By Patrick Obia
Mr. Cornelius Ellah was on his way back from the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) where he had spent part of his evening visiting his cousin, who had been admitted for several days. The condition of his cousin and the other patients at the hospital lingered in his mind, reminding him of the saying, “health is wealth.”
Suddenly, his car developed a mechanical fault and came to an abrupt stop in the middle of Inyang Street in Calabar South Local Government Area. This unexpected breakdown was perplexing, as there had been no prior signs of trouble and the petrol tank was adequately filled.
It seemed as though the car itself needed a “hospital for cars,” also as Ellah’s thoughts remained on the ailing condition of his cousin and other patients at UCTH. He stepped out of the car and initially suspected an issue with the radiator due to the unusual heat emanating from the bonnet.
After waiting a few minutes for the engine to get cool, he refilled the radiator with water. However, the car still refused to start, and he soon realized the battery was dead. Stranded on the now-deserting street, Ellah found himself in a predicament that only a savior could resolve.
“My first reaction was to call my friends who own cars and whose places of residence are close to my location at that time. Almost all of them were busy but promised to be with me as soon as possible. Since I didn’t know how long ‘as soon as possible’ may be, I started attempting to stop vehicles on that route to appeal to them to assist me with the batteries of their cars,” Prime Progress quoted him as saying.
Many drivers ignored him, with fears he might be a car snatcher, as the city had recently seen a surge in insecurity. Minutes ticked by, and the night grew later. Finally, a commercial minibus driver stopped and gave Ellah his full attention.
The driver, whose minibus was full of passengers, quickly dismissed them and asked them to find another vehicle. This gesture displeased the passengers but brought immense relief to Ellah. After explaining his dilemma, the good Samaritan removed his car battery to help Ellah start his car. By this time, Ellah felt a wave of relief as he attempted to start his vehicle.
“Amazingly, the man simply disengaged his battery and refused to collect anything from me when I tried to reward him for his kindness. I should have collected his phone number. I regret that I forgot to do so.”
Ellah was convinced that the man was an angel, demonstrating that angels are not always supernatural beings. He concluded that some angels are as human as the rest of us.
“They are the ‘ordinary’ men and women that God uses to unexpectedly rescue us when we are in difficulty and to miraculously bless us when we are in need,” he said, praying “May God reward the angel I met tonight and may He give me the grace to someday help a complete stranger, just like a complete stranger unexpectedly helped me tonight.”
Ellah hopes to meet and recognize his helper someday. He promised to extend the kindness he received to those in need.
As a lecturer in the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), he vowed to instill the habit of giving in his students, believing that if everyone offers a helping hand to both strangers and acquaintances, regardless of tribe, religion, race, or gender, Nigeria and the world would be a more habitable place for all.