admission at the Saint Elizabeth Healthcare and Maternity Hospital Vandeikya, Mrs Grace Ube, told our correspondent that she escaped death by the whiskers. She said immediately she stepped into the church, the building collapsed. Some blocks hit her on the head and hand, God spared her life. She hoped to recover and return home as soon as possible.

She acknowledged that since she had been on admission in the hospital, she and other survivors had been visited by so many groups, including Governor Gabriel Suswam. “This is the first time that I have seen the Governor. He shook us at our hospital bed and donated some money for us”.

Another survivor, Felicia Nyiyongo, a Class Three pupil of RCM Primary School, Adamgbe, who sustained multiple injuries on her head, hand and legs, also thanked God for sparing her life. She said the accident would not deter her from church activities and hoped that she would recover quickly so as to return to her studies.

She felt very bad at her inability to witness the burial of her fellow worshipers at the church.

The high point was the prayers for the corpses by the Bishop of Lafia Diocese, Bishop Matthew Ishaya Audu, who sprinkled holy water on their bodies and burnt frankincense.

Bishop Avenya told the gathering that disasters are as a result of the curse of God on man for disobeying His rules. He pointed out that the same God gave a respite by sending his son Jesus Christ to come and conquered death.

“He crushed the seed of evil. Easter celebration means rising from the dead. Once we have the gift of life, we have death also. God receives souls of his children and consoles families of those who lost members”.

He reminded Christians that everyone is carrying death and no matter one’s pride, a day will come when he would give account of his life to God. The bishop, who was assisted by the visiting Bishop of Lafia Catholic Diocese, Matthew Audu, said the death of 22 worshippers should rather strengthen the faith of all Christians in the community.

It will be recalled that a similar event occurred in 1987 when 36 Christians from Mbape, in Kwande Local Government, who were attending a conference in Konshisha Local Government Area, died on their way. That death was as a result of the collapse of Atum Bridge causing the sinking of the vehicle in which they travelled.