Amarachi Oguzie, elder brother of the late Chizoba Oguzie, who died when a water tank fell on her through the roof while she was asleep, speaks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about the heartbreaking tragedy and the emotional toll it has taken on their family

What is your relationship with the late Chizoba Oguzie?

She was my younger sister. I am her elder brother. We are from Imo State. I stay in the United States.

Can you narrate all that happened to your late sister?

On March 18th, 2025, my sister went to work, returned home, freshened up, and lay down to rest. She had no idea it would be her last day. During the day, the water tank stand collapsed. The tank, filled with water, came crashing down, breaking through the roof and landing directly on her while she slept.

She didn?t wake up. She didn?t even get a chance to scream for help. Just like that, she was gone. It?s painful. It?s heartbreaking. She went to bed, expecting to wake up, but she never did, all because of something no one could have predicted. She didn?t deserve this; no one does.

Where did this happen?

It happened at Number 7, View Avenue, Chevron, Lagos, Nigeria.

What has been the reaction of the owner of the house?

It was said that my late sister had no direct connection with the house owner. A lady rented the apartment from the landlady and then sublet it to my sister.

Who is the lady?

I don?t know the exact nature of her relationship with my late sister, but she was the one who rented out the apartment to her. Her name is Favour Nnanna. I don?t know her personally, so I can?t share much information about her.

I asked her for the landlady?s contact, and she sent me a number, claiming the landlady was in America. However, when I called the number, I was shocked to hear that the person who answered had no idea about the incident, did not know my sister, and even insisted that I had called the wrong number.

How did you feel at that moment?

I was devastated. Even if my sister didn?t rent the apartment directly from the owner, the owner should at least be aware of such a tragic incident in her house. If my sister had committed fraud or set the house on fire, the landlady would have shown up. But now, when it matters most, she is nowhere to be found.

If someone dies in your house, the least you can do is reach out to their family. Ignoring them is simply wrong?there?s no excuse for it. A life was lost in that home due to incompetence and negligence. Whether it was poor construction, substandard materials, or something else, it cost a life.

The woman on the phone denied being the landlady, and I have been trying to reach Favour again to let her know that the phone number she gave me is incorrect. But Favour insists that this is the number she used to contact the landlady on WhatsApp.

She later told me she had been in a church programme. So, I am still waiting for her to provide the correct number. The person she directed me to has denied any connection to the house. At this point, I am losing my patience. I would have had Favour arrested to force her to provide the real contact details of the house owner, but I promised my mum that I wouldn?t cause any trouble. Right now, I can?t stay calm anymore. They know what happened to my sister.

How did your mum receive the news?

Initially, we kept the bad news from her. I instructed my siblings to only tell her that my sister was sick and unable to talk, as she had been extremely worried after not hearing from my sister. I told my brothers that we would break the news to her once my sister?s body had been moved to Imo State.

When the corpse was eventually transported from Lagos to Imo State, they broke the sad news to her. I called to console her and pleaded with her not to harm herself, telling her that if she did, she would be putting my life at risk as well.

Was your sister taken to a hospital immediately after the other tenants broke into her apartment and found her on the bed?

Yes, she was taken to the hospital, but she was declared dead on arrival. Upon hearing the news, I immediately sent my two elder brothers to Lagos. When they arrived, they were told that my late sister?s body had not been released. I called the hospital and asked to speak with the doctor. They hesitated at first but eventually handed the phone to him.

The doctor confirmed that my sister had already died before she was brought to the hospital. I asked why they were keeping her body instead of transferring it to the mortuary, as it was at risk of decaying. He told me we had to pay N250,000 before they could release her body. I was shocked and asked why they were charging a fee for a deceased person. He claimed it was hospital policy and that certain bills had to be settled.

I asked, ?What bills?? He avoided answering directly and kept insisting on payment. I reminded him that I was recording our conversation and that he had already confirmed my sister was dead upon arrival. Still, he insisted it was hospital policy. Not wanting my sister?s body to remain there any longer, I asked for the hospital?s account details. As soon as he sent them, I transferred the N250,000 immediately.

After making the payment, they suddenly said a police report was required before they could release her body. I was shocked again and asked why a police report was necessary. They simply said, ?That?s how it?s done.?

Favour, the lady who rented the apartment to my sister, volunteered to go to the police station but said she had no money for transportation. I asked how much she needed, and she said between N3,500 and N5,000. I sent it immediately. She then mentioned she had no airtime to call me when she arrived. I sent her N28,000 for airtime and instructed her to call me once she got to the police station.

