I was moved to tears yesterday. I did not read my morning papers until very late in the morning as my vendor was delayed and I did not check for news online either. When I finally laid hands on one of the national dailies, Thisday precisely, I noticed that the paper weighed almost twice its normal weight. The load of paper I was carrying could print two different editions of the same daily. My initial thought was about the Christian activities along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Shilo and Holy Ghost Congress) and the enormous number of condolence messages making their way to the Oshiomhole family on the demise of the comrade governor's wife (may her soul rest in peace…Amen). As I began to read, I saw lots of advertisement, most talking about death and remembrance of the dead, confirming my earlier thought. I don't usually read such things but I was struck by the fact that almost all those remembered died five years ago.

What could have caused the death of a multitude of Nigerians on the same day? I reasoned that the day must have been a national tragedy but I was in this country and there was no single conflict…ethnic or religious. It was not until I saw an advert talking about the ascension of "Sixty Angels into Heaven", sponsored by the chairman of Loyola Jesuit College that it dawned on me that yesterday, the 10th of December, 2010 marked the fifth anniversary of the Sosoliso plane crash, a very sad event that visited us in 2005. My whole body was immediately covered in goose pimples and hot teardrops escaped the barricade formed by my eyelids. I truly shivered. Chei! How time flies! It's five years already? Five years yesterday, Nigeria lost not less than one hundred and eight citizens in just one hour. One hundred and eight healthy and promising lives (including those of sixty students of a single school) were wasted on that fateful day. The life dreams and aspirations of enterprising, resourceful and even successful men and women like Pastor (Mrs) Bimbo Odukoya were cut short within 60 minutes due a perceived preventable or even manageable mishap. What a way to die!



As I read on, I came across lots of adverts by the bereaved families; the parents and siblings of the 60 Loyola Jesuit students who perished en masse on one hand and the children and colleagues of the elderly victims on the other hand. Those children had all the privileges they could ask of God prior to their creation. They were given the best education and connection available to their peers anywhere on the continent. They were really being positioned as the true "leaders of tomorrow"…a tomorrow which never came. So, these parents saw their investments in, and dreams for their children quashed within the twinkling of an eye. They had envisaged how very important those children would become, in the years to come, with the quality of education and exposure at their disposal. One family in their message imagined what a beautifully lanky 20 year old their ever-smiling daughter, Chidiogo would have been by now had the cold hands of death spared her instead of snatching her away. There were so many similar messages. Some families even lost more than one life. Suffice it to add that these students, aged between ten and fifteen years, were on their way home, to spend the holidays and celebrate Christmas with their loved ones after a tedious academic term. They had bid farewell to their teachers, colleagues and friends, promised to get something for one another after the holidays and had high hopes of seeing the smiling faces of their proud and elated parents at the Port Harcourt International Airport. Dreams! Dreams…mere dreams from which they never woke. To even think of the fact that the flight was delayed for four hours makes it more disturbing. These parents had to wait for four extra hours only to watch their children die before their very eyes, at their destination. What can be more painful?



I recall that when this unfortunate incident occurred, the whole nation was thrown into mourning. We wept for the dead, commiserated with their families and prayed for the repose of their souls. Right there yesterday, I imagined what the atmosphere of Loyola Jesuit College, Gidan Mangoro, Abuja would have been like in the wake of this tragedy. How did the students take the monumental loss of their age mates, playmates and classmates? It must have been very difficult if not impossible for the young minds to come to terms (within months) with the colossal misfortune that had befallen them, their friends and their school. Most of them could have developed a phobia for flying…call it acrophobia or claustrophobia, if you like. Some may have sworn never to go to Port Harcourt. What about the other 48 passengers of the ill-fated plane? They were husbands, wives and the bread winners of their different families. They definitely left loved ones and dependents behind in this wicked world. Pastor Bimbo for instance had a very large followership among the youth, especially singles. She was a shepherd, a role model when you talk of chastity but her sheep were suddenly left without a shepherd. I felt so carried away that I forgot about the Wikileaks revelation boldly reported by the paper and pondered on the true value of life in Nigeria…the reason I make this note now. What is the real value human life in this God-blessed country? Is it still sacred? The average value of life in Nigeria is less than what is obtainable in other developing/underdeveloped countries.



In other climes, the root course of the crash would be thoroughly investigated and the safety equipments and personnel assessed for lapses. These would be done to forestall further occurrences but here, it is promises, promises and promises. Five years after the horrible incidence, what have we learnt about airport safety? Is our airspace healthier? Have we ensured that our airline operators abide by global best practices? What is the current state of our airports? Did we even make any effort to improve on things or did we just take the deaths as a normal occurrence? We are used to seeing people die from preventable accidents and illnesses. Our roads/highways can best be described as “Highways to the Underworld”; what with the effects of potholes and the menace of trailer and tanker drivers on the roads. This has persisted because successive governments have failed to revamp the moribund railway system…this is a topic for another day’s discussion.



It is heartwarming to note that many airports now have wind shear detection equipment near the ends of runways to warn aircraft if it is too dangerous to land. Wind shear was blamed for the Sosoliso (2005) and Bellview (2006) mishaps…we probably woke up after losing numerous lives within a year. I think we need to do more for safety in our transport systems. It is not enough to please Americans with Total Radar Coverage so we can have three direct flights to the United States. The lives of Nigerians and visitors using our local flights are equally important. How are our rescue operations today? Is NEMA on top of its duty of coordinating rescue agencies across Nigeria? What about our Police, Road Safety, Civil Defense and VIO personnel? Are they well equipped and trained for disaster and emergency management? There was no water to put off the fire after the aircraft exploded in an airport…what does that tell us about our level of preparedness in disaster management? We are too reactive in this country. If not for the international effects the Abdul Muttallab saga had, who would have thought of beefing up security in our airports?



If the foregoing pertinent questions are not answered in the affirmative, if the situation in our transportation and emergency management systems is not drastically improved, then the sixty Loyola Angels, Pastor (Mrs.) Bimbo Odukoya and other eminent Nigerians that lost their lives in the ill-fated flight will definitely stir in their graves. May they all continue to rest in the bosom of the Lord. Amen

RIP sweethearts.