What started as a normal day at work quickly turned sour for everyone, as we got a call that one of our colleagues was involved in an accident, and he died before arriving at the hospital. A sad day at the office. This news resulted in a mix of reactions: clients worried about been attended to, colleagues in tears, others glassy-eyed and seemingly lost. What was consistent was the sense that no one knew the right way to move forward.
The fun, jokes and laughter were gone, there was grief written on everyone's face. I sobbed a little, though we were not very close, we have shared good moments worth.
Can you ever be prepared for getting the call telling you your colleague is gone?
Johnson was known for his punctuality to work. Most days, he was the first to sign in. But today it was already 9 am and he is not at work. It got us worried, the boss called me into his office to ask if I have heard from him. We tried his phone number but it was unavailable. We tried his emergency contact but no one picked.
10 am, we got even more worried. It was unlike him. Even if he had somewhere to be or an unavoidable delay he would have called in to inform the boss. We were planning on sending someone over to his place of residence to check in on him. When the call came I informing us of his death.
He usually comes to work on his motorcycle. We were told he was knocked over by a vehicle. He was still alive after the accident. It took fee minutes too late before he was rushed to the hospital. The medical emergency response in Nigeria is poor, a tale for another day. Perhaps he could have been saved if he had made it earlier to the hospital. Just speculation, can't tell for sure.
Delegates were sent to go sympathise with his family. We visited them after work hours. We met the mum and siblings still in tears, the mom was inconsolable.
"I just lost her husband, and now my first child. Death please, come take me"
She cried out repeatedly in her local dialect (Yoruba).
Johnson's dad died 3 years ago, and since then he has been the breadwinner of the family, as the siblings are still in school. His ailing mother does the little she can to assist. He told me of his plan to save enough money to open a business for his mother. While the women who came around we're trying fruitlessly to console the mother, I couldn't help the thought of how the family he left behind will move on without him.
After quite a while, some of her family members came in, and one of them who seemed to be her sister was able to calm her. When it was time, we left them for our houses, promising to visit again. I got the contact of his sibling, so we can be in touch.
His burial has been fixed for Friday, January 29. The office has plans to assist the family in a little way.
Johnson, was the first person to welcome me into the office. And he helped me adapt to life in a new environment. Though most if the moments we spent together was work related. He was the closest colleague. Nice and hardworking. He will be missed
RIP Johnson.
