This is the
touching story of a young man’s devastating experience with armed robbers, an
experience that left him fighting for his life. Read his story below:
I SUDDENLY FELT
DRENCHED IN WATER…BUT AS I LOOKED DOWN ALL I SAW WAS
BLOOD THEN I
REALIZED THAT HALF OF MY FACE WAS HANGING OPEN.
Ok, so it’s been a
year since I was attacked by armed robbers and shot in the face, and I really
want to tell it, as much as it may hurt.
It was a dinner
party and award night organized in my University. Being one of the foremost artists
in the state I was nominated, so I had to grace the event. To God’s glory I won
the award for Best music Artiste. After performing, taking pictures and exchanging
pleasantries I opted to leave. This was because my final degree exams were just
a week from that time. And I didn’t see myself partying when I had such important
exams, besides my house was a stone throw away. I left alongside my friend, a
musician called “Nero” his girlfriend and also another friend “princess” who needed
to sleep as well.
Nero and his
girlfriend took their route home and i went my way. I remember not long after,
princess and i was talking about churches and pastors. At this point we were in
front of St. Joseph the worker Catholic Church, Awka (right opposite the Blessed
Sacrament) when it happened.
I looked back and
saw a bike pulling up towards us. It carried three men; the rider and two
passengers. The last one dropped and speedily approached us pointing a shot
gun. He growled two words at me. “The phone”. My phone was in the right pocket
of my shorts. I pulled it out and gave it to him immediately; I still remember seeing
the man force down a laugh at the speed at which I handed the phone over.
He looks at the
girl and sees that she was wearing a dinner gown and had her shoes in her
hands, so i guess he could tell she wasn’t with anything else. He quickly got
on the bike and they reversed and left. Not too far from me again they stopped
and another one came down; this one was fair and tall, clad in a yellow shirt
and black jeans. I did not see his face properly. He started walking towards
us.
The one who had
robbed me called out to him. “Guy wetin happen, make we dey go
na, ka anyi wa
here!”
But he kept coming
and the others zoomed off. At that same time a popular comedian in Awka, a good
friend, Limo, drove into the street with some other guys in the car.
The thief stopped
walking but did not go back. Limo recognized me and stopped immediately. Asking
me why I was there and I told him I had just been robbed. From there all I
could remember was looking at the thief and seeing a flash of white light.
A sound echoed in
the street and as I was wondering what made the sound, I felt drenched in water
down to my feet…but as I looked down I notice that it wasn’t water but blood,
the blood was hot, half of my face was hanging open and the pain that followed
was excruciating. I can’t even begin to explain it.
But I didn’t fall,
nor did I die, not even go unconscious. God stood in my place. God showed me
his face, his LOVE!
Next thing I know
it was raining blood. The thief had run into a pathway that made it impossible
for the car to chase him. I began to chase after the car calling for help. I could
hear someone telling him to drive faster, but he told them “na my guy be dis, I
no fit leave am”.
God bless his soul
he stopped. My face was shattered and I was losing a lot of blood. I begged to
be taken to a hospital, but I could hear their shock at the sight of all that
blood. Finally with my direction; (and trust me, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I WAS ALIVE
TO BE DOING ALL THAT, IT WAS GOD)
Limo started
towards the hospital. On the way one of his back tires burst for no reason at
all. Luckily there was another student party at a hotel close by. He stopped
there. I begged that we should continue because the hospital was close by but
Limo said that driving like that was very risky. They pulled me out of the car
and lay me in front of the hotel, Sun City hotel, Awka. There was a bus there
but when they asked the driver for help, he said the bus was bad, but as they
ran into the hotel to get help, the man drove off.
I was there on the
floor for a while; I was getting weaker but wouldn’t give in to sleep. I watched
as the blood from my face and head soaked the grass as it had soaked me
already. My watch was in the blood and I could see the time read.
4:47:35
4:50:40
5:00:05
When I close my
eyes I can still see the watch count that time. I only thought of three things
then. My mother, sibling and how I would never put a smile on their faces
again. My music, I would never get to make music the world would listen to and
love.
And the clouds, I
would miss them if I died, they are beautiful. God’s artistry, then they came.
The students there had had to force a driver to help and so I was taken to
Regina Caeli hospital Awka. When we arrived, the nurses asked for the sum of
#1500. After it was paid they said it was for card. They requested #10000 plus
police report. The students didn’t have up to that and so they left me there
for death I guess.
I could hear the
nurses discussing about the soups they had prepared the other night while I lay
there, losing blood. By then I had given the people around my sisters’ number.
They had called and soon after contacts had been made, the anti-cult of both
Unizik and ANSU had showed up alongside the police.
The money was paid
and report given since they all confirmed that I was not a cultist. But all the
hospital staff did was take an x-ray and wrapped my face in bandages. By this
time I realized that I couldn’t breathe anymore, because my nostril had burst
and breathing meant taking in bad blood into my mouth and system.
The x-ray showed
that the shot gun bullet which consisted of an average of 40 pellets all got
into my face. One made it to my brain through my right eye. But I was there,
alive. It was impossible. God’s mercy was overwhelming, God loves me! 4 hours
later I was still losing blood. The hospital finally said I should be
transferred to Nnewi because the case was complicated for them. By 8:00 am or
so they moved me to NAUTH Nnewi. But on getting there I was forgotten in the
ward due to the numerous patients.
Finally with some
contacts they came to attend to me. I was still losing blood by now, almost 8
hours. They came and finally stopped the bleeding partially. But said I had to
be moved to Onitsha because of the eye had been injured and this left an open
wound to the brain. On the way to Onitsha, (I was taken their by my
university’s dean of students affairs) I vomited blood for almost three
minutes. It had gone into my system by way of my shattered nostril. It was until
I got to Guinness hospital Onitsha that I got any real treatments. By then I
had been in pain and loss of blood for over 10 hours. But to the Grace of God I
was getting stronger, nobody could believe it. Neither could i. But when God
works men marvels. I got treated and had 2 major surgeries the following day.
From the hospital
bed I wondered how I had ever offended anybody in my life. I wasn’t a cultist.
I had never had girl issues with anybody. No fights. Or did the guy just decide
to shoot me for fun? I wished I had chosen to grind and party instead of going
home to read. But I knew better. God had a plan for me.
The professor that
operated on me said my case was like that of a TV that was still working even
when there was no power supply. Six days later by the grace of God and against doctors’
advice I decided to go write my degree exams. The bullets, 36 were still in my face;
I could not open my mouth or eat. But in few days God worked wonders. I showed
up for my exams and wrote them and passed real fine amidst all the rumours
going around. I graduated.
My birthday was
the week after this. IF YOU EVER WONDER IF GOD EXIST. IF HE LOVES YOU. GOD
LIVES, IF YOU NEED A REASON I GOT SHOT IN THE FACE BUT AM STILL BREATHING.
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