A man certified dead in a private hospital by 6 am Sept 5, and was taken to mortuary for burial the second day rose out of his casket by graveside, and took a walk.
Gidan Angalu community in Toto Local Government Area, Nasarawa, has since been stirring.
The 59-year-old undead, Godwin Ugeelu Amadu, was a native doctor in his first life. For whatever reason, he warned his children to bury him within three days of his death.
He was buried two days after he died, according to his son Jacob Amadu living in Abuja.
The journey of the corpse from the morgue to the graveyard happened in those two days. But something nobody could explain still happened
But in his new life, all Ahamdu can say now is he has become an evangelist.
Narrating how it happened, he fell sick in July, legs and arms swollen, and was treating himself as a native doctor who was known for curing others who came for healing. As nothing improved, his children took him to the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi. After two weeks there, he recovered, and was discharged, only to fall sick again after a week.
He decided to stay home, and brave whatever came, warning his children to stay in their stations, and bury him if he died in two or three days.
But the children tried again, and took him to a private hospital where all efforts to save his life failed.
“I got to the hospital at about 10 am on September 5 and the mortician at the hospital wheeled out the trolley containing my father and unveiled his face for me to see, and it was indeed my father,” Jacob told the Nation.
“On September 7, we brought his corpse to the village in a casket to bury him and sympathisers around the community were crying while others assembled in different locations discussing the sad event of his passing,” he said.
During the lying in state, the casket began to tremble, then it fell.
“My father woke up. A lot of the men and women who had gathered ran away, believing that it was his ghost.
“I summoned courage as a man to walk up to him and got a seat for him to sit on. He was not talking.
“I later held his hand and led him to the bathroom. He had a bath and after a few hours, he requested for food. He ate and then relaxed. “In the evening of the next day, he started talking a little and on the third day, he tried to narrate his experience.”
Amadu could not recollect his sick-bed experience except the pains.
But at death, he found himself in another world, relieved.
“I thank God that he has given me life again after tasting death. It is a miracle that God gave me a second chance and I think I will dedicate the days he has given me to live again to worship him and preach his gospel.
“My journey to heaven was a tranquil one. I feel very confused about what God has done to me. All I can remember for now is that I lost my memory when I was sick, but people later gathered in my village to mourn my passing.
“The cloud opened up and I saw something like a giant golden satellite suspended in space. I wouldn’t know whether this is what the bible calls heaven, but there I was greeted by a 75ft tall angel who stood in front of the gate.
“The angel had a beautiful sword and wore something like golden hair. As I looked round, I discovered that there were two other angels behind him holding pamphlets and books containing the words of God.
“The three angels had a brief discussion among themselves and later allowed me into the city of heaven.
“On entering the city, I met a childhood friend who died 22 years ago. His name was Choko Aguma. He was the one who took me round the city where everybody was committed to worshipping God.
“He indeed asked after so many people but I told him I lost touch with some, that some were still alive while others had died long ago.
“About 450 yards from what looked like the throne of God, I was captivated by the sign on the outside that read ‘Unaccounted blessings and Mercy of God’.
“So I can comfortably confirm to you that I went to heaven and not hell fire, and I have returned successfully with the courage to preach the gospel till the end of my life.
“I have given my life to God. He is real.
“While in heaven, I was told how my children struggled to save my life when I fell sick. I was equally told about my activities as a native doctor, all the events leading to my death and how preparation for my burial was ongoing when Christ appeared and raised me up from death.
“I was told that Christ woke me up because if I was taken to the grave in the casket covered with sand, it would be very difficult for me to come back because I would lack the strength to pull out of the graveyard.
“I woke up and I felt cold. I came out of the casket gently and people who came to console my wife and children started running instead of coming to rescue me.”
He said he thanked God because He heard the prayers of his children who had wished that he lived up to 86 years to see them become influential and responsible.
“Thank God Almighty, their faith has brought me back to life.”
He described the land of death as peaceful, quiet and tranquil.
“The place is filled with angels who are very tall, and there is light everywhere. There is no darkness as the angels were talking about Jesus Christ all the time, from morning throughout.
“It is about what the bible says about Jesus Christ and everyone there is committed to the bible and its teachings by the angels, and this notion convinced me to change completely and return to Christ as my personal saviour.
“I am no more a native doctor and I believe Jesus Christ is the way. He can heal and wake up the dead. While in the cool city of heaven, I saw alot of my childhood friends, age mates and some of the girls I ‘toasted’ while growing up who died so many years ago.
“Some could not recognise me because I had become very old. They are all there enjoying life to the fullest.
“I saw Juliana, Abawa, who were my girlfriends. They now share gospel words in the city. I also saw Abunagu, Tongee Thomas, Ishaya Again who were my aged grades. They were very happy to see me join them in the cool city.
“They asked after so many people who I know had died but were not in the city, probably they are on the other side. “I look for my father and mother but didn’t see either of them; maybe they are also on the other side.
“There, food is served free and in large quantity. Heaven is indeed an interesting place and I wish I never came back to the world.
“But now that I am back in the world I will dedicate the rest of my life on earth to the service of God.”
Recalling the experience, his wife, Mrs Salomi Amadu, said she was shocked that her husband came back to life after two days.
“Initially, I was scared of going close to him. That made my eldest son to spend some time with us in the village to make sure that we are not afraid. But gradually, we are recovering from the shock to relate with him
“What is most encouraging is that he prays all through since he resurrected. He is a complete man of God. I have not started sleeping in the same house, and he has not requested for it.
“But it is okay. We thank God that he is back, this time as a man of God. That is what I can say for now,” she said.
Amadu’s younger brother, Philip Amadu, said it was actually a mystery to everyone in the village.
All the children are still wondering, too.
Jacob, who witnessed he death and resurrection of his father, said he was still scared, and would not comment on the matter for now.
“Personally, I don’t even want the public and the world to know about this development because a lot of people will read different meanings to it,” he said, adding it will draw attention to their small community.