I wanted the best for my son, but I can’t find him now – Father of 16-year-old boy in Ikoyi high-rise collapse

By ENIOLA DANIEL

As the death toll rises to 38 in the 21-story collapsed building in Ikoyi, Lagos, families have continued to asked questions with little answers provided to calm their nerves.

Distraught father of Emmanuel Abel, a 16-year-year-old apprentice, Abel Godwin, is worried about the fate of his son who left Abuja for Lagos with his master, Mr. Gbenga.

Godwin does not know if his son is alive or not.

Authorities in the state have not announced the identities of more than 30 persons that have been confirmed dead when a 21-storey building still under construction collapsed in Ikoyi earlier in the week.

“They should allow me to check the bodies that have been recovered, the governor promised to do so today but he has not spoken to us,” Godwin said.

“We are hoping on God to see my son either alive or dead. I am not fighting for justice, I just want to see my son alive or dead.

“I want the pressmen to ask the government about the whereabouts of my son. My son came from Abuja.

He added: “Emmanuel will be 17 on December 30, 2021. He finished secondary school at 15, and I registered him for apprenticeship when admission didn’t come because of the situation we are in Nigeria.

“It’s not hunger that brought my son to Lagos, I wanted him to get something doing because I won’t live with him forever.

He added: “I took him to his workshop in Abuja with my wife. I drove my son to the workshop by 5a.m on September 26, 2021 and they drove off to Lagos in my presence with others but as at yesterday, I saw five death and one survivor but nobody has assured me if I will be able to see my son.

“I was doing Okada in 2004 to survive, today I have a job and I am okay, but I can’t see my son. (The Guardian)