How I survived 2015 Ghastly Motor Accident That Claimed Lives Of 14 Bayelsa Female Politicians —Mrs Ayabowei

Mrs. Idisenimi Ayabowei, the sole survivor of the ghastly motor accident that claimed the lives of 14 Bayelsa female politicians on the February 14, 2015 on Sunday recounted how she survived, saying it was by divine intervention.

Mrs. Idisenimi Ayabowei, who was a woman leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a close friend to the Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, was among the prominent Female Bayelsa Politicians travelling from Okhirika in Rivers State to Yenagoa before the tragic accident that led to the burning to death of 14 out of the Fifteen occupant of the bus.

Mrs Idisenimi Ayabowei , at a thanksgiving service held on Sunday at St. Peters Anglican Church in Yenagoa, said the finger of God touched her as she was at the point of death.

In the blood chilling account, handed to the congregation on her behalf by her husband, Hon. Clinton Jeremiah Ayabowei, she said while suffocating due to huge smoke from the fire in the bus and amidst cries from other women being burnt to death ” I saw a huge man standing outside the vehicle, beckoning on me to open the window. Surprisingly there was no window except sealed glasses”.

“The vehicle door was centrally locked and the driver that could have opened the door is also trapped in the vehicle. However, following the call of the strange man I summoned courage and smashed the glass seal window of the vehicle through which I was able to put my head and upper shoulder to cry for help. Because the glass window was too small I could not muster the needed strength to rescue myself until some good Nigerians pulled me out of the vehicle”.

Two persons, who were at the scene of the accident and helped in rescuing her, Mr. Tom George, and his driver, Christian Idah, said “we were going back to Port-Harcourt after seeing his family in Yenagoa when his driver sighted the burning flame and a woman struggling to get out of it.

Tom George, said “it was God that gave them the courage to carry out the rescue operations because the flame was high and the car would have exploded.God directed us to break the glass windows through which we pulled her out. By the time we struggled to bring her out we realized that the knee downwards has been badly burnt. He said before they arrived the fire scene, people were there , stressing that it was God that gave them the courage to carry out the rescue operation”.

However, it was Igbadiowei Tubokebina and Lucky Emefia that took her to Madonna Teaching Hospital, Elele, Rivers state. According to Igbadiowei, as a transporter, they were on their way to Port-Harcourt when they met Mrs. Ayabowei lying by the road side, screaming for help in her local Ijaw dialect and English languages respectively.

Attracted by her cry he discharged the passengers he was carrying and took her to a nearby hospital in Ahoada, however, the hospital refused to accept her, claiming it is beyond their capacity, as a result, they were directed to Madonna Teaching Hospital, Elele in Rivers state.

While narrating the ordeal of the accident, Hon. C.J Ayabowei, said, Mr. Igbadowei called to informed him that ” the owner of this phone is involved in a ghastly accident so tell the family to come and meet me in Madonna teaching hospital, Elele. When he dropped the call I thought its one of these bad boys who had kidnapped my wife and was trying to lure me too to demand for some ransom. While he was contemplating on what to do, Dr.( Mrs.) Okara came in to confirm that she was present when the accident took place ,so he should go to the hospital.

“It was based on that I called my wife’s brother who accompanied me to the hospital.When I saw her she was like a roasted animal and because the burns were beyond Madonna teaching hospital they have to transfer her to University of Port-Harcourt teaching hospital from where she was transferred to South Africa for better treatment.”

“ If it was only me I don’t know what would have happened but God sent Her Excellency,Dame (Mrs.) Patience Jonathan who came in with an air ambulance to assist us have better treatment. She was in South Africa for one year and three months where she under went series of operations. Her second son with his wife accompanied her to South Africa, abandoning his local content job.

It would be recalled that Eleven female politicians from Bayelsa on Saturday february 14,2015 night died in a ghastly auto crash, while one person survived from the wreckage of their vehicle which burst into flames.

The accident occurred at the Ahoada axis of the East-West road in Rivers.He explained that nine of the 11 persons were burnt to death, while the rest two died without burns.

“Many others who sustained injuries during the accident were rushed to Madonna clinic in the area,’’ the FRSC official said. He said the accident occurred when the tyre of a Toyota Sienna car burst and rammed into the bus carrying the women.

Source: Leadership