he accident between MT Tank and MT Elixir last year is about one of the biggest stories of 2015 considering the number of casualties involved. Recently, Shipping Position Daily scooped that the compensation has already paid to the families of the deceased crew on board the ill-fated ship. Our correspondent; Roland Ekama went in search of Mrs Esther Edoloro; wife of one of the crews; Mr. Emmanuel Onoriode. She took our correspondent into her world and told the story of how the compensation was paid and shared.
Can you tell us how the compensation was paid to you in respect of the accident in which your husband and others were involved?
The owners of MT Elixir paid the money to us through our lawyers. Funny enough, they never allowed us get in contact with them. We don't really know them, we don't know the company’s representatives, we don't know their office; if it’s in Nigeria. It was our lawyers that did everything. We are supposed to collect $30,000 each, but they paid that $30,000 but the lawyers deducted about $6000, therefore we were paid$23,821.82. When we converted foreign currency to Naira it was N8,170,884 ,ordinarily it was supposed to be about N10million.
Are you satisfied with the money collected so far, despite the fact that there is no way any amount can bring back your husband?
There is nothing anyone of us can do, especially when we all know that the money collected cannot bring back our loved ones that died aboard MT Tank. We have no option but to manage with what was given to us by the shipping company.
Are you still in contact with the lawyers after payment and is there any hope for future compensation?
No. Because the lawyer made us to understand that after collecting that money nobody should come back for anything again.
What role did your lawyer play in the process and how were you able to pay him?
He accompanied me to the place and that is all. After everything he put his money at the sum of N300,000.00. Although he told me initially that he was supposed to collect 10% of the total sum which was supposed to be N800,000.00 but he decided to collect N300,000.00 and there is no problem about that.
How would you describe the situation after the compensation was paid?
What can I say, but to move on with life.
I hope you have been able to invest the money in order to take care of your baby?
Yes, I am building a house with the money collected in respect of the compensation. I am building one at Magbon somewhere after Agbara.
How about families of your husband, are they part of the sharing formula?
Of course, families collected their shares from the N8Million. For example the maternal family collected N1Million, while paternal family collected N800,000.00. Plus that of the lawyer amounted to N2,100,000.00, while I was left with about N6Million
In all of this, what was the role of NIMASA?
I don't know what to say about that. NIMASA did not really do anything about what actually happened. Although they called to confirm if we have been able to collect the money and we were able to explain how it happened. They asked me to try and get the document that we signed from the lawyers, then they will take up the matter. We have not been able to get the document to that effect. I even told my lawyer to help me call Olumide maybe he can be able to get the original document, but since then I have not heard from him.
Are you satisfied with the way the lawyers handled the whole process?
They never handled the matter the way we wanted it, but there is nothing we can do since we don't have people that can speak for us. We just collected the money the way it came.
You mentioned one Olumide, is he the lawyer who stood in for everyone of the deceased’s families that were compensated?
Yes, he stood in for all the eight deceased’s families and more than 2Million was collected from each family, even the survivor in the accident was affected because some money was deducted from his own as well.
Talking about the survivors, were they also compensated?
Theirs was something lesser. I think they collected about N2Million.
What is the role of the owner of MT Tank in the whole process?
I don't even know the owner of MT Tank from the onset. I don't know him, they never allowed us to see the Managing Director of company one-on-one. Initially when the accident occurred last year, when I got to the office, I requested that I wanted to see the owner of the vessel, but it was one Mr. Benefit that came and stood on behalf of the MD. According to the Benefit, he said once I have seen him, I have seen the MD. Therefore I don't know the man.
How you were able resolve the sharing formula with your in-laws?
Initially my father in- law was a bit difficult to understand but later, he was able to understand the whole situation. I told him what the amount was and initially he said he will collect a million naira, but later we are able to settle for N800,000. There is no trouble afterwards. Even the maternal families were on my side then, they were a bit difficult when the money was paid, but fortunately for me they changed and I was surprised, because they had insisted that they would collect N1.5Million. But after so much consultations and negotiations, they were able to collect N1Million and since then I have not heard anything from them. None has called to know how their grandson is doing.
How do you intend to invest on your child's education considering the amount involved?
The only thing I did with the money was to build a house with the money and if there is anything good that will come out from the building, it will go for his education.
What are your expectations from NIMASA since you and others have been compensated?
If they can help us to fight for that money the lawyers collected, it will go a long way because the money they collected from us is too much. At least if we can collect N1Million back from them, it will be okay.
When precisely was the money paid and which of the banks?
The money was paid on 1st June 2016. It was paid through Danladi Yusuf’s First Bank account.
Was the money paid in foreign currency or local?
It was paid in foreign currency to us at the banking hall; First Bank Apapa, then through the process off the Bureau d Change official, it was then we got to know that the money has been deducted.
Since you collected the money have you ever called the lawyer?
He no longer picks calls and there is no way we can reach him and for me personally I don't know his office.
Are you still convinced that your husband is dead?
I still have the belief that my husband is still alive, because every church that we consulted, they told us the same thing- that he's alive. I was surprised when one of the wives of the affected crew on board MT Tank called and said that the father in law went to one church and they told her that the son is alive, that every Wednesday he should go to the river and do prayers; that the son is still alive that he is currently under the river, and that they needed do some prayers. The pastor said the crew members on board MT Tank are held captive underneath the sea, that there is another life at sea and my husband and others are held as hostages and if the family can be steadfast with the prayers they will return. In my own case, a pastor has told me something similar to that. I don't know which one to believe from all the consultations. I don't really miss him as such because he has always been at sea considering the nature of his job. Sometimes I feel he is at sea, knowing full well that we are not used to staying together for such a long period and that is how I really feel. Even when I narrated my story to a woman of God, she told me that my husband is still alive and her fear is that when we will go into the prayer sessions, attacks may likely come, but I should be firm by not entertaining any fear and be steadfast. But I keep on wondering how long it will take my husband to come back. Even the lady that called me to know the fate of his husband said that according to the pastor, the husband will be back in flying colours. However a pastor has told me categorically that my husband is no more.
Have you ever seen him in your dreams since the accident?
Yes. I think on two occasions and during the last dream, he told me that is only Philip that is dead. But I asked him that where he has been all this while and he replied that he is not dead and others are still alive.
Discussion about this post