On Sunday September 22, two people lost their lives in  Nasarawa Jahun ward in the Bauchi metropolis when part of the historic wall of the official residence of Galadima Bauchi, Alhaji Ibrahim Sa’idu Jahun collapsed, writes Segun Awofadeji

Collapsed Royal Wall

The Royal home of the Galadima Bauchi at unguwar Ganjuwa constructed around the year 1804 recently collapsed on an adjacent building killing two people and injuring four other around 12: 50pm.

THISDAY checks revealed that on the previous day before the tragedy, there was a heavy rainfall in the state that lasted for several hours.  It was also learnt that the historic wall which is over 100 years had cracks on it due to rainfalls from previous years and nothing was done to renovate the walls, until it eventually collapsed the following day on the houses near it.

The two persons, who died as a result of the collapsed wall, were identified as Abdullahi Aliyu, 50, a father of five and Bilkisu Yaya, 38, a mother of five who were in their houses as of the time of the incident.

The surviving two daughters of late Aliyu in an interview with THISDAY narrated how the incident happened stating that the incident happened while their father was resting inside the house.

Asamau, 17 and her sister Hafsat, 15 however said, they submit to the will of Allah over the death of their father.

Asmau whose body was covered with red dust from the collapsed building said: “We were sitting inside the lounge with my sister when the house started falling. My father was inside his room already asleep when the building collapsed on him. It was just like a dream because nobody ever envisaged that any omen of that nature will befall our house”.

Another survivor, Mallama Jamila Salihu said she was preparing food for the wedding of a neighbour with Bilkisu in Abdullahi’s compound when the incident occurred.

Jamila said: “I was in the kitchen when I heard the wall collapsing  and before we knew it, there were dust everywhere.”

The Chairman, Bauchi Local Government Area, Sagir Baba Maji, who visited the deceased family and represented by the Education and Social Development officer, Aminu Yaya, described the incident as unfortunate and sad, saying, “We accept this tragic incident as the will of God and although we are sad because the fall of the wall led to the death of two persons, we know that whatever is destined to happen will eventually happen”.

The local government has promised to rehabilitate the wall housing Galadima Bauchi royal home, although its maintenance falls under the Bauchi emirate council where the Galadima functions as a high ranking traditional title holder.

In his remark, Ibrahim Saidu Jahun,  Galadima Bauchi, while attributing the incident to the early morning rains that occurred the previous day said there had been signs that the wall would collapse.

“It is a very sad incident and I pray Allah to grant the families the fortitude to bear the loss. It is sad but one needs to submit to Allah,” he said.

The residents of the area who trooped out to the scene lamented that the traditional ruler’s wall poses a threat to them appealing to the traditional leader in the area to demolish and rehabilitate the out-dated building with a view to protecting their lives.

They also called on the government to compensate the families of the victims.