'Disheartened, disappointed': Divine Adili's father Elias shares last conversation with son before drowning tragedy

Despite continents separating them, Elias Adili regularly kept in touch with his son, Divine Adili, checking on him as he built his basketball career in the Philippines.

On Saturday, June 6, Divine called Elias, who is currently in Nigeria with the rest of the Adili family, to inform him about the Ateneo de Manila University's training camp in Dipaculao, Aurora. The next morning, Elias and Divine had another call, during which the 21-year-old center shared that he was on his way to the camp.

That call would ultimately be their final conversation.

The next call Elias received was from an Ateneo communications staff member, who informed him that his son had died in a drowning incident that also claimed the life of incoming Ateneo rookie Rene Baterbonia.

READ MORE | Ateneo recruit Rene Baterbonia, foreign student athlete Divine Adili die in drowning incident

"I got a call from the school. Not coach Tab Baldwin. [It’s] the school authority. She talked about the incident, how my son departed," Elias told GMA News Online in an exclusive interview.

"Well, I’m a fan of Ateneo as well because of my son. I’m a fan of Ateneo and I was so much disheartened and disappointed about the whole incident because there were measures that were supposed to be in place before you take people to water and those things were neglected."

"He called me on Saturday that he was going to camp. So, on Sunday I called him, he said he was on the way... Monday I get this news. This is a very sad news, very painful news of his demise. I can’t believe he’s gone."

More than a teammate and a student, Divine was also a beloved son and a brother.

The 60-year-old Elias said Divine was the eldest of four siblings and had become a breadwinner for the family, helping support them while pursuing his collegiate basketball career in the UAAP.

Although Elias did not play competitive basketball, he introduced the sport to Divine by having his son watch a game in Nigeria's basketball league back in 2014. Since then, Divine embraced basketball before finding an opportunity to play in the Philippines.

Divine eventually played for New Era University, winning a pair of MVP awards in his last two years with the school before suiting up for Ateneo in the senior ranks.

Elias believed brighter days were ahead for Divine. Then, everything changed.

"He's taller than me. He's a very good boy. He has a good character, good manner, very gentle. And he plays basketball very well. He's well-mannered, well-cultured. He respects people. And he takes care of his siblings," Elias shared.

"In fact, they are fond of him. So, his demise is a very big blow to the family."

Elias said Divine's mother, Ifeoma Joy Adili, is still struggling to process the death of their son, whose remains have yet to be repatriated to Nigeria as of writing.

"The mother, as I'm telling you now, the mother is seriously in pain. Seriously in pain. She has been crying since that Monday until today. Until this, now I'm speaking with you, she is crying."

Even Elias is also still searching for answers.

"I still find looking for answers for the reason why there was no life jacket, the reason why they could not ask the players, the team if they know how to swim or not. Because I believe they are supposed to read the weather before they can move to the sea," Elias said.

"So, those things are the things troubling my heart and the feeling of my family. We are highly devastated. So, now that he's gone, I don't know where I will start again."

—JMB, GMA News