How I survived Abuja EMAB explosion, injured student narrates

I could not tell if I was still on fire. All I knew was that my whole body was so hot and for a second I was restless.”

 
Michael Anyanacho woke up in the early hours of Wednesday morning to go to EMAB Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja, where he works to earn extra money for school.
The student of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, works as a phone repairer at the plaza, visited by hundreds of Abuja residents daily.

“When (school is) on break I repair phones so I can earn little to take back with me but, presently, school is in session. I just came home for a little break and decided to work as usual because I don’t depend solely on my parents,” Michael explained.
However, on that fateful Wednesday, towards the close of work, Michael found himself running away from EMAB Plaza, his body on fire.

“My legs and hands were on fire,” he narrated to PREMIUM TIMES from his hospital bed at the National Hospital, Abuja. “I had to run as fast as my legs could take me, to put out the fire on my body and also to prevent my whole body from burning up.”
Michael was repairing a customer’s phone when the bomb explosion occurred at about 4:00 p.m.
“A customer of mine brought his hardware for repairs so I told him to wait at my stand while I take the phone to my colleague on the other side of the plaza who repairs software to help with the repairs,” he said. “The repairs were taking too long so I headed back to ask my customer to wait a bit longer. I was just two steps away from the plaza when I heard a loud sound. Before I could turn around, my hands and legs were on fire.”
He said that as he ran, he was no longer aware of the fire on his body.
“I could not tell if I was still on fire. All I knew was that my whole body was so hot and for a second I was restless. It was a friend of mine that held me and took me to the street were a man helped and took me to Maitama Hospital before I was referred to National Hospital,” he explained.

No hospital bills
Michael was one of the 52 people, according to the Nigerian Government, who escaped from the bomb explosion at the plaza with burns and other injuries. At least 21 people were not as lucky; they died either at the scene or in the hospital.
Alphonsus Anyanacho, Michael’s father, told PREMIUM TIMES that at the time of the explosion he, like millions of Nigerians, was about to watch the match between Nigeria and Argentina at the World Cup.
“I was at home but went out around that time to watch the Super Eagles match. When I saw on the television screen breaking news about the bomb blast at EMAB Plaza, I remembered my son because he goes there every morning to hustle,” Mr. Anyanacho said. “I then called his number immediately but someone else picked the phone; a friend of his that helped him to the hospital.”
He said he left for the National Hospital immediately and got there to find his son “wrapped up.”
Based on the Abuja administration’s resolve to foot medical bills of victims of such incident, Mr. Anyanacho confirmed that he was not charged a dime as hospital bills for his son’s treatment.
Sitting beside his son’s hospital bed, the father said the doctors had not told him when his son would be discharged.
“All I was told was that he is responding to treatment,” Mr. Anyanacho disclosed.

Oscar Pistorius Murder Trial Resumes After Six-Week Break

The murder trial of Oscar Pistorius is resuming in South Africa after a six-week break to evaluate the athlete’s mental health.
His defense team has argued he was suffering from an anxiety disorder when he killed his girlfriend.
A report by experts will help the judge decide how significant this is.
The athlete denies deliberately killing Reeva Steenkamp. He says he shot her accidentally in a state of panic after mistaking her for an intruder.
BBC Africa reports that the experts’ report seems unlikely to alter the course of this trial dramatically – the defence has already acknowledged that Mr Pistorius’s anxiety would not have stopped him knowing right from wrong.
The defence is expected to finish presenting its evidence in the next few days – calling perhaps three more witnesses.
If found guilty of murder, Mr Pistorius, who went on trial on 3 March this year, could face life imprisonment. If he is acquitted of that charge, the court will consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive about 15 years in prison.
Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, was shot through a toilet door at Oscar Pistorius’s house in Pretoria on Valentine’s Day last year.
The couple had been dating for three months.

Elton John Says Jesus Would Have Supported Gay Marriages If He Was Alive…Do You Agree?

                                                                  Sir Elton John

Music star-Sir Elton John who hopes to marry filmmaker-David Furnish next year has said, if Jesus Christ was alive, the Messiah would have supported gay marriages.
Speaking to UK’s Sky News on the same weekend as the London Pride parade, Sir Elton John said: “If Jesus Christ was alive today, I cannot see him, as the Christian person that he was and the great person that he was, saying this could not happen. He was all about love and compassion and forgiveness and trying to bring people together.
And that is what the Church should be about.”
Though it is obvious that Sir Elton John wants the Church to do more in relation to gay marriages, he acknowledged how far the Church has come and praised Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Francis, whom he described as a “wonderful” man who had stripped back church teaching to reveal its fundamental message of love.
That is far away in Europe; they are talking about gay marriages and how the Church should support that. Back in Ghana, the legal framework does not even recognise the rights of gays—let alone the Church.
Recently, Wanlov Da Kubolor was in the news for saying, ‘probably GOD is Gay’ and you can imagine the bashing he received.
Anyway, do you think Jesus would have supported gay marriages if he was alive—bearing in mind that Jesus’ teachings were all about love, compassion and equality?

John Dumelo…Looks Just Like the MOTHER-Atleast the Nose Gives Him Away!

For the women who have been dying for John Dumelo because of his bold African facial features and height, this photo should tell you where John stole his handsomeness from—straight from the mother.
You cannot miss the mother’s genes when you look at John Dumelo’s lips and his signature nose—like mother like son.

