“I was not speeding… I just found myself in the water” Olusola Oladimeji, Man whose Car Fell Off Lagos Third Mainland Bridge Recounts his Experience

On Saturday 26th January 2013, news of an unusual accident on the Lagos Third Mainland bridge was trending across several media platforms. A car skidded off the bridge and fell into the Lagoon with a lone occupant, the driver, inside. Miraculously, he survived and was rescued by fishermen who were around the area at the time.

Traffic officials said he was overspeeding which could have been the cause of the accident. However, Olusola Oladimeji, the driver and owner of the Toyota Sienna said he wasn’t.

The father of three who is a minister of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church, said he was on his way home from work when the incident occurred. He narrated his experience to Punch:

“I work on the island and I left home for a meeting in the early hours of Saturday. After the monthly environmental sanitation, I started driving back home. I was driving at the speed of 60km/hr and was on the fast lane because the road was free. At Ebute Meta bypass, I saw two vehicles that had been involved in an accident but I kept on driving. Suddenly, everything went blank, I couldn’t see anything again, and I just found myself in the water.”

He did not lose consciousness in the water and as such, he unfastened the seat belt and swam towards a ray of light.

“I was not on high speed. When the car hit the railing of the bridge, the airbag was not released. After falling into the water, I unfastened the seat belt and noticed that one of the doors of my car had broken off, so I swam out of the vehicle to the surface of the water even though I don’t know how to swim. It was while I was waving my hand that fishermen saw me and quickly came to my aid. They took me away from the scene and took me to a clinic located on the water where they administered the first aid.”

Oladimeji was later taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where an X-ray scan was conducted on him. Although his leg was not fractured, it was cast with Plaster of Paris because he had a sprain.

When Punch visited his home, members of his church were seen coming to felicitate with him. One of them, Praise Onanuga, a pastor at MFM, Berkeley Parish, said the victim had just bought the car eight days before the accident.

“He bought the car just eight days before the accident and we were supposed to do the dedication today (Sunday) but we thank God that we were not put to shame. We will hold a thanksgiving for him soon because this is a miracle.”

It is indeed a miracle and we are so glad he’s alive.

Photo Credit: Punch