Mrs. Elizabeth Blankson is the mother of Joe Blankson who died in Rivers State after saving 13 passengers when a boat capsized. She shares her misery below:
How did you hear about the news of your son’s death?
On the day the event happened, I was with my younger sister’s son. We were talking when he received a call that there was a boat accident. I became afraid when I heard it. I began to call four of my family members who took a boat to Bakana that day. But their phones were switched off. I had to call the boat driver I know and he confirmed that there was a boat accident.
The boat driver told me the people he saw earlier at the place who were related to me. I then asked him about Joe. He told me to give him some time that he would call me back. At that point, I became worried. I had to run to the junction to wait for them. When they came, it was someone else who drove our car, instead of one of my twins. They parked the car at the river bank while they took a boat to Bakana.
I sat by the side of the road and someone brought one of my children and also promised that the other one would soon join me. Not long after, they brought in the second one. I then asked them about Joe. But they didn’t answer me. I looked at their eyes and saw that they had cried. That was when I began to sense that something bad had happened to Joe.
Did anybody tell you how your son died?
They told me they saw Joe rescuing many people from the water. They added that they also saw him pushing some of the people he rescued into a boat that came in to help with the rescue operation. They also assured me that Joe was not dead and that he was somewhere. But I already got the message that my son was gone. They told me that at a point they did not see him again in the water. He might have died of exhaustion.
Where was your son coming from on the day of the accident?
He moved from Port Harcourt for a burial in Bakana, Degema Local Government Area. He had not got there before the boat capsized. The person who died was related to us. We are from Bakana.
What can you say about his act of bravery?
He was a very kind person and always ready to show kindness to others, even if it would cause him pains. He was not rich but usually driven by passion to show kindness whenever there was an opportunity to do so. If you call him a humanitarian, you will not be wrong.
What kind of son was he?
He was a son I loved so much. He could not do without me and nothing could stop him from visiting me in a day. If he failed to see me in a day, he would be unhappy. Anytime I see him, it was as if I had seen my husband. He was a replica of my husband. He was like a husband to me. He was an obedient child, jovial and friendly to many people. He also never joked with church activities. I lost my husband last year. He was ill and died after eight weeks in the hospital.
Where was your late son working before his death?
He once worked as a fuel attendant somewhere in Rumuola before the fuel station was demolished. He did that job because he was unemployed. The job was to keep him busy. But after the place was demolished, he became unemployed again.
Has he been buried?
He has been buried in Bakana according to customs; he was buried. Custom does not allow any person who died in a boat accident to be buried outside where the incident happened. There will be a church service for him on August 9, 2018 at the Anglican Church near Braithwaite Memorial Hospital.
How many are his children?
They are three; he had two with his wife and one from another woman before he got married. He had three children with his wife but one died last year.
Tell us about his wife.
She is also a graduate but unemployed. She studied Microbiology in one of the private universities in the country. She sells zobo drink. I think she completed her studies with a good grade. I am bereaved in many ways. On Thursday (July 26), when I asked my son about the profit his wife usually made from zobo drink, he told me that sometimes she made about N1, 000 a day. She would use the money to cook soup. Sometimes, they came to my place to take foodstuff.
How do you think government can assist his family?
If government can employ his wife, it will help to sustain the children he left behind. She is currently unemployed. She is 26 years and ready to work to take care of her children.
How many children do you have?
I have five children and Joe was my second son. I am worried about the future of my grandchildren. Their father showed them so much love while he was alive. I will be very grateful if help can come their way. I will be so happy if government can award them scholarship. I retired as a nurse and I rely on pension.
What do your other children do?
All my children are graduates but they have no jobs. They graduated four to five years ago. One of my children studied Law and another one read Petroleum Engineering.
PUNCH