by Makweembo Manasa
Tales of survival continue to be told from victims of the tragic collapse of a building at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) just over three weeks ago that led to over 100 casualties.
A Zambian, Melvin Bwalya, who resides in Lusaka’s Woodlands area was standing very close to the building when it fatally caved in.
Speaking to Zambian Christian newspaper, ‘The Church’, the 39 years old businessman, explained he was actually staying within the ill-fated building during his visit to The SCOAN.
“That day, I remember it was lunch time,” he recalled. “My room was in that same building. So, I left that room to go and have my lunch at a nearby restaurant just within the same premises. I was with my Zambian colleagues.”
“At the same time, a lot of South Africans were coming from somewhere and were entering that building. Among them, I recognised someone whom we did business together some years ago. So, my fellow Zambians left and I remained just on the corner chatting with that guy,” he narrated.
He added that just a few minutes into their chat, he heard a ‘huge bang’, subsequently losing consciousness. “I just heard a huge bang. I don’t remember anything from that moment because I am told I fainted.”
Sadly, the man he was conversing with was among the fatalities. “I was told the South African guy I was with died. As for me, it was just a small piece of concrete that hit me on the head and that is how I collapsed and fell a few meters away from the building where I was buried in a heap of dust,” narrated Mr Bwalya.
He added that although he was admitted in hospital, he was discharged a few hours later because he didn’t sustain any serious injuries. Mr Bwalya, who believes God rescued him, returned to Zambia a few days later.
He is convinced the attack was as a result of terrorists and not shoddy construction. “I was there. I saw those planes flying over the building and I believe there is something fishy that happened that day.”
He suggested that many people were jealous of T.B. Joshua’s success, prompting him to be a source of attack. “But God will defeat them and TB Joshua is not going down. In fact, I intend to go back there next month,” said Mr Bwalya who further urged Zambians to avoid speaking ill of Prophet Joshua.
“TB Joshua is here to stay. No amount of bad press will take him down. He is a great man who has done a lot for people around the world. I don’t know of any man of God in the world who is as generous as TB Joshua,” the Zambian concluded.
Meanwhile, the incident has done nothing to dampen Joshua’s popularity. Namibian politician Alex Kamwi, has stated that the tragedy, rather than discouraging people, has actually fuelled more interest of Namibians to visit The SCOAN in Nigeria.
“Now, more than ever before, many people want to go to Nigeria,” Kamwi, who is an Emmanuel TV Partner and helps facilitates visits to The SCOAN, told Namibian newspaper New Era.
Makweembo Manasa is a freelance journalist who lives and works in Lusaka, Zambia
