How a fire accident left me and 30 other residents homeless — Stationer

Godwin Edimekong, a stationery dealer, speaks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about the horrific experience of losing his home when a fire destroyed his apartment and left him and other tenants homeless.

Can you tell us what happened when the fire started?

My name is Godwin Edimekong. I am a trained and practising journalist. I was previously the Lagos correspondent of the Pointer newspaper, which was then owned by the Delta State Government. I am now a private entrepreneur selling books and stationery in Ogba area of ​​Ikeja, Lagos State. I am from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and I am 60 years old.

I live at No. 17, Atinuke Close, County Bus Stop, Aguda. On the day of the incident, I was not there. Our accommodation was a bungalow with about seven rooms, a drawing room and a boys’ quarters which housed up to 30 residents including children. On May 11, 2024, I was not there with my wife and son.

At that time, there were about four tenants living in the building, including those in the boys’ dormitory and the main building. The others were going about their daily activities. At around 1 p.m., I received a call saying, “Come quickly, there has been a fire accident in your apartment.”

When I got home, I found that the fire had engulfed the entire building and burned it almost to ashes. Onlookers had tried to put out the flames with a mixture of water and detergent, but this was ineffective. We called the fire department, but they did not arrive immediately despite our description. Eventually, someone had to drive to their location to alert them, and they responded.

They poured water for three hours before they were finally able to put out the fire. But by then, considerable damage had already been done. Even when I returned from the shop, I was not allowed to enter the premises because the roofs and walls had collapsed.

The fire was devastating. I spoke to one of my neighbors who said he was home with his children that Saturday. He mentioned that his children were doing laundry and playing outside when the fire broke out. He had left them alone for a short time to do something on the street. Within five minutes he was alerted by shouts of “Fire, fire!” from the neighboring buildings. When he returned, the fire had already engulfed his room and it was inaccessible due to jammed doors. Similar situations occurred with two other tenants in the main building and two in the boys’ quarters.

The apartments in the boys’ quarters were occupied by a traditional medicine dealer (Alagbo) and although we managed to salvage some items from there, the main building was badly damaged by the fire.

Those present, including myself, who only returned one or two hours after the incident, were unable to save anything essential. They tried to fight the fire with cleaning agents and water.

We asked the man in whose apartment the fire broke out: “Did you cook on an electric stove and forget to turn it off?” “Do you store any chemicals or flammable materials that could have caused an explosion?”

What were his answers?

He said there was no electricity, so that was out of the question. He did not know what caused the fire.

You mentioned that you have a son. Is he your only child?

No, we have grown-up children. One is already married, one is in Uyo, one is here in Lagos and one is studying in a polytechnic. The one who lives with me was in the shop with his mother. I had gone out and when I returned to the shop, I received a call at about 1:30 p.m. saying that our building was on fire.

How did you feel when you received the news of the fire in your house?

I was shocked. I ran downstairs and I could see the smoke from far away. It was dangerous because once it rose, it engulfed the whole building and caused the roof to collapse.

Does the landlord also live in the complex?

No, the landlord does not live there. He lives near Orile Iganmu.

So how did the landlord react?

In January, rumors started circulating that the landlord was looking to sell the house. To verify this, we spoke to the mother who originally rented the house to me before introducing her son as the new landlord, but we were unable to confirm it. When we asked him directly if he was planning to sell, he denied it and insisted that the property was his exclusive property.

In March of this year, rumors in the community began to intensify. We expected that the landlord or his mother would inform us if the house was indeed for sale, especially since he acknowledged my role as the main tenant and promised to keep us informed. However, from March to April, he gave no such notification, despite regularly coming by before then.

Ideally, when a property owner wants to sell, he informs his tenants, introduces the potential buyer, states his terms and gives time for the move. We understood that it was his prerogative to sell, but the silence was unexpected. Unfortunately, the house was struck by fire, leaving several tenants destitute, including some who are still hanging on with nowhere else to go.

I am currently wearing donated clothes and staying with a generous neighbor. Finding a new place to stay is a challenge, especially for those looking for single rooms or studio apartments, as these are rare and expensive. None of us can afford such accommodation. The slippers I am wearing now are the same ones I was wearing during the fire.

How can a fire break out within five minutes and destroy an entire house, including the roof, without leaving any wood or doors intact? It’s unbelievable.

The day after the fire, May 12, 2024, my neighbor, in whose room the fire broke out, and another neighbor informed me that they had received calls from an unknown person asking when they would vacate the house. The person claimed that they had been told we had to move out by April 28. When asked who had given their number, the caller mentioned that the landlord had gone abroad.

Since we found out about it, we have been waiting for the landlord to return or for a communication regarding a new buyer so that we can understand our situation. The day after the incident, I called the landlord and informed him of the fire, to which he confirmed that he was still in the country. His response was simple: “I sold the house. I should have informed you and for that I apologize.”

What measures did you take afterwards?

So, a week after the fire, I visited her house – the mother’s house in Orile Iganmu, as she was the one who originally rented the house to me and was always kind to me. I told her, “I have come to update you on what happened even if no one else has informed you.” I informed her but when I called her son, he did not answer despite several attempts. The mother and other family members initially did not believe that the house had been burnt down or sold, so I sent them a video I had taken of the inferno.

A few days later, workers came to demolish the house and put up a fence around the property. We’re not sure who sent them or funded them to cordon off the area, and some neighbors are still staying nearby.

Did you have any rent arrears with your landlord?

Not at all. I can’t speak for the other tenants, but personally I have no outstanding debts with him.

How have you been coping since the incident?

To be honest, life has been tough. Both I and the other tenants are now homeless and don’t know where to go. I am staying with a generous Samaritan who was kind to us as we couldn’t find accommodation in time. There are very few one-bedroom apartments for normal people.

What valuable items did you lose in the fire?

We lost a lot – household appliances, clothes, awards, documents, certificates, souvenirs, contracts, the certificates of my wife and children including my own and various documents such as my national identity card number and electoral card. Most painful were years of research work, manuscripts on USB sticks, videos, paper and soft copies. We also lost three generators, a laptop, a complete desktop computer set, a freezer, a television, a stabilizer, a DVD player, household items and personal belongings. Everything was destroyed. The mystery of how the fire started remains unsolved as no one could save anything. This fate affects everyone and I sympathise with others who do not have the influence I have and are still struggling in Lagos. We are appealing for help from the government and the public and I am ready to give directions to anyone willing to come and witness the devastation first hand.

What kind of support do you currently need?

I saw how others were struggling. Some tried to help by donating clothes. What we really need now is a place to stay or money to find a place to stay. In addition, some of us need psychological support and counseling. It was hard.

How long do you think it will take me to recover from this?

Can I recover from the research work I have devoted 37 years to? Only God can help me with that because I can hardly sleep just thinking about how much effort has been wasted. Neither I nor the other tenants have wronged anyone so I trust God to help me in that regard. In monetary terms, the loss would be in the millions given the current inflation. If we talk about time, only time itself will tell. I don’t know. I leave it to God but I am deeply saddened.

What are you thankful to God for?

I am grateful to God for the gift of life, both for me, my family and the other tenants. I believe that as long as there is life, there is hope.