3 Days of Horrors & Testimonies (The kidnap of my Dad) Part 1 by …Chichi Eriobu
June 2016, my Dad was in Lagos for a Healing program. I was a volunteer in that program. I had gone to get him from the east to come attend the program. It was on a Sunday, I think.
The next morning, I dropped off my Dad at the venue of the program at 8am, under the care of some colleagues working there. I needed to go to my house, rest a bit and get some of my personal stuff. Because, we didn’t stay at my house, we stayed at a colleague’s house close to the venue of the program.
At 11am, I called a colleague to check on my Dad. He was fine. And while I was making food at home to bring to him, I dozed off briefly.
12noon, I called to check on my Dad, I was told he stepped out, that he said he wanna get some snack as he didn’t eat breakfast.
30minutes later, he wasn’t back. 1hour. 2hours. 3hours. 4,5,6,hours, Dad wasn’t back from getting snacks. And then I knew something was seriously wrong somewhere. And so, we began a search.
This was happening within Oregun, Ikeja.
I tried so much to remain calm and under control. Who does that anyway? Who stays that calm when a loved one is in trouble. I tried. I prayed. I hoped. I declared words.
I couldn’t tell my siblings that their Father had gone missing under my watch. I couldn’t tell Mum, either. That would be automatic suicide. (She’s the strongest woman I ever known, though)
We combed the whole of Ikeja environs on foot. Asked both sane and unsane persons. I brought out his pictures in my phone, transferred to my colleagues who were helping to look for him. We searched and searched and searched.
Night came. And you know the month of June and rainfall seems to love each other more. The weather was extremely cold.
I cringed at the thought of him shivering under the cold wherever he might be. I prayed, and asked God to take absolute control.
I couldn’t blink one bit. It was as if sleep had suddenly become a sin. And if I closed my eyes, the worse may happen. I shuddered at the thought.
I couldn’t place a call to him. His phone suddenly developed fault that morning, and I took it to repair in computer village on my way. And so, he was without any phone.
At 12am, we were still on the streets, searching for him… It was the longest night of my life. Full of faith, but terrible.
(To be continued, please) Work is calling.
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