The widow of a cloth merchant who tragically lost his life in the devastating Lagos Island building collapse has publicly released his burial arrangements, sharing a heartfelt obituary on social media.
Details of the Lagos Island Tragedy
The incident occurred on Christmas Eve of 2025 at the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House plaza within Balogun Market. A fierce fire, which originated on the fourth floor, spread with alarming speed, ultimately causing a section of the building to collapse.
The victim, identified as Obumneke Chukwudolue, a businessman based in China, had returned to Nigeria for the festive season. His purpose was twofold: to support his wife, who had recently given birth, and to sell goods at the popular market.
Tragedy struck when Obumneke, also known as Obum, was retrieving remaining stock from his shop located behind the plaza. He became trapped in the rubble following the partial collapse. Despite desperate calls for help, he could not be rescued in time.
A Widow's Heartbreaking Tribute
The deceased's wife, who uses the TikTok handle @prettyamiy, took to the platform to share a copy of her husband's formal obituary. The document provided key details including his age, the exact date of his death, and the forthcoming burial dates and arrangements scheduled for his hometown.
In a poignant caption accompanying the post, the grieving widow wrote: "How I wish all of dis is a dream, but each passing day it dawned to me is reality. Gudnite my love, in my next world is me nd u forever."
Prior to this, she had posted a nostalgic video of their last dance together and marked what would have been their wedding anniversary in the painful days following his death.
Public Reaction and Broader Impact
The online obituary sparked an outpouring of sympathy and grief from social media users. Many comments reflected on the painful nature of his death and the broader failures it highlighted.
User @oluchi commented: "hmmm, it's well please take heart. so when this man was calling for help nobody did....ah Nigeria!" Another user, @obichukwumiracle3, asked sensitively, "Please I’m not trying to be insensitive, did they retrieve his corpse? It’s so painful honestly."
The tragedy has had a wide-reaching impact beyond this single loss. Legit.ng had previously reported on a Nigerian businesswoman who wept bitterly after losing two of her shops to the same inferno, showcasing the extensive economic and personal damage caused by the disaster.
The release of the burial arrangements marks a somber step for the Chukwudolue family as they begin the formal process of laying their loved one to rest, while the community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Balogun market catastrophe.
