Saheed Akeredolu, a 49-year-old school bus driver, lost two of his children and an uncle when a building collapsed at Ota-Ona in Ikorodu, Lagos State. The incident happened while his children were inside the building praying.
Akeredolu, whose family had been living in a small building on the same compound while the main house was under construction, shared his painful story.
On that day, Akeredolu was asleep in the small building with his wife and their middle child. Meanwhile, his eldest son, 18-year-old Abdulmalik, and youngest daughter, 13-year-old Amira, went into the new building to pray around 1 p.m.
They usually went to the mosque but stayed home due to a local traditional curfew known as “Igemo”, which forbids women from going outside during specific periods. “My son didn’t want to leave his younger sister behind,” Akeredolu said. “So, they went in together to pray.”
Suddenly, the building collapsed. Akeredolu, his wife, and their 16-year-old daughter were in the old structure and survived. But when they rushed out after hearing the crash, they discovered that the new building had caved in.
Uncle Trapped Alongside the Children
Also trapped in the building was Akeredolu’s uncle, a 78-year-old man who had come from Egbeda to help supervise the construction. “He was my mother’s younger brother,” Akeredolu explained. “He supported us and was always present to help.”
Sadly, all three—Abdulmalik, Amira, and the uncle—did not survive.
The tragedy was more painful for Akeredolu because the rest of the workers at the site escaped unhurt. About seven construction workers were on the top floor at the time and managed to get out quickly. The victims were on the first floor when the building came down.
Building Had Government Approvals and Used Quality Materials
Akeredolu insisted that the building was constructed using quality, certified materials. “We used high-standard materials throughout,” he said. “Even people in the area often asked if it was a government-owned building because it looked so solid.”
According to him, both local and state government officials inspected the building at every stage of the project. They received official approvals before moving on to the next stage. “If the government asks for documents, we can provide them all,” he said.
Construction had reached the internal plastering stage. Two days before the collapse, workers had finished plastering the exterior and had started on the interior, beginning from the ground floor up.
Abdulmalik, Akeredolu’s eldest son, had been admitted to the University of Lagos to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering. “He scored 320 in UTME and got into his first choice,” the grieving father said. “He was very bright and also trained as an electrician.”
His admission into the university came with congratulatory messages from both the University of Lagos and Lagos State University, which was his second choice.
Construction Funded by Family Abroad
The land on which the building was erected belonged to Akeredolu’s late mother. Her grave is also on the property. Funding for the project came from his mother’s youngest child, who lives abroad. “That’s where the money for the construction came from,” he noted.
In his final words, Akeredolu appealed to the Lagos State Government for help. “The building was approved by the government, and now I have nothing left—only my wife and one daughter,” he said. “We are alone and need support.”
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