Haunted by fears of accidents and kidnapping, Grace Afangideh chose air travel as the safest way to undertake her journey.
The young woman flew to Enugu, intending to continue to the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in Ebonyi State by road. However, fate had a different outcome in store.
On the evening of Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Grace decided to stay near the airport because her home was far away, and she needed to catch an early flight.
“She could have driven, but due to concerns about accidents and insecurity in the Southeast, she chose to fly from Lagos to Abakaliki,” her father, Mr. Camillus Afangideh, told a reporter from The Punch.
Tragically, fate took a cruel twist, as impending danger awaited her. She couldn’t secure a direct flight to Abakaliki due to undisclosed issues, so her only option was to land at the Enugu State airport and continue her journey to the NYSC camp by road.
On the morning of January 22, Grace boarded a flight from Lagos to Enugu with hope and determination, arriving without incident. Yet, her journey was far from over, as she still needed to get to Ebonyi for her NYSC orientation camp.
Unbeknownst to her, the very threat she had feared most was awaiting her as she boarded an Enugu North Mass Transit bus with fellow corps members.
Her father recounted that just 30 minutes into the trip, the bus collided with another vehicle, resulting in her immediate death.
“Grace always had a profound fear of road accidents and kidnapping. She often voiced her worries, never imagining her greatest fear would ultimately claim her life,” he shared, struggling to contain his tears.
Even after her passing, her father revealed that her siblings continued to have dreams about her, convinced that she was still alive.
