Ajala: 9/11 of Nigerian heroe died for others

Ahead of today’s tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States (September 11,
2001), families, friends,
colleagues and others
worldwide have in various ways been remembering the
victims of the incident.Residents of Dividing Creek in
New Jersey have been placing
flags to represent those who
lost their lives. One of the flags
is for Godwin Ajala, the only
Nigerian officially listed
among the deceased.
Although he is known at
home as Godwin Ajalli, all the
records of tribute referred to
him as Godwin Ajala. He hailed
from Ihenta in Akaeze Local
Government Area of Ebonyi
State.
As part of activities marking
the 10th anniversary, Janice
Laws on September 7 this
year wrote in the guest book
of tributes for the victims on
the website legacy.com: “I am
proud to say that I placed a
flag for Godwin Ajala”
Ajala, who was 33 and a
qualified lawyer before he left
Nigeria was at the time of the
attack an Access Control
Officer working at the
Concourse level of one of the
World Trade Centre buildings.
Apparently exhausted after
helping to guide many out of
the attacked building, Ajala
reportedly first went into a
coma and did not die until the
following Sunday.
But for the economic situation
in Nigeria which has forced
many professionals to seek
greener pastures abroad,
Ajala might not have been
anywhere near the scene of
the attack.
He would have been
practising as a lawyer in
Nigeria.
According to a New York
Times profile on him, he
migrated to the United States
in 1995, hoping to earn more
support for his family.
The New York Times report on
the life and times of the 9/11
victims titled Profiles in Grief
provided some insights into
Ajala’s sojourn in the US and
his unfulfilled dreams.
The paper wrote, “At first he
bounced between jobs, but
ultimately he landed a steady
position as a security guard at
the World Trade Centre. Still,
he was frustrated, and he
began pursuing his dream of
becoming a lawyer in America,
setting his sights on passing
the New York State Bar Exam.
“His roommate, Christopher
Onuoha, said Mr. Ajala worked
from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., went
home for a nap and then
studied for the Bar for six to
eight hours, often late into the
night. Co-workers said he was
last seen helping people
escape from the trade centre.
“When he was living here, he
was suffering in terms of
always working and
studying,” said a close friend,
Christopher Iwuanyanwu.
“Every September, Mr. Ajala
visited Nigeria, and he was
planning to travel there again
this past September to visit his
wife, Victoria, and their three
children, Onyinyechi, 7,
Uchechukwu, 5, and Ugochi,
1. His friends said he was
planning to apply for visas to
bring them to the United
States.
“His dream was that he would
take the law exam, pass it, and
with that bring his family here
and invite them to the
swearing in,” Mr.
Iwuanyanwu said. “He would
have been much happier if his
wife and kids were around.”
In response to the NY Times
profile of Ajala, one Vanessa
during the 2010 anniversary
wrote “rest in peace, Mr. Ajala.
I read your story on a
memorial site and it struck a
chord with me. Your work
ethic reminds me of my
boyfriend, who is also
Nigerian. Thank you for
coming to this country and
helping to guide people out of
WTC. You will not be
forgotten.”
Another reader, Alissian wrote
in September 2003: “He
worked so hard to make a
better life for himself and his
family only to have the dream
destroyed by hatred. I hope
he is at peace now and that
his family can find peace and
happiness in his memory”.
A Nigerian resident in New
York, Austin Obi recalls his
chance meeting with Ajala
and how they became friends.
“It was sometime in early
2000 and I was the Manager
at the Burger King right
across from the Trade Centre,
when Godwin came in for
lunch. He saw my name tag
and introduced himself and
from then on he would stop
by every lunch. He was tall,
imposing yet very warm,
friendly and affable towards
my staff and I. Everybody
knew him. We would often
talk about home, our families
and our goals in America. He
was a good man. May You
Rest in Perfect Peace, my
friend”
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