Encomium
Godwin Odia, the man who lost four of his nine children to mudslide on Saturday, November 7, 2015, after a heavy downpour at Ottun Abayomi Street, Orishe, Isheri, Magodo, has been given N5 million by Lagos State Government to relocate.
The Lagos State Government also said they have also helped him to bury his children.
In an interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly on phone, Mr. Odia said he had already relocated from the place even before the government N5 million compensation and the money would not in any way bring back his dead children.
How are you now sir?
I am fine, I am fine.
I hope you are getting over the death of your children?
Yes. Thank you very much.
How about your wife, is she back from the hospital now?
Yes, she is back.
Have you told her about the death of the children?
Yes.
How did she take it?
She is okay. I told her at the hospital before she came back home. After about a week in the hospital and her blood pressure was normal, I decided to tell her.
So, she is back at home now?
Yes. Thank you very much for your concern.
We gathered that Lagos State government gave you money. Is that true, sir?
Yes.
What did they say you should do with the money?
They gave me N5 million to relocate.
That is good, congratulations then.
What is the congratulations there? Can N5 million bring my children back? N5 million is not money for me. I have made more than N5 million. There is no congratulations at all.
But you should thank the government. If you were not given anything what would you do?
If they did not give me this N5 million, I will live. I have gotten a place already. I am not a jobless man, I am a staff of Aero Contractors.
So, when are you planning to leave now that you’ve been given money to relocate?
I have relocated since two weeks now. I am no more there. I only stayed around the place for only one week because I was looking for a house. I was not waiting for anybody to give me money before I rent a house.
Where are you living now?
I will let you know later. I am in a meeting now.
Are other people having houses alongside your own also leaving already?
I don’t know. I left on my own because I can no more sleep in a house where I lost four children. Out of those four children, who knows what they could have been. I could have a journalist or a governor or even president among them.
- TOLANI ABATTI
