Micro-seconds from death
By Wale Adedayo


Contrary to the advice of my friend, I feel one should put fingers to the keyboard to detail what happened in Ilishan town last Saturday, 10 January 2009 at about 10pm as I was returning to Abeokuta from Ijebu Ife, through Atan, Ijebu Igbo and Ago Iwoye. Maybe, because one is now thousands of miles away, there is a certain lower level of anxiety (not fear!). But for whatever it is worth, as a writer, this is my story:

The Ogun State Government had a retreat for all senior officials of Government on Friday, 9 through Saturday, 10 January 2009. But virtually all of us arrived on Thursday, 8 January, because we were supposed to occupy about four hotels in Ijebu Ode. I understand that about 2 to 3 days before then, regular and additional mobile policemen were deployed to the roads leading to Ijebu Ode, ostensibly because of participants' safety.

Shortly before the engagement ended on Saturday afternoon, I had cause to visit my hometown, Ijebu Ife from where I later left for Ijebu Igbo through Atan in Ijebu North East Local Government to visit an elderly friend. I think I left Ijebu Ife about 7/7.30pm. I left the Oke Agbo, Ijebu Igbo home of my friend about 9pm or a few minutes past that time and took my usual route through Ago Iwoye, Ijesha-Ijebu, Irolu, Ilishan towards Shagamu/Benin Expressway.

Driving at night is more comfortable for me. It's been a major part of life, given to me since my days as a full time journalist. In PUNCH newspaper, during my early days there, we hardly leave the office till 11pm. Sometimes, it is 12 midnight. And I still had to go back to Ikorodu town, where I lived with my family. So, the suggestion of some people about night driving hold no water for me. In addition, the particular route I took, I often pass through the same place between 1am and 3am at the height of the campaigns and events leading to it. This I also did as Director of Organisation in almost all parts of the state.

On getting to the asphalted and dualised portion of the Ilishan/Ago Iwoye Road, right inside Ilishan town, two vehicles were in front of me. I normally wind down my window at night because I wear glasses. Experience has taught me that if you put the car AC on at night, when you wind down or open the door, the first 30 seconds might be your last in case of trouble. Mist would cover the lens.

I sought to overtake the vehicles, only for the one directly in front of me to move to the free lane, thus blocking my passage. Initially, I naively believed he was about to overtake the car in front. But it soon drew level with the first car, which I discovered had an Ogun State Government licensed plate number. I am not good at cars. But I also noticed that the car was fairly new and looked like one of the cars we just bought for our officials. I relaxed a bit, thinking both drivers wanted to discuss briefly without stopping, which is a regular thing as long as you are side by side.

But the instinct in me flared up when both cars slowed down. I instinctively removed my seat belt. I have a simple rule for my friends, who often get robbed in Lagos traffic. The seat belt is a hindrance to quick reaction in case of danger. I wear a belt ONLY when traffic is free flowing. Once cars slow down in front of me, I remove the belt.

All of a sudden, the car bearing the government plate number, which was directly in front of me, stopped. The second one stopped about a second or two later. Almost immediately, the left passenger door was flunged open with a man clutching an AK47 rifle coming out. Of course, immediately the car stopped, I had moved my pump action rifle from the floor by my left to the right on the passenger seat beside me. Immediately I saw the AK47 with him, I switched the PAF from safety to firing position. But I left it where it was so that he still feels he has the element of surprise.

As this man moved towards my left, two others with the same type of gun got down from the vehicle and started taking positions. One moved to the front of my car in between their vehicle and mine, while the third guy moved to my right. He was to later face me from the passenger side window. In the interim, I just told myself that if this was it, then it will be nice to at least get one of them so that they can be easily traced. These thoughts calmed my nerves, because it would have been painful to end up like Uncle Bola Ige, Papa Rewane or Kudirat Abiola without any trace of the killer(s).

The first guy, who had by now positioned himself did not utter a word as he tried to lift up his rifle to level with me on the driver's seat. Initially, when he was coming, the prayers that came with my thoughts were that he should be close enough for my rifle. PAF are notoriously weak on impact with distance. If the target is not close, PAF cannot knock it down. But as he tried to get a level, my prayers were already answered because I got him straight to the face. He shouted in Yoruba with a hand to the face and the other hand clumsily clutching his rifle.

Almost simultaneously, the guy in front who was well positioned took two shots at me. But immediately after scoring on the first guy, I drew myself up on the car window and gave the guy in front a shot, which happened shortly before the report of his second shot at me. He too shouted and took cover. As I climed down to my seat, I was convinced of death, because the guy to my right had all the opportunities in this world for a clean and clear action. Till now, I still shiver when I remember.

He was struggling with the gun and slightly bent down in doing so. What! In that micro-seconds, I shudder to ruminate over how the Almighty works!! The assailant's gun was jammed!!! It had refused to work. God was in control as He had promised me since December last year when the ominous signs started coming. I simply extended my gun over the passenger side window to claim the third enemy. But before I could bring my hand down, the second vehicle suddenly came alive with about three of its doors flung open simultaneously. The three men who came out also had AK47. I knew it was like a back up team.

I don't know how the decision came. But in that split instant, something moved in me that it was time to escape. All this while my car engine was still running. The headlamps were on. Only that the automatic Camry 2008 model had its gear in parking mode. I changed to D and squeezed between the median and the government plated car in my front. Immediately the second car roared to life and sought to block my passage by moving to cross my path. Pressing down very hard on the accelerator, I hit it viciously. Despite his efforts, I broke loose and headed straight for the Shagamu/Benin Expressway, instead of passing through Iperu as I would have done if there had not been any incident.

It was the car that was trying to block my passage I first saw in my rear view mirror coming after me in hot pursuit. The second car soon followed. I hit the expressway like a mad driver and almost rammed into the concrete median as I made to quickly turn away from a lorry that I jumped in its front. In a way, I believed it was this lorry that God used to save me. The two cars slowed down for the lorry to move away before overtaking it and resuming their hot pursuit. But I had gained considerable distance by then. It was this opportunity I had to first call our SSS guys and others in case they succeed in overtaking my car.

But shortly before I got to the first turning into Shagamu through Isale Oko, I did not notice the cars again. As He did for me in 1999, God made real His promises in Isaiah 43:1 - 13. Some of the journalists and policemen who saw the car and the shots believe an Ijebu 'thing' has worked. But I've been telling that if God does not watch over the city, the watchmen will watch in vain. It is not as if the watchmen will not be there. But the enablement to effectively function is the sole prerogative of the Almighty. Glory be to Him, now and forever!!!

na wa ooo

God made all men, so the old saying goes, but GUNS make them all equal.

There is a lot to be said for quick reflexes, steady aim and calmness under fire.   This is an amazing and truly riveting story that really got my heart pounding, as it reminded me of things I'd rather forget.

To celebrate this narrow escape from an early grave, let us all raise our weapons to the sky, and let fly with a good resounding volley that will be heard and appreciated by our ancestors

:-x