Mrs. Mary Kudaru began to say a prayer, and so I stood still, folded my arms across my chest, and bowed my head in all humility of spirit. She called on God to guide us safely from Jos, Plateau State, to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. I was standing just behind the ambulance, just after the long black bag containing the body …

I was still asleep that morning when a knock came on my door. I was not on duty, so it couldn’t be the station driver. I got up to open the door, and was pleasantly surprised to see my mother and her younger sister, Nana, standing at the threshold. My excitement knew no bounds, and my mother could not hide …