It was in 2002, working as a support engineer with MannyBank, now FidelityBank, I had taken off to make installations at a new branch in Warri. The whether was sore gloomy.
We took off from Lagos on a light, 30 passenger air-craft, small enough to have a sneak peek into the cockpit, and see clearly the gestures on everyone’ face from a sitting distance. Mid air, torrents of rain, accompanied by frightening strikes of thunder and blinding flashes of bolts came down on us.
We had reached warri and could not make a landing due to bad whether. Pilot took a detour, tried to do a quick landing in Benin, but the bad whether persisted.
The in-flight mood was mournful as it was filled with dread of an imminent crash. People mumbled their prayers and sat on the edge of their bum. No cockpit message came through. Tension mounting!!!
The pilot carried on, and decided to fly back to warri and make another try at landing, but the whether had gone from bad to worse, now so windy you could feel the thrust of the wind, tossing the plane, and everyone jerking freely, drinks pouring over from cups, luggage crashing down, and by now prayers have become hysterically audible- a loud and clear ‘SOS’ to God, the only one who has power over the rage of the thunders and storms.
And you imagined if these people so pale with fear, are the same talkative Nigerians, brash and noisy when in their natural elements ? Now so subdued, sober and child-like frightened ? No body wants to die!!! Death in deed is a frightful subject.
But here lies the supreme test. Why fear death? May be one doesn’t feel ‘ready’ to meet God( those who reckon with that); or the world is too good to miss? Or death is just a horrible thing?
But anyone who has lived well and have good relationship with his maker has no reason to dread dying. Even now!!!
Like the boy scouts would say: ‘always be ready! And the crowing word from the great book: ‘Be ready to meet your God’ – Amos 4:12
