‘My son asked me to pray for him before he left’ – Father of 6-year-old who died in Lagos school building collapse

The father of one of the children who was killed in the Ohen Nursery and Primary school building collapse, has narrated how his six year old child, Fawad, asked him to pray for him just before going to school that ill-fated morning.
Mr Abdulfatah Ayoola while fighting back tears, told TheCable that his son had finished eating and was on his way out when he unusually asked him to pray for him. He never knew that as he laid his hand on his child’s head to pray for him that it will be the last he will see him.
“He woke up late for school. After taking his breakfast, he requested for money but I told him there’s no need for money since he has his lunch with him. Then he said, ‘daddy, pray for me before I go’, and I did exactly as he requested. He walked to school which is just few metres from the house.
I don’t think I can sleep tonight. My late son and I did almost everything together; we ate together, prayed together, spent time discussing. I was introducing him to life because he was my eldest child,” Ayoola said.
Mr Ayoola broke down in tears, narrating how he contemplated enrolling Fawad in another school but did not go ahead with the plan because his late son was rounding off his primary education.
“I visited Kings’ College not too long and liked the academic atmosphere. and I was assured that an interview date will be communicated to me soon but now I can’t take him there anymore because Fawad is gone. God gives and take, we cannot question Him. All I need to do now is pray for him, console the mother, I know of a family who lost four of their children in the building, what will be their fate? Praise be to Allah for everything.”the distraught father said
Fawad has been buried at the Ikoyi cemetery in accordance with Islamic rites.