Beneath the Rubbles

 

The earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria was a disturbing news. Have you seen the videos of those tall houses sinking? A fifty floors building just decides to feel weak on its legs and topple? And the human remains beneath the rubbles? What’s even sad is that after all those people perished, Turkey and Syria were yet hit by another 6.4 magnitude earthquake early yesterday. 

I’m not a journalist, I’m just a story teller. I’ve been so much interested in Christian Atsu since the earth quake. From the time he was reported missing, to the time he was announced ‘rescued’ and finally to the time he was pronounced dead 12 days later after his body was found decaying under the rubble of his apartment. A father, a husband, a son, a brother, a footballer and most importantly a humanitarian - but also a decaying body.

Those who were wiser than us said that when death wants to visit it sends a sign. It knocks and might delay a bit. But when it already made its mind that it will strike. It surely does. Adede Owalla says the language in which death makes the announcement is either too complicated for our understanding or we ignore and fail to listen. Also known as Derep Ruoth, Adede Owalla is an author, educationist and a thespian. He takes us through the events that unfolded before Atsu met his untimely sad death.

Christian Atsu's twin sister Christiana Twasam, also known as Atsupie, called him via WhatsApp on February 5, at 10:34 AM Türkiye time - 7:34 AM in Ghana. Atsu assumed she was calling about a playground project at a Children's Center in Ada Fadoah that he promised to fund during the December holiday season, and Atsupie was his point person. However, this was not the case for the call. His sister had a dream the night before in which her brother Atsu was arrested in Türkiye and the residents were going to their house to express their commiserations.

In the dream, the family had chosen her to go and help negotiate his release, but she had no idea where the jail or his residence were to begin with. When she told Atsu, he chuckled and said, "sister, you are overly concerned about me, and it has gone into your brain; nothing is wrong." He instantly dismissed the dream and promised his sister that he would send the money for the playground project by the end of the week, as well as that he would be traveling to Paris that evening after their game with Kasimpasa to see his wife and children.

He assured his sister that he wouldn't be too worn out to travel because he wasn't selected for the starting lineup when Hatayaspor played Kasimpasa. His wife Marie-Claire Rupio called him that same day at approximately 12:00 PM to wish him luck in their match with Kasimpasa at Hatay Stadyumu, Hatay city, Turkey. The young ones greeted him as well. He assured his wife that he had already made travel arrangements to Paris and would depart Hatay that evening, on February 5, 2023. He promised to join them the next day.

After their match, his sister Atsupie, who was watching the game and keeping track of the scores, called to congratulate him on scoring in the 97th minute winner after coming on as a substitute in the 87th minute. Atsu informed her that he would not be departing that evening as scheduled and had postponed his trip to Paris in order to join his teammates in celebrating their win. The flight had been postponed for the morning.

When his sister questioned whether canceling the flight to celebrate a goal was necessary, he  told her that the goal he scored meant a lot to him and his football career in Türkiye. It turned out to be true; it was his final goal in life as well as his final goal in Turkey. His wife Marie-Claire was also not happy with his choice to reschedule the flight, but she suggested that since they would be hosting a small party with friends and it might go late, he should just pack his stuff, leave the house, and consider spending the night at a hotel close to the airport so that he wouldn't have trouble getting to the airport the following morning.

Atsu confirmed that evening to the wife that he had left the house for the party and would be making an arrangement for a room near the airport, and not going back to the house . He had his luggage in the car which belonged to Savut.

 At around 11:00 p.m., Hatayspor's sporting director Taner Savut, who lived in the same building as Atsu and was supposed to drive him to where he would spend the night, convinced him to return and spend the night at his house. Savut promised to drive him to the airport early the next morning if he didn't have anyone else. Savut has also been missing since the earthquake on February 6th.

His wife was dismayed by his decision to return home, but she assured him that as long as he could handle the morning rush, he would be fine. According to his wife, he was bad at keeping time, especially in the morning.

That same night, his twin sister Twasam had another dream about him, but she chose to share it with another sibling rather than with him. In this dream, Atsu returned to his home, but he couldn't speak to any of them because he had gone dumb. Many people had come to see him, but he was deafeningly silent.

They had no idea Atsu would be caught in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6th when the news broke. Some of his teammates assumed he spent the night in a hotel as planned, while others assumed it happened after he had already left the house.

His phone remained on until few days later, and his travel bags were strewn a few meters from where his decaying body was found. His bedroom clock continued to tick in the rubbles, maybe calling someone to come see how cruel death can be. I somehow wished Atsu was the clock and the clock was Atsu. What did the clock do to deserve survival? Did it score a winning goal anywhere? why didn't it show Atsu its ways at least? I feel hurt for someone I didn't even know, why are wishes not horses?

Of course he was arrested in the rubbles, just as his sister Atsupie had foreseen, and was flown back home when he couldn't speak. Dead silent!

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