Nancy Maduka: Alive because she refused to go to church

13 year old Nancy Maduka is alive today because she refused to go to church on Christmas day. She pleaded with her parents to allow her skip church to enable her fix her hair. When it became evident that she was not ready to go with them, her mother, in annoyance, left her with some money and directed her to put finishing touches to all the food items bought for the Christmas celebration.

Her mother Jennifer Maduka, her father Francis Maduka, and two older sisters left for church. A few hours later, they were all killed in a bomb blast at St Theresa Catholic church, Suleja.

Continue reading...

It never occurred to any of the members of the family that their encounter that morning would be their last.

No premonition that death was lurking around, not even during the mass. Not even the directive by the Parish Priest, Reverend Father Isaac Achi, that all parishioners should wait and part-take in a Christmas gift from “Baby Jesus” after the mass was strong enough to stop the family from leaving.

Far away from the church, Nancy was set to have her hair-do when a loud sound rented the air. Like a wild harmattan fire, the news of the bomb blast at St. Theresa Catholic Church went round the entire Madalla. Suddenly, Nancy remembered that her parents and sisters were in the church. Like the speed of the light, Nancy dashed to the church and within a twinkle of an eye, her life changed; she became an orphan, because her parents and two sisters were roasted in their car by the explosion that ensued from the bomb blast.

Nancy said: “I was not with them this morning, I had to go and do my hair this morning because I was in church throughout yesterday, preparing for the Christmas. So, I was unable to make it to the mass, despite the pressure mounted by my father to dress up and go for the early morning mass.

“At about 7:30a.m., I went to do my hair and where I went to do my hair, I heard some people talking about a bomb blast at St. Theresa, so I went to check because my parents and sisters went for the mass this morning. As I was about entering the church and was making enquiry, I saw somebody lying on the ground dead. I know my dad’s car; everybody in the car was dead. The first person I identified was one of my sisters; she was dried up by the fire from the explosion. I saw my parents in the front seat, and they were all burnt in the car. I lost all, my parents, my sisters. I lost all. I was crying, because I can see a bleak future ahead of me. Where do I go from where I am? I was not only confused; I initially felt all hope was lost. The only thing I recalled was that some people came and dragged me away from my father’s burnt car,” Nancy stated

Now living with the parish sisters, Nancy was a pity sight on Sunday. She looked ahead to a bleak future, but still has hope.

“I don’t know why this happens, but since this is the way the good Lord wants it, let it be. All I know is that all hope is not lost. I strongly believe this is not the end of the world for me. I know God has a plan for me to have speared my life,” she said