No. 28 Park Place Circle, West Hartford, Connecticut, US, used to be a beehive of activities. Maimuna Anyene lived there with her four children and mother-in-law. The husband, Onyeka, who was based in Nigeria, visited so frequently it was second home to him. All the four children, including a set of twins, were aged two years and below. There were always noise, giggles and cries – the children’s stuff.
No. 28 Park Place Circle has become desolate. There is no life whatsoever in it. No noise, no giggles, no cries. All the occupants are now dead. They were aboard Dana Flight 0992 that came down last Sunday in Lagos, killing all the passengers and many tenants of a two-storey at Iju-Ishaga
The Anyene tragedy was comprehensive – Maimuna’s sister and two cousins were also said to be on board as they headed for Lagos to attend her brother’s wedding scheduled for tomorrow. In all, the family lost 10 members.
By the walkway of No. 28 Park Place Circle, a group of people stood discussing quietly. There were also little kids playing within the vicinity. While the adults in the group wore mournful faces, the little kids were cheerful - obviously oblivious of the fate that had befallen their former playmates. They were all neighbours of the Anyenes.
On the doorstep of No. 28, in that beautiful neighbourhood, were messages of condolence sandwiched by flower bouquets, candles of different sizes and colours, and a variety of children's toys left by neighbours who had yet to come to terms with the fact that Maimuna, her husband, kids and mother were truly gone.
"I don't believe that they are gone. I think they are on a trip and they are going to come back," Ms. Vladlena Bokotey, a resident of Park Place Circle, told THISDAY, adding that on Monday, her daughter gave her four of her toys to bring to the four Anyene kids.
She said Maimuna might have had a premonition of her death.
"I saw her two weeks ago when she stopped by my garage and said, 'Oh, I want to say goodbye, because we are going to move in about a month'," Bokotey recalled.
Wondering why she would stop by to say goodbye as if she was moving the next day, Bokotey said: "She gave me a hug and I gave her a hug, and I said but I am still going to see you around. And when I heard the news on Monday, I said, oh my God, she told me goodbye."
Since the tragic news broke, Bokotey said for the neighbourhood, "Everybody is crying. Tears, tears, tears. It's really heartbreaking."
Other residents of Park Place Circle, who spoke with THISDAY, also had kind words for Maimuna and her family.
"I can tell you that she was very impressive. Very impressive woman she was and she is going to be very much missed around here," Keith Elis, who lives in No 32, said.
Elis said the last time he saw her was a couple of weeks ago while she was taking a walk around the neighbourhood. He learnt about the tragic incident on Sunday night from one of his neighbours.
"Each time I pass by the house, all I want to do is just give my daughter a hug, give my wife a hug, and just appreciate them for being here with me," Elis said, adding: "When you see a family that has lost so much, that is when you really appreciate what you have."
Elis’ mother, Nancy, who does not live in the neighbourhood but only comes around to see her son and his family, also recalled her fond memories of the Anyenes.
"Everybody spoke so well of them. They were a happy people with beautiful kids and we can't just imagine that the flat is empty now," she said.
Noting that the tragedy that befell the Anyenes was beyond comprehension, she said she hoped that they just had a chance to be able to make peace in their hearts.
Nancy also said it was good that they all went together and "no one is left to grieve those losses, because that would be horrible for such person to bear."
Sharon Chin, who lives in No. 34, described Maimuna as a "very hard working and very happy woman", adding that it's so sad she would be missed.
Another neighbour, Jack Ohayon, said neighbours gathered at the Anyenes’ entrance on Monday night just starring at the door.
"It's so sad. We knew them very well. Our kids played together. It's very tragic," Ohayon said.
Her next door neighbour, Alice Alyse, who spoke in an emotion-laden voice, said Maimuna had been her neighbour for two years.
Alyse said: "She was intelligent, vibrant… she had everything going for her… she had a beautiful family.”
Noting that the fact that a whole generation was gone was horrible, Alyse said: "I can't imagine this happening to my family."
One of the messages left by neighbours at the doorstep reads: "Rest in peace with your four precious babies." Another message reads: "Your family will be in our hearts forever."
Though Nancy does not live in the neighbourhood, she however said: "It is going to be a great loss for this community because every time you go by here, you see the empty home."
