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It was an electrifying moment as Angola defeated Burkina Faso at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro, the win helped Angola to top Group D as 2019 champions was knocked out.
The dust hung heavy in the air, a gritty shroud obscuring the once vibrant spectacle of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the stadium.
Depart from Yamoussoukro to Abidjan
As a journalist who is in Ivory Coast to cover the biggest football event in Africa, I and some other colleagues travelled to the capital city for the games.
The venue hosted two games on Tuesday as defending champions defeated Guinea and Group D game between Angola and Burkina Faso.
After the two games, the bus left the carport city of Ivory Coast by 12am with Security convoy back to Abidjan.
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After gist with some colleagues in the bus which has almost 50 journalists from different countries, I decided to take short nap.
While taking the nap, I heard a heavy sound which made me to wake up immediately and found out that the bus is moving towards to hit a wall, that’s how I flied through the window to rescue as I was thinking it was an explosion.
I had almost become a statistic, another tragic footnote in the history of sports journalism.
Our press bus, had erupted into pandemonium as every other journalists joined me to pass through the window for safety.
Panic threatened to engulf me, but somewhere amidst the rising tide of fear, a spark of defiance ignited. I wouldn't succumb to this mangled metal coffin. I had stories to tell, goals to achieve, a life to live.
Hospitality from Ivorians
Immediately the auto crash happened, the police that are escorting the Bus made some emergency calls which the security and ambulance arrived immediately.
The Ambulance took some heavy injured people to the hospital and all other passengers as to two hospitals. I don’t know the name of the other hospital but I was taken to Centre Hospitalier Universitare in Abidjan for checkup.
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We were checked and given injection to suppress the pain and relive the fear and everything.
After the injection, we were served hot tea with bread then the results were released and we were taken back to the main media Centre at Trenchville in Abidjan.
AFCON, for me, became more than just a football tournament. It became a crucible, a baptism by fire that forged me anew with the results we have seen so far.
It was a story I never sought to write, but one that became etched into the very fabric of my being, a reminder that life, though fragile, is a precious gift, and every moment a chance to dance with the beautiful game, both on and off the pitch.
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