The publisher of Freelanews and CEO of Freelart Limited, Victor Ojelabi, narrowly escaped an accident on the 3rd Mainland Bridge in Lagos on the 8th of December, 2023.
Ojelabi, en route to a business meeting in Victoria Island, found himself in a life-threatening situation when his vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, suddenly spun out of control in the middle lane of the busy bridge.
The harrowing incident unfolded as the vehicle first spun left, colliding with the barrier in the center of the road. Subsequently, it completed a full 360-degree turn, using the rear bumper to hit the barrier before coming to an abrupt stop, facing oncoming traffic sideways.
In a recount of the incident, Ojelabi expressed his amazement at the sequence of events that spared him from harm.
He wrote, “How the vehicle crossed before hitting the culvert was able to apply brakes on time was nothing but a miracle. And as if that was not enough, how oncoming vehicles were able to maneuver without hitting me or causing multiple accidents was just a testament of how much Jehovah loves and cares for me.”
During the chaotic moments of the accident, Ojelabi realized his powerlessness and reflected on the cinematic portrayal of accidents where actors seemingly retain control. However, in reality, he found himself unable to hold the steering or take any corrective action.
Despite the gravity of the accident, Ojelabi’s resilience and determination to keep his commitments prevailed. With his meeting scheduled for 12 noon and the clock ticking towards 11:30 pm, he managed to attend the meeting, albeit a little late. Afterward, he returned to the mechanic, opting to drive his damaged vehicle back to the mainland.
The decision to drive the visibly impaired car back to the mainland left onlookers astonished, yet Ojelabi cranked the engine, defying the odds, and declared to the car, “We are going home.”
Upon narrating the incident to others, shock and amazement filled the air, especially when they realized he had passed through the same Third Mainland Bridge on his return journey.
“Coincidentally, we were having our Praise Night at the church. I insisted on going and it was there I danced and appreciated God for His loving kindness over my life,” he added.
As the holiday season approaches, Ojelabi concluded his account with a message of gratitude, stating, “As we celebrate Christmas, while the new year of 2024 is knocking, we shall see more reasons to be grateful in life.”
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
