One of the most shocking stories of the tragic
accident involving a Young Shall Grow luxurious bus
and a Dangote cement truck was that of Nneka and
Kenneth Ojielo, a couple who died in the accident.
Theirs is a story that will bring tears to many eyes
because Kenneth had not seen his wife in the last 10
years until Thursday, the day before they both
perished in the explosion.
“My sister travelled to Lagos from Enugu on
Wednesday. On Thursday, I took her to the airport to
welcome her husband. No one could separate them
when Kenneth eventually came out with his luggage.
They kissed for about 15 minutes and everybody
around just stood watching.”
Nneka’s younger brother, Ogonna Abako, told Punch
that “Kenneth travelled to Austria in 2003 in search
of greener pastures. Before he left, they already had
five children. Their eldest child is 21.
“They actually got married very early. Kenneth was
26 years old when they got married while my sister
was about 20 years old at the time. Everybody was
joyous when we heard he was coming home."
A picture of the joyous reunion taken by Ogonna’s
wife on her mobile phone at the airport showed a
couple with much happiness written all over their
faces.
But that joy was short-lived.
On Friday, they decided to travel to Enugu. Kenneth
wanted to meet his children as soon as possible. The
children too were ecstatic in Enugu as they kept
calling, asking their father, whom they had not seen
in the last 10 years, to get home on time.
Ogonna said, “I drove my sister and her husband to a
hotel and lodged them there. The following day, I
woke up early to take them to the bus park. We got to
Jibowu and realised that the Ekene bus they wanted
to take had already left.
“I wanted them to take a smaller bus, but Kenneth
insisted he would rather board the luxury bus.”
The couple held hands in the bus and prayed for
journey mercies as Ogonna bid them farewell, not
knowing it was for the last time. He said he called his
sister’s phone at 3pm but it did not connect. He
thought there was at network problem.
“When it was 6pm, my sister’s eldest child called and
said she had not seen her parents. I then asked my
brother to go to the Young Shall Grow park in Enugu.
He was told there that only two of the company’s
buses took off from Lagos that day, one from Maza
Maza and one from Jibowu.
“Many families were waiting for their relations at the
park too. The bus that took off from Maza Maza got
to the park and that was when the passengers broke
the news of the accident to waiting families. Those
children will never see their father and mother
again,” Abako said as he dabbed at his teary eyes.
Worse is the fact that their bodies cannot be claimed
by their family members for burial as they were burnt
beyond recognition and were therefore given a mass
burial on Tuesday in Benin.
What a sad way to end their journey...all the 10 years
hustle of the husband gone. So sad!

Very heart rendind story.may d souls of d departed rest in d bosom of our Lord Amen

what a sad story, may their souls rest in peace

Oh God, only you have an answer to this. Console the bereaved families

I pity the children. They will never get to see their parents! May God comfort them.

So Pathetic,May their soul rest in Perfect Peace.

Goodness gracious! See wahala o! What do we call this? He should have just sent for his family or flown to Enugu. Why take a bus?

baby_123: Goodness gracious! See wahala o! What do we call this? He should have just sent for his family or flown to Enugu. Why take a bus?

do we know wot wud av happend 2d family en route if he had sent 4dem,btw,is the air 100% safe in Nigeria?we only live each day by d grace of God in Nigeria,simple gospel truth.

This is so sad, just terrible

samm_miey: do we know wot wud av happend 2d family en route if he had sent 4dem,btw,is the air 100% safe in Nigeria?we only live each day by d grace of God in Nigeria,simple gospel truth.

Each time I read things like this, I get scared about travelling on our roads. May the souls of the departed find rest with God.

OMG. Oh God. Thank you once again for my life.

This is so sad

jennykadry: OMG. Oh God. Thank you once again for my life.

This is so sad

Are you an impostor

God the merciful! Poor children. May the lord give the family the grace to smile again.