Tragic death of 23-year-old OOU student in auto-crash throws family into grief 

GRIEF and disquietude have enveloped the family of Christianah Ibukun Asade, one of the 12 students of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, who lost their lives in a ghastly motor accident on the Sagamu/Benin Expressway, on their way home, in a Sango-Ota- bound commercial bus, last Friday.

The death of the 200 Level Law student was a great loss to the family of Pastor Benjamin Asade, the Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Chapel of Christ Bride, Sango, which also signals the termination of a dream.

It was unfortunate that the last child in the family of six met her untimely death, just 11 days to her 24th birthday (Tuesday, July 7). For those who know her and those that came her way, her death is a great and irreparable loss to the family.

The Guardian learnt that ‘Baby Lawyer,’ as she was fondly called, boarded a commercial bus with registration number (LAGOS) XV 311 MUS, heading for Sango-Ota from Lagos garage, Ijebu-Ode, with other students after her morning examination.

But on their way, at a spot near Ilishan area of the state, their bus was reported to have collided with a truck marked BDG 779 XE and its two unlatched 20-feet containers came off and fell on the roof of the bus. The weighty container crushed to death all the passengers and driver, excluding one who was seriously injured.

The deceased’s family house, on No. 7, Kola Busari, Dalemo, Sango has become a Mecca of sort as neighbours, relatives, friends and Ibukun’s colleagues have been trooping in to commiserate with her parents.

When The Guardian visited the house on Sunday, scores of sympathisers were seen in the compound. Even the mood of the area indicates that something terrible had befallen the family.

Attempts to speak with the father were unsuccessful, though he was welcoming the sympathisers but he betrayed his emotions occasionally, which he tried to hide with his handkerchief.

The mother, Mrs. Oluwakemi Asade, who described her daughter as lovely and kind- hearted, said the incident is a big tragedy to the family. She said Ibukun and her spoke on phone last Thursday, a day to the incident and she informed her that she would be coming home after exams on Friday.

“When I didn’t see her around afternoon, I called her phone number but could not be reached. I did this till midnight but to no avail and I concluded within my heart that she might have boarded a “one chance” bus.

After thinking of whom to call to hint me about her movement I called her hostel mate around 4:00am on Saturday who told me she followed her to the park where she took the bus.”

“She told me that after some hours she couldn’t reach her on phone again. She hurriedly moved to the park where she learnt that a bus was involved in an accident. She went to the scene of the accident and saw the lifeless body of her friend. For the efforts of her dad and sister I would have died when she broke the news to me.”

“Though she stays with her elder brother who lives in Ire-Akari Estate, Isolo, but she would have informed me if she was going anywhere. Her intention was to come here first.

Our joy is that Ibukun knows God before her death,” the mother said. While condemning the Police for demanding N30, 000 each from parents to release the corpses for burial, she called on government to stop trailers from travelling in day time, noting that all erring trailer and truck drivers should be made to face the wrath of the law.

Amidst sobs, her sister Oluwasola Asade described the deceased as gentle, cheerful and a source of joy to the family. “She is a great loss to the family. I am very sure I can never have another sister like her again because of her gentility and humility. I pray that God the giver of life will bring back joy into this family.”

“I pray that she rests well wherever she is, we missed her.” Mathew Paul, who introduced himself as a friend of the family, told The Guardian that on the fateful day she called the deceased in the morning to say hello after which they pinged each other, when she informed him that she had exam that morning.

“I could remember that I sent her prayers and told her to text me when she is through with her papers. I later tried her lines and there was no response. I also pinged her, there was no response. The BBM profile changed yet no response, I became apprehensive and held on to what mummy said on the issue of ‘one chance’.”

“I still can’t believe it’s Ibukun we are talking about. I had a dream overnight and I woke up crying because I saw her in the dream but she was not talking. She was just herself and we are going to miss her,” said Paul.

Meanwhile, Ibukun’s remains was laid to rest on Monday at the First African Church Cemetary, Ota, amid serious wailings and eulogies by her siblings, relatives and school mates. They described her death as a great loss.