Taiwo Temitope, a survivor of the collapsed Synagogue Church building, has recounted how he survived the incident that claimed 86 lives and left several others seriously wounded.
The 28-year-old and graduate of Business Studies from the University of West London, said he was at the ground floor of the collapsed building when the incident occurred. But in spite of the magnitude of the incident, he came out with only an injury to one of his fingers.
Recalling that he was rescued from the rubble 28 hours after the incident, Temitope said it was his faith that saved his life.
He said: “I have always worked in the department that attends to foreigners in the church. I was at the canteen, which was on the ground floor, attending to the visitors because it was lunch time.
“After announcing to the people that they had the option of eating semovita with egusi soup or fried rice and fish, I went to get some plastic cups for them.
“ As I was placing the cup on a dispenser and talking to one of the visitors, I just heard a sound on the wall. The sound was like using a saw to cut through an object. I shouted Jesus! immediately the sound boomed. That was the last of day light that I saw until I was rescued.”
Continuing, he said: “ I was not the only one trapped around the area at that moment. There were other people too around me. We were lying down because there was little head room there. The whole place was dark and air was not coming in. As someone who has been taught to pray, I started praying in my heart. I asked God to forgive me and began to plead the blood of Jesus.
“The human senses ordinarily would tell you that you will not survive, but I had faith in God and that saved me.”
Asked how he managed to come out of the rubble on Saturday when evacuation on the ground floor where he was trapped was just on Thursday, he said: “ That is best known to the rescue team. I am sure I was at a good position where my rescue was made possible.
“I came out at exactly 5: 05 pm on Saturday. I was taken to Unita Hospital at Governors Road after my rescue. I didn’t go for any trauma management but I now appreciate life more.”
