The family of former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, has spoken out following the tragic road accident that claimed the lives of two of the boxer’s close friends shortly after his arrival in Nigeria, describing the incident as devastating and condemning the conduct of some bystanders at the crash scene.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Joshua’s uncle, Adedamola Joshua, revealed that the family only learned of the accident hours after it occurred, as many of them are not active on social media.
He said the shocking news was first relayed to him around 1 p.m. by a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police from his church.
According to him, Anthony Joshua had been in the country for barely six hours before the fatal accident occurred.
The boxer had been eager to reunite with his family in Sagamu, Ogun State, a tradition he observes regularly during the festive season.
The uncle noted that Joshua deliberately chose to spend time with family rather than engage in social or political engagements with prominent figures in Lagos.
The tragedy, he said, has plunged the entire family into deep shock and mourning. He described the timing as particularly painful, stressing that Joshua had visited Nigeria several times in the past without incident, making the accident all the more difficult to comprehend.
Adedamola Joshua also used the opportunity to criticize what he described as Nigeria’s poor emergency response system.
He expressed distress over images showing the boxer walking across the highway median after the crash, insisting that he should have been immediately placed on a stretcher and taken to the hospital by ambulance.
He lamented that, in more advanced countries, emergency responders including air ambulances would have arrived within minutes to evacuate victims.
He called on the government to deploy more ambulances along accident-prone highways and not rely solely on the presence of Federal Road Safety Corps officials conducting document checks.
The family further condemned the behavior of some members of the public at the crash scene, accusing them of filming the victims instead of offering help. Adedamola Joshua disclosed that Anthony Joshua’s mobile phone was stolen during the chaos following the accident, describing the act as shameful and unacceptable.
He called for stronger public enlightenment campaigns to educate Nigerians on their civic duty during emergencies, noting that many citizens do not even know the appropriate emergency numbers to call when accidents or disasters occur.
Despite these concerns, the family expressed gratitude to the government for its response after the incident. Governors Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State were praised for ensuring that Joshua received quality medical attention, while President Bola Tinubu was commended for personally reaching out to the boxer and his parents to offer support.
The family also suggested that high-profile Nigerians like Anthony Joshua should be provided with security escorts and professionally trained drivers whenever they are in the country, to minimize risks associated with road travel.
On the driver involved in the crash, the uncle said he had no personal knowledge of him but expressed concern over reports suggesting the driver was speeding while attempting to overtake another vehicle.
The tragic incident has completely overshadowed the family’s holiday celebrations.
Adedamola Joshua said it was impossible to celebrate when the boxer was hospitalized and two of his friends who had traveled to Nigeria to spend the holidays with him were returning home in coffins.
Although the family expressed relief that Anthony Joshua has since been discharged from the hospital, they said the pain of losing his friends remains deeply traumatic.
He acknowledged speculation that the incident could affect Joshua’s boxing career or even discourage him from returning home in the future, given the magnitude of the loss.
On behalf of the Joshua family both at home and abroad, Adedamola Joshua extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased, praying for strength and comfort for all those affected by the tragedy.
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