How I escaped death during A’Ibom church collapse – Deputy gov

The Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, at the weekend, narrated how she narrowly escaped being killed seven years ago when Reigners Bible Internal Bible Church in Uyo collapsed.

The church collapsed on December 10, 2016 during the ordination of the senior pastor, Akan Weeks, killing scores of worshippers and maiming others.

Former Governor Udom Emmanuel escaped dead by the whiskers during the incident.

Speaking on Saturday during the wedding of her daughter in Uyo on Saturday, Eyakenyi said she would have probably been killed had she not stepped out of the building some seconds earlier.

She said the place where she sat in the church was badly affected by the collapse.

“Blessing (my daughter) had another father and mother when she was growing up; and that is the immediate-past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, and the wife, Martha Udom Emmanuel.

“When she (Blessing) was doing her Master’s in the US, the then governor and his wife took Blessing from me and the training throughout that period was handled by the governor until she returned from the US; it was a great sacrifice.

“I stand a living person today because of that sacrifice that the former governor made. If you people remember 10th December 2016, the church collapsed, it was one of the school fees he paid that took me out of that church, just a second and the church collapsed.

“Where I sat people were injured seriously but God used him. I’m today alive, I thank you,” the deputy governor said.

The deputy thanked Governor Umo Eno for accepting her as part of his team and always standing by her family.

“God has used the governor to be a great blessing to our family and to the children seated here today. I lack words to appreciate him. He knows that truly, truly I appreciate my governor for everything,

“I want to say thank you. May God bless you and your wife,” Eyakenyi said.