The beauty must be in the family and the mother looks great for her age!
Source: GhanaVibes

Michael Essien Says Sulley Muntari Was Right For Slapping GFA Official

Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has given his full support to Sulley Muntari after his AC Milan team-mate was thrown out of the Black Stars camp at the 2014 World Cup for an ‘unprovoked physical attack’ on Ghana FA executive at the tournament in Brazil.

In his first comment since the dismissal of Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng for different disciplinary issues, Essien seemed to blame the Ghana FA for the dismissal of Muntari.

The AC Milan star, who played a bit-part role for Ghana at the World Cup, gave a brief reaction to numerous questions and appeals asking him to advice Boateng and Muntari over their reported indiscipline in the Black Stars camp and rather defended the actions of the duo.

“@acheamponglilian advice your so call FA not Sulley,” the ex-Chelsea star replied to an Instagram comment when asked to advice his friend Muntari over the attack on Armah, the owner of one of Ghana’s leading clubs.

Muntari is reported in the Ghanaian media to have launched a fisted attack on Ghana FA member Moses Armah during a meeting before chasing him up in his hotel room for further attacks resulting in his dismissal.

The action has drawn worldwide condemnation for the AC Milan star who has been sacked from Ghana camps on several occasions over disciplinary issues.

 Simmering tensions surfaced in Ghana’s camp over unpaid World Cup appearance fees during a meeting in which Muntari launched an unprovoked attack on the Black Stars Management Committee member Moses Armah just before Ghana’s last game of the tournament in Brasilia.
Boateng, who had a disappointing campaign at this year’s finals, was also thrown out of Ghana’s camp following a ‘stinking’ verbal abuse on Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah – reports in the Ghana media say. The altercation, which the Schalke 04 star denies, led to his dismissal as he used the F-word on the soft-spoken coach.
Essien, who played just one game at Ghana’s World Cup campaign, has received praise for his conduct in the Ghana camp as he had remained calm and collected through the confusing times. But his show of support for the duo is expected to change opinions.
Moments after Muntari’s dismissal from the team’s camp, he quickly focused his attention on AC Milan where he has signed a new one-year contract extension.
Ghana’s Youth and Sports Minister who was at the team’s camp in Brazil and his deputy have been dismissed by the Ghanaian President. (GhanaVibes)

Nigerian Doctors Begin Nationwide Strike

The Nigerian Medical Association yesterday announced the commencement of a nationwide strike today, after Federal Government failed to yield to their request.

The President of the NMA, Dr. Kayode Obembe, during a press briefing in Abuja yesterday said, there was no going back from the strike and it starts today, 1^st of July, 2014.

The NMA had sent 24-points demand to the government, including the discontinuation of recognition of non-medical doctors as Directors and Consultant title to any other health worker other than medical doctors, but their demands are yet to be met.

Hmmmmm, Is this really the best approach.......? God save my Country

Chika Ike's 'last night's dream...

This is what she posted on her IG:

"Happy new month Fabs !!! I had a dream that I was super woman, flying all over the place saving people in distress. It felt so good to have super powers!!! Dreams do come true! I believe! ��.

 

 

Kim Kardashian displays MAJOR sideboob as she goes on date with sister (PHOTOS) .

Their arrival in The Hamptons left locals worried that they might bring unwanted attention to the luxury location. And on Monday,Kim Kardashian certainly caused a stir as she stepped out for lunch with sister Kourtney, in a revealing outfit as they filmed their spin-off show Kourtney and Khloe Take The Hamptons.

Kim, 33, displayed major sideboob as she went without a bra for the casual lunch date, wearing a billowing skirt and a tight-fitting black vest top.

Man commits suicide in Abeokuta, after getting dumped by his fiancée (Photo)

Over the weekend, a heart-broken 33-year-old man, Oluwatosin Otaiku, stabbed himself to death after his fiancee, Olaogun Oluwatoyin, called off their engagement.

After futile efforts to get her to re-consider her decision, he decided to commit suicide in his home at the Onikolobo area of Abeokuta, Ogun State on Saturday. 

He  couldn’t imagine a life without the love of his life.

One of his neighbours spoke to journalists saying Oluwatosin became a shadow of himself after the heartbreak and this made neighbours, who were aware of the development, to intervene.
On one of such occasions, the two lovers were  invited to discuss in the privacy of a shop at Safari junction in Onikolobo to trash out issues but Olaogun reportedly stood her ground and maintained that she could not continue with the relationship. The deceased did the unthinkable and reportedly brought out a knife from his pocket and stabbed himself to death.

He was said to have been rushed to the Mercy Hospital in Panseke but he died on the way to the hospital.

Confirming the report, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the police were still holding on to Otaiku’s remains until a postmortem examination would be carried out.

 

“The lady is still with us, she is still our suspect for now until we carry out a proper investigation on the corpse. We need some time to study the statements, but the expert’s opinion is to carry out a postmortem on the body which we are going to do. I can assure you that the command will do the needful in order to get to the root of the incident,” he said.

Prominent Northern Politician, Umaru Dikko is Dead

Umaru Dikko, a prominent northern politician and Minister of Transportation during the Second Republic, passes away today, July 1, according to his son, Dr. Bello Dikko, and another family member.

Mr. Umaru Dikko died early Tuesday in a London hospital at the age of 78, family revealed.
According to Umary Dikko’s son, he has been sick for "quite some time" and suffered three strokes in a row.

May His Soul Rest in Peace....