Some form of respite has come the way of families of eight out of the twenty three victims of the recent Abule Ado explosion identified by the Lagos State Government. This follows the disbursement of the sum of N2.5 Million each to the representatives of the families at a brief ceremony held last Thursday inside the premises of St Joseph Catholic Church, Abule -Ado. Very Rev, Msgr. Jerome Oduntan, Director of Education, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos was on ground to personally disburse the cheques on behalf of the Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev Alfred Adewale Martins. Addressing representatives of the victims’ families, Msgr. Oduntan once again condoled with them on behalf of the entire priests and faithful of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.
He assured them of the continuous prayer of the Church. According to him, contrary to the Press report that 37 persons lost their lives in the explosion, the actual figure released and affirmed by the Lagos State Government was 23. While admonishing that the money given can never replace the lives of the loved ones who had died, Msgr. Oduntan cautioned the family members not to forget or abandon the aged parents and children of the deceased.
Hear him: “Please ensure that they do not suffer while having these palliatives from the state government. Money must not scatter the family,” he warned. Among the family members present at the brief ceremony was Mr. Anselm Alokha, the elder brother of Sr. Henrietta Alokha who represented the family at the event. Also on hand to support Msgr. Oduntan at the event was the Director of Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu and Rev. Fr. Francis Ealefoh, Parish Priest of St Joseph, Abule-Ado. It would be recalled that a total of 8 staff of Bethlehem College were among those who lost their lives during the unfortunate pipeline explosion that rocked the Abule-Ado area of Lagos on March 15, 2020. Their names are: Rev Sr Henrietta Alokha, SSH; Miss Bidemi Johnson; Miss Esther Ofure Omosefe; and Miss Irene Oahku. Others are Miss Claire Nwobodo; Mr. Kolawole Ojo; Mr. Timothy Godfrey Brown and Mr. Aliyu Ali
