Simply identified as Mmesoma, the 17 year-old had her life before her. She was an SS3 Student of Imo Girls Secondary School Owerri, eye witnesses said.
On Thursday, October 12, she left her home where she lived with her parents and siblings and went to school. It is speculated that being an SS3 student, she went for lessons after school. But tragedy struck on her way to either the lesson centre or home. Nobody could confirm. Her classmates who were with her were so shock-stricken to utter a word. They were in pain and traumatized.
It rained heavily in Owerri. Walking along the flooded but popular Bank Road, Owerri, along with her class mates, Mmesoma, accidentally, stepped into what was called an open drainage, filled to the brim with flood water. She disappeared from there as the flood swept her through the drainage, obviously a big gutter. Her last bus stop was River Nworie where the flood deposited her.
Her shocked classmates and onlookers raised an alarm. And, a number of youths took the risk and went on a rescue mission. It was late.
By the time she was found, she was already deposited into the River. She was brought out and stretched out, still wearing her uniform and school shoes.
Nobody made efforts to resuscitate her, or try to see if she could be resuscitated.
Everybody stood by, lamenting, and bemoaning the wicked fate that befell Mmesoma. Some were busy using their phones to video the scene and the stretched out body. It was only when a young boy, obviously her brother, ran down, and seeing her stretched out on the ground, fell on her, and asked her “Mmesoma nwanne m (my sister) what happened to you?, did one man ask that she be taken to the hospital, and offered the use of his car. “Use my car, use my car!”
Her brother, and another female relation who also ran down, carried her to the car. But it was late. “Rest in peace”, a voice said in agony.
The spot where she sadly stepped on, and into the drainage, was right in front of Union Bank, Bank Road. It was alleged by eye witnesses that it was the Bank which removed the slab that covered the spot. So, a couple of people said the bank will pay heavily. But who knows the truth of who was responsible for Mmesoma’s avoidable painful, tragic end?
How, during the rainy season, with rains so heavy, anybody would leave open such a big gutter, “a big drainage” they called it, beats every imagination.
It is a question the Government should find an answer to. May Nmesoma’s soul rest in perfect peace.
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