The Nation Newspaper

Tag: bungalow

  • Widow gets bungalow after losing mud house to rain

    Succour came the way of a homeless widow in Ubogidi Ozalla community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State when she was presented with a new bungalow in place of her mud house. The gesture was extended to her by a philanthropist and Igwe-elect of the community, Chief Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu. The bungalow was built within 18 days.

    The Igwe elect embarked on the project when it came to his knowledge that part of the widow’s mud house collapsed and almost killed her after a heavy rainfall the previous night.

    At the presentation of the new house to the widow, the Igwe elect said he returned from the United Kingdom and was informed of how the widow’s mud house collapsed in the night and almost killed her.

    “I placed a call immediately across to my family in the United Kingdom and informed them of the ugly incident in my community. My parents, wife and children told me to erect a bungalow for the widow Mrs Chinyere Odobe without hesitation as nobody can tell what would be her fate if she continues to stay in the mud house.

    The next day I mobilised workers and moved to site. The workers were at work day and night and completed the project within 18 days.

    This brief and solemn ceremony of commissioning and handover of the building to the widow was to give God the glory for making it possible for the widow to live in a modern house in her life time.

    “I have houses in Nigeria and United Kingdom while someone nearly died for lack of good house in my community. God provided for me and I have to use it to serve humanity in any little way my resources can carry.

    “God used me to build a house for the widow but she has no pots, bed to lay her head with her children and can hardly afford a meal in a day as she survives with her children on menial jobs and serving masons at building sites. I am appealing to good-spirited individuals, philantropists, donor agencies, churches, non-governmental organisations, local and state governments to come to the aid of the widow in providing some of her basic needs so that she can eke out means of livelihood to be alive.

    “I am happy to God that I have the means to build the house for the widow. I call on other people to assist the widow in any little way to make a living. No matter anywhere one may have travelled to in the world, East or West home is the best.”

    He urged youths of the community to shun all forms of criminal activities and avoid consumption of illicit drinks, hard drugs among others and believe in hard work, adding that he was born and bred in Ozalla/Ugbogidi and knows what poverty is in the community before travelling abroad for greener pastures.

    One Mr. Charles Ideyi who witnessed the presentation and after listening to the life story of the widow with five children offered to provide bed and mattress for the widow while the former majority leader of Nsukka legislative council Hon. Ozo Okomai also offered to provide beddings to enable the widow move in to the new building.

    The widow Mrs Chinyere Odobe with tears of joy said: “I never believed to be alive and live in a cemented house of this nature called my own. I lost my husband several years ago and ever since then I and my children have been living from hand to mouth.

    The worst was that part of the mud house which is the only thing my late husband left collapsed and almost killed me at night under heavy rainfall; I managed to escape and ran to Igwe-elect Samuel Asadu (Okenwa Ogadagidi) in tears and he offred to wipe out my tears.

    “I and my son Obi Odobe serve masons at building sites to eat and return home to rest in the squalor which is our only inheritance.

    People do give us food items at times; we use firewood to cook whenever we see what to cook. Life has been miserable on us since the death of my husband. I have five children; some have been taken away to the city. Obi has been the only source of our feeding. God will always protect and guide Ogadagidi for the love he has shown to me and my children, sheltered a widow and provided food and drinks for the opening of a new building for me. I am crying because I never knew that I can live in a magnificent building till I die.”

    Commissioning the building while dedicating it to God, the administrator Nsukka West development centre Mr. Chinedu Aniche asked God to end poverty in the family because the bible says don’t treat a widow bad because if she cries unto me (God) I will hear.

    Dignitaries that witnessed the commissioning, dedication and handover of the building include five catholic priests, three Anglican clerics, deputy chairman Nsukka Local Government Area Hon. Cosmo Agbo who promised to laise with the executive chairman of the council Chief Patrick Omeje to assist the widow and traditional ruler of Ozzi Edem Igwe Asogwa with members of his cabinet while women and children of the community sang and danced to the glory of God.

  • Properties destroyed as fire guts bungalow in Ebonyi

    Properties destroyed as fire guts bungalow in Ebonyi

    Properties worth about N500 million were destroyed in Abakaliki on Thursday morning by fire.

    The incident happened at No 7 Momo Street

    When Our Reporter visited the area, the about 10-room bungalow was still smouldering. All the properties in the building were completely razed.

    It was gathered that the building caught fire at about 4am while its occupants were still asleep.

    One of the occupants, Mr Umaru Yakubu, told journalists that he was aroused from sleep by neighbours who raised the alarm over the fire.

    He narrated that in addition to their loss, one of his brothers who trades on cattle lost about N200 million he had withdrawn the previous day for the purchase of cattle.