The house, though beautiful, with its green lawn well nurtured and with the gifts of love placed by neighbours on its doorstep, its entrance door remained locked, and the inside, desolate.
(culled from Thisday)
No. 28 Park Place Circle has become desolate. There is no life whatsoever in it. No noise, no giggles, no cries. All the occupants are now dead. They were aboard Dana Flight 0992 that came down last Sunday in Lagos, killing all the passengers and many tenants of a two-storey at Iju-Ishaga
The Anyene tragedy was comprehensive – Maimuna’s sister and two cousins were also said to be on board as they headed for Lagos to attend her brother’s wedding scheduled for tomorrow. In all, the family lost 10 members.
By the walkway of No. 28 Park Place Circle, a group of people stood discussing quietly. There were also little kids playing within the vicinity. While the adults in the group wore mournful faces, the little kids were cheerful - obviously oblivious of the fate that had befallen their former playmates. They were all neighbours of the Anyenes.
On the doorstep of No. 28, in that beautiful neighbourhood, were messages of condolence sandwiched by flower bouquets, candles of different sizes and colours, and a variety of children's toys left by neighbours who had yet to come to terms with the fact that Maimuna, her husband, kids and mother were truly gone.
"I don't believe that they are gone. I think they are on a trip and they are going to come back," Ms. Vladlena Bokotey, a resident of Park Place Circle, told THISDAY, adding that on Monday, her daughter gave her four of her toys to bring to the four Anyene kids.
She said Maimuna might have had a premonition of her death.
"I saw her two weeks ago when she stopped by my garage and said, 'Oh, I want to say goodbye, because we are going to move in about a month'," Bokotey recalled.
Wondering why she would stop by to say goodbye as if she was moving the next day, Bokotey said: "She gave me a hug and I gave her a hug, and I said but I am still going to see you around. And when I heard the news on Monday, I said, oh my God, she told me goodbye."
Since the tragic news broke, Bokotey said for the neighbourhood, "Everybody is crying. Tears, tears, tears. It's really heartbreaking."
Other residents of Park Place Circle, who spoke with THISDAY, also had kind words for Maimuna and her family.
"I can tell you that she was very impressive. Very impressive woman she was and she is going to be very much missed around here," Keith Elis, who lives in No 32, said.
Elis said the last time he saw her was a couple of weeks ago while she was taking a walk around the neighbourhood. He learnt about the tragic incident on Sunday night from one of his neighbours.
"Each time I pass by the house, all I want to do is just give my daughter a hug, give my wife a hug, and just appreciate them for being here with me," Elis said, adding: "When you see a family that has lost so much, that is when you really appreciate what you have."
Elis’ mother, Nancy, who does not live in the neighbourhood but only comes around to see her son and his family, also recalled her fond memories of the Anyenes.
"Everybody spoke so well of them. They were a happy people with beautiful kids and we can't just imagine that the flat is empty now," she said.
Noting that the tragedy that befell the Anyenes was beyond comprehension, she said she hoped that they just had a chance to be able to make peace in their hearts.
Nancy also said it was good that they all went together and "no one is left to grieve those losses, because that would be horrible for such person to bear."
Sharon Chin, who lives in No. 34, described Maimuna as a "very hard working and very happy woman", adding that it's so sad she would be missed.
Another neighbour, Jack Ohayon, said neighbours gathered at the Anyenes’ entrance on Monday night just starring at the door.
"It's so sad. We knew them very well. Our kids played together. It's very tragic," Ohayon said.
Her next door neighbour, Alice Alyse, who spoke in an emotion-laden voice, said Maimuna had been her neighbour for two years.
Alyse said: "She was intelligent, vibrant… she had everything going for her… she had a beautiful family.”
Noting that the fact that a whole generation was gone was horrible, Alyse said: "I can't imagine this happening to my family."
One of the messages left by neighbours at the doorstep reads: "Rest in peace with your four precious babies." Another message reads: "Your family will be in our hearts forever."
Though Nancy does not live in the neighbourhood, she however said: "It is going to be a great loss for this community because every time you go by here, you see the empty home."
The house, though beautiful, with its green lawn well nurtured and with the gifts of love placed by neighbours on its doorstep, its entrance door remained locked, and the inside, desolate.
(culled from Thisday)
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