The diary of my ordeal

Date:  Friday, 26 August 2011

Time 10:20 AM

Place:  United Nations House, Abuja, Nigeria

Event:  Suicide bombing of the UN house

                                                                                                         

The day was a normal day in my professional life in Nigeria.   Hectic, so many deadlines to meet, so much on my plate….this is like a norm in my work environment.  The day was special for one thing though.   The new executive management members of the WHO –Nigeria staff association was to be inaugurated.  A general staff meeting was called to witness this event.  With divided heart between attending to urgent issues on one hand and the wish to express solidarity and be part of the historic event on the other, I opted for the later and went to the first floor main meeting room – just above the epic-centre of the bomb blast.

The President-elect made a very passionate speech about his vision and aspiration.  He actually had a campaign-like manifesto and was very enthusiastic to make a difference in the lives of his comrades.   He received a sounding applause for the promises he outlined in his speech.  Once the main event was over, the chairman requested staff to come closer and together for interactive discussion.  It was about 10:19 AM. 

I then decided to go to my office to finish the email I started before coming to this meeting.  I often try to avoid the elevator and take the stairs to ‘exercise.’  On this day, I requested a colleague who wanted to discuss some issues with me to join me in the elevator to the fourth floor where our office is located.  The elevator got us at the 4^th floor. 

 

One…two…three… seconds a sound of explosion was heard…. We turned our face to the east where we heard the voice coming from.  Two seconds later, all I remember was another  deafening explosion accompanied by smoke and so much debris hitting me and sweeping me to the floor.  For the next few seconds (in actual time but felt like much longer than that), I was trying to cover my face and head to save from whatever was hitting me.  The room went dark and filled with dust and smoke.   

 

In those few moments, I remember murmuring…

‘Oh God Almighty, oh Lady of mercy, oh Creator of my little daughters – what is happening to us…. Oh my Lord, please I am not ready yet to face your judgment.  …. Please don’t take me now….I know my misdeeds disqualify me from inheriting heaven; but my family needs me…. Oh my Lady, oh Saints… please save us……

Once things sounded calmer, we checked around and confirmed that everyone was not seriously injured.  With immeasurable gratitude to God, my prayer was heard and rose up physically unaffected except for few bruises, swellings and scratches on my legs, hand and face.  My ear was slightly affected due to the sound of blast.  All healed in three days time without having to see a physician. Glory be to Lord. 

We later learnt that it was an alleged suicide bomber that rocked the building.  A lot has been written about the extremist group, Boko Haram,  that eventually claimed the responsibility for the attack.  Only the terrorists can justify their heartless, faceless, cowardice actions, if at all justifiable on any ground – be it religious, economic, morale…..How can one go to heaven causing a hell to humanity on earth?  For me, this is the question that begs an answer.

Remains of the car packed with bombs and exploded

My ordeal was yet to come.  As we pulled ourselves out of debris, leaving everything behind, and started to take the stairs of the fire exit out of the building, what we saw was difficult to watch and imagine.  Human bodies have been scattered, some with their head blown away…. People covered in a bloodbath are screaming for help…some have already lost their legs… Before emergency assistance arrived, we had started to pull people out of the building, used whatever vehicles were available to rush them to the hospital.  I remember, I was crying and shouting while helping…. In the middle of it, I remembered that the news will go viral and I should inform my family that I am ok before

 they get worried.  The call streaming from friends and compatriots was non-stop already.  I quickly called my wife and immediate family members and continued to helping people.  It was just a chaos beyond explanation.

I then came to the front side of the building which was where the suicide bomber blew up.  The meeting hall that was being used by WHO staff was badly damaged. 

One surviving colleague informed me that many of   our colleagues were down and I should call for help.   I rushed to call firemen and women to the scene.  I was informed that one of my immediate teammates was among the fallen n ones and I should go with him to the hospital.  He was the first to be brought down from the building.  I joined the ambulance and we drove like crazy to the hospital.  On the way, I asked the medical team if he is alive.  His face was swollen and his is immobile.  They said they didn’t feel his pulse but advised that we can confirm once we get to the hospital.  The doctors rushed to help.  No response.  I couldn’t control myself.  I was crying and begging the doctors if there any thing that can be done to bring him back.  It was hopeless.  They took him to the morgue.  I was crying and informing some people.  Later, I was joined by some compatriots and a colleague.  The colleague had another bad news for me.  My other immediate staff and another teammate also didn’t make it.  This was shockingly too much.  I burst into tears once again and refused consolation.

We rushed to the national hospital where many of the causalities were taken to.  It was beyond expression.  The hospital was overwhelmed.  Many causalities were laid down on the corridors receiving first aid assistance.  Some of them were rushed to ICUs and straight to theatres.  Now was the moment to be strong for the sake of the causalities and embrace ourselves to avoid any further loss of life. 

All this time I didn’t go home to let my family see that I was okay.  My wife was sick worried about me despite my assurances that I was not physically affected.  I was taken home and my family received me weeping for joy and sadness.   I couldn’t rest.  I had to go back to hospital.  I changed my cloth with was spoiled by dust and blood, took shower and went back to the national hospital.  My wife didn’t trust to let me go alone.  We went together.  We were going ward to ward, room to room.  I was informed that one of my colleagues I was asked to accompany with an ambulance to a different hospital was actually alive.  I couldn’t believe it.  I went to see him.  It was difficult to distinguish him.  He was severely injured around his head, face, and leg.  Half of his face was literary mutilated.  He forced himself to say ‘…Mr. Yared….”.  It was hard to watch.  I just could not stand seeing his agony.  I just left his room. 

For the next three/four days, our team worked around the clock to ensure that those that are critically injured are evacuated to South Africa; those are in the hospital are were taken care of; and provide administrative and psychological support for the bereaved families.  It was hard to see the spouses and children of the families that lost their husbands/fathers/brothers.  They were broken hearted.  The children are too young to understand what has happened or why?  Could the suicide bomber or his sponsors answer them?  Only God can console them. Up to the date of writing this diary, about 23 persons died including 11 UN staff out of which 3 were from WHO.  In WHO alone we had more than 40 injured staff. 

Every survivor has an amazing story to tell about how they were spared with their lives. God is the Savior but He speaks in one or another way.  I was saved by my Protector.  I was given another chance to live for the ultimate purpose…. My prayer continues; please help me live for your Glory. 

The day started as normal day and ended up to be the most defining day of my life ever.  Seconds mattered between being alive or not.  While we mourn our dead, we pray for the injured and their families, this moment should change we, the survivors, for good and better.  We should remember that love is the answer; and God is love.  As Dr. Stephen R. Covey says, “Love is a Verb, not a Noun”.  Therefore, let’s put humanity affront and love one another.  When we see what human beings could go through in life, then we realize that most of us shouldn’t even complain about many things.  What we complain about could be the reason of our redemption.  I was complaining about the multiple tasks that overwhelmed me on that day.  I was saved by one of my complaints which moved me from 1^st floor to the 4^th floor. 

“And we know that all things work together for those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” – Rom 8:28

“All things are possible to him who believes.” – Mark 9:23

Amen!!!

 Yared Gettu Yehualashet (Aklile Mariam)

04 September 2011 (onboard Ethiopian Airlines to Johannesburg, South Africa)