    Read Also: Fire guts N183m TETFund project

    “We lost many things. My brother who is a tailor lost his industrial machine and everything in the shop. Another brother of mine who trades on cattle lost over N200 million. He was supposed to travel to the north the following day” he narrated.

    Yakubu blamed the officials of the Ebonyi State Fire Service who according to him, failed to come in time even when they were beckoned upon. He said that their station and the scene of the incident was just a stone throw.

    “For over 15 minutes, the officials of the Ebonyi State Fire Service did not come even when their station and the scene is just a stone throw. When they finally came, they sprayed little water and packed up; complaining that they don’t have enough water” he narrated.

    Another occupant, Bamba Hamajobia, lamented that all their food items and other wares were lost to the fire. She revealed that the fire was caused by an electric spark were a refrigerator was plugged.

    The victims also called on Government and members of a the public to come to their aide.

  • Woman slumps as fire guts bungalow, church

    Woman slumps as fire guts bungalow, church

    FIRE yesterday razed a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and a bungalow on Murtala Muhammed Way on Oyingbo, Lagos Mainland.

    The fire was said to have been caused by electrical surge.

    Sources said most of the bungalow occupants had gone to work when the incident happened, adding that when they returned, they could not salvage anything from the building.

    A woman fainted on the scene, but she was revived.

    A resident in the neighbourhood, Matilda, said light had been fluctuating since noon, adding that when it was taken around 3pm, she heard a loud sound.

    She said: “When I heard the sound, I rushed out from my room. I was shocked to see fire come out from one of the rooms. As I went back to take my phone, the fire had spread to other rooms. People successfully took the vehicle that was in the compound out, but before we knew it, the fire torched one of the church’s split air conditioners and it exploded. The fire became unbearable. Thank God for the intervention of the fire fighters. It is so unfortunate my neighbours couldn’t salvage anything.”

    An occupant of the building, Osemudiame, said he was sleeping when he heard shouts of “fire”, adding: “I ran out of the house without anything. I see no difference between me that was around and those who weren’t around. I had just renovated my room. This incident is better imagined than experienced. It is so unfortunate. I may have to squat with a family who lives on the outskirts of Lagos.”

    A sympathiser, Musliudeen Imam, said his sister’s husband was to travel next week for business, but can no longer do so because of the fire.

    He said: “It is the devil’s handiwork. My sister’s husband has paid for the return flight. I learnt he had already taken the passport this morning (Wednesday) but he returned it. If only he knew this was going to happen. He has been looking for it in the debris but he hasn’t seen it.”

    Desmond Areku, an engineer, said he lost his certificates to the fire.

    “I was at work when my neighbours called me on phone. The first thing I thought of was my certificates. I couldn’t save anything. I pity my neighbours who just spent a lot renovating their rooms and another who lost her husband recently. Where would we go from here? For how long will we squat with people?” he said.

    A member of the church, who gave his name as Adebayo James, said everything in the church went with the fire.

    “The church 18 spilt air conditioners and other appliances went with the fire. I am grateful nobody was there.”

    The Yaba fire station and Federal fire service responded to the fire.

  • Fire guts bungalow

    Fire guts bungalow

    A BUNGALOW went up in flames on Tuesday night, leaving a room/parlour and a shop in ruins.

    The Nation learnt that no one knew the cause of the fire at House 49, Ayo Afolabi Road, Oke-Ira, Ogba, Lagos.

    AbdulFatai Usman, a 53-year-old electronic repairer, said he had just broken his fast and was sitting  outside when someone noticed the fire in his shop.

    Amid tears, Usman said: “I can’t pinpoint the cause of the fire because our transformer has been faulty for close to one week and I didn’t light candle or lantern because the security light of the mast opposite the building reflects into my shop.

    “I have been occupying this shop for over 15 years and I have never witnessed such incident in my life. This is where I live with my son. I am glad I had not put him to bed before the incident happened because it would have been a disaster.  All our properties, customer’s appliances, engines and mixer are gone. I had to sleep in a friend’s house. My son couldn’t go to school today (yesterday) because his uniforms and books have gone with the fire. I have just N5 on me. Ahhh! I need help.”

    Occupant of the room and parlour was said to be in her shop when the fire started.

    Her son Olajide said: “We own the house and we have been living here for over 31 years and we never witnessed this situation. I am glad the day was still young when it happened. She doesn’t cook in the house because she has a shop at the frontage of our house where she does her cooking. No one knows the cause of the fire but we are glad no life was lost.”

    Another artisan, Kehinde Oladele said he had just repaired a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Television on Tuesday and called the owner to come and collet it when the incident occured.

    “If we had generating set, I would have said the fuel caused the inferno but we don’t. I had to go to a neighbouring street to repair the television because our transformer has been faulty. Now, I lost on both sides, No money; No television. I don’t know what to tell the owner,” he said.