My daughter was buried alive in a synagogue – South African woman cries out.
A South African mother, simply identified as Sonny, has revealed that her daughter, Princess Sibongile, was killed in the Synagogue Church of All Nations building collapse on September 12, 2014.
Speaking with BBC Africa Eye in a three-part investigation titled, “Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua”, Sonny explained that her daughter decided to visit the man of God in Nigeria after hearing about several of his miracles.
The South African lamented that when the collapse happened and she could not get hold of her daughter she became anxious, so much so, that she found it hard to breath.
She claimed that that her daughter was buried alive in the rubble.
She said, “My daughter Sibongile Princess, died on her first trip to the synagogue. She was looking forward to being there just like everyone that you see on TV. She still has her favourite teddy bear in her room, which she had asked her siblings to keep for her. She was such a perfectionist.
“We all saw the miracles every day on television and we thought that this could only be the hand of God.
“However, on September 12, when I heard the news of the collapse, I tried to call my daughter, tried to send an SMS but there was no response. That was when I could not breathe. I could not sleep.”
The mother said she waited for days to get a call from the church on her daughter’s safety but got none till after five days.
“I waited for days for a phone call to tell me of my daughter’s whereabouts. The next Sunday, TB Joshua came on a live service and said there was a bombing.
“On television, they were showing us that the building had been bombed and showing this aircraft.
“I heard from SCOAN after five days and they told me that they were afraid that my daughter did not make it. My daughter died in a place where I thought it was safe. Because the Bible says, ‘Bring your child in the way of the lord,’ I always made sure that my children were always in church. I did not know I was taking them to church to be killed. That part was one I was not expecting. My daughter was buried alive. “
Sonny’s son, Lwandle, also speaking, said, his sister, fondly called Phumzile, was the golden child of the family.
“She was injured when she was at work. She had a back problem at work. She couldn’t get any assistance. Somebody referred her to this church in Nigeria, promising all these miracles and whatever.
“There were all these news flashes coming in that this church building had collapsed with South Africans inside and they did not have any details and the whole family was panicking. When we asked for information, they could not give us anything concrete. We were only asked to wait and pray. How?
“A delegation from the church came and pronounced that my sister had passed on. I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye to her,” he said.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