What happened afterwards?

However, when she arrived at the police station, the officers made things difficult. They demanded N100,000 before allowing her to make a statement. I was shocked and asked, ?N100,000 for what?? They insisted that if I wasn?t willing to pay, I should tell her to leave.

Not wanting to risk any further delays in retrieving my sister?s body, I asked for the police account details, but they refused to provide them. Instead, they told me to send the money to Favour. She provided an account number, but it wasn?t hers?it belonged to a PoS operator. I transferred the N100,000 to the account. At this point, I started suspecting they were playing games, but my priority was ensuring my sister?s body was released.

Is your sister married?

No, but she had two children. She was initially in Dubai and decided to come and settle down in Lagos.

Do you remember what year she returned from Dubai?

It should be? I?m not sure, but either last year or the year before. She said she wanted to settle down in Lagos and open a salon and beauty spa. She told me she worked as a hairdresser and nail technician and also ran an online business.

Before she even left for Dubai, she and her children were living with the family of her children?s father. At that time, he was struggling financially, and his family wasn?t very supportive. She eventually left him because he got another woman pregnant while they were still together. She refused to accept that, especially after everything she had been through with him. Having two children with him, she could no longer tolerate his betrayal.

When I returned from Senegal, I called both of them to talk. She told me she was no longer interested in the marriage and wanted to find something to do for herself. I asked her what she wanted to do, and she said she wanted to learn hairdressing. I told her that was fine. She decided to stay with my elder sister in Aba to learn the trade. I encouraged her to go ahead and find something suitable for herself, assuring her of my support. She found a place, and I paid for her training. She learnt hairdressing.

I also advised her to learn computer skills since everything is becoming digital. I told her, ?No matter what you do, you need to be computer literate.? I enrolled her in a computer training programme alongside my elder sister?s son. They both attended the training in Aba.

Before I returned to Senegal, I told her, ?The reason I?m supporting you is so you can keep yourself busy.? I also advised her not to rush into separating from her husband, as I wanted to see if he would step up financially. Eventually, she left him and brought the children back to our mother. I made sure the kids were well taken care of and enrolled in school. They are still in school and doing well.

As for her ex, I later took him to Senegal to try and help him. But after some time, he left my house and ran off with one of his village brothers to Cotonou. To this day, I have no idea where he is. He has never checked on his children. Neither he nor any member of his family has ever visited or supported them.

When was the last time you spoke to her before the incident?

A week before the incident, she called me. She told me she had sent goods worth N155,000 to someone, but the delivery person ran off with them. That was the last conversation we had.

What position was she in the family?

She was the second to the last child. We were six of us in total before she died.

What kind of justice do you seek right now?

The owner of the house is at fault; I don?t even know who owns the house, whether it?s a man or a woman, but whoever it is, this is their responsibility. I understand that my sister didn?t rent directly from the landlord. In Nigeria, it?s common for people to rent apartments and then sublet them.

I don?t know the exact arrangement, but someone died in that house. The owner should, at the very least, reach out to the family; acknowledge what happened, and express sympathy. Nobody is asking for money, but silence? That?s unbearable.

I also believe that a thorough investigation should be conducted regarding the structure of the house and the materials used in its construction to prevent such incidents from happening again. My family is in profound pain; losing our sister in this manner is absolutely devastating, and the magnitude of this loss is too much for us to bear. Since the owner of the house has refused to show concern, then let them face justice.

Are you considering taking any legal action?

Yes, I am. Initially, my mother asked us to hold off, but given the continued silence from the property owner, I can no longer remain passive. Legal action is now something I am seriously considering.

How is your mum coping?

It hasn?t been easy for anyone in the family. My dad is late. So, she has been going through this without him by her side. We?ve tried our best to comfort her, but how do you truly comfort a mother who has lost her child? She has moments when she seems strong, holding back her pain for the rest of us.

Losing my sister has been incredibly difficult for me. As a brother, I feel a deep sense of responsibility, not only for my well-being but for the well-being of my family, especially my mum. She has been through a lot, and I know the pain of losing a child is something no parent should ever experience.

I?ve tried to stay strong for her by being there for her, offering her my support, and helping her through the tough days. I?ve also made sure to stay calm amid all the chaos surrounding my sister?s death because I know my mum is already grieving deeply, and I don?t want her to feel even more overwhelmed. But it?s hard. Sometimes I just want to break down too, but I have to keep my emotions in check.

Has she been buried?

No, she will be buried on Friday, 25 April 2025. (Saturday PUNCH)

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