Another air crash, another set of bodies

I am truly in a place of gnawing sadness when I hear of plane crashes. Closer home, it has been one crash after another recently, from the helicopter crash in Lagos leaving two pilots and some passengers dead, to the Nigeria Air Force plane that crashed last week killing everyone on board.

I spent a considerable amount of time reading all I can find about the pilots of the ill-fated helicopter, their state of mind and their antecedents. With the Lufthansa-owned Germanwings Flight 9525 whose co-pilot deliberately nose-dived killing everyone on board in a suicide mission, I have often wondered the state of mind of pilots every time I board a flight.

My uncle, Captain Yusuf Lawal, younger brother to my mum and captain of the presidential fleet for many years, was my first real encounter with a real pilot.

He had always been brilliant chatty and never in a hurry. A fine pilot of the old Nigeria Airways nicknamed Yankee by his friends. My uncle loves movies, loves his family, loves technology and I have no doubt in my mind that he loves life.

His friends, Captain Gowon, Captain Okatarehi, Captain Williams et al, all loved the good things of life, a great gathering, a good party and lasting friendships. Beyond meeting them at my uncle’s, I knew that pilots worked hard and also played hard. There was nothing in their mien or in their spirit that suggested to me that anyone of them was suicidal. Even now, they have remained largely one big happy family, most of them in retirement, a lot of them still in active service in aviation-related work.

My uncle, one of my favourites, is still one of my heroes. When he is clad in his flight captain uniform, smart and authoritative, it makes him a leading man in the movie in my head, always. Constantly smiling, my uncle never looked anything like a man about to fly a 51-tonne Boeing 727 to any Nigerian destination. He would walk briskly to the foot of the plane with his oft elegant Nigeria Airways cabin crew and board the plane in calmness.

As I grew older, I began to hear the stories of stormy weather, near misses, dangerous flights and all the risks associated with flying that all pilots will often put down as things that “come with the territory”.

I lived in Makurdi for many years amongst some of our finest military officers. Air force officers were in the lead of those I knew way back then in Makurdi as a young broadcaster. Makurdi housed some formidable military formations – Nigeria Air Force Tactical Air Command, 72 Battalion, Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, 31 Airborne Brigade, among others.

From three former chiefs of air staff to a countless number of air force and military officers, I have always had friends in the military and worried endlessly whenever a flying routine affected any one of my friends.

As I read the stories of the pilots of both the ill-fated helicopter and the ill-fated air force plane which crashed recently, I reminisce: these are persons who were clearly not suicidal, who loved life and had a passion for the job.

Take a 26-year-old co-pilot in the helicopter crash, Peter Bello. He was a chemical engineer, photographer and pilot. He lived life to the full and enjoyed it too. It was difficult to believe he was not yet fifty having achieved so much in such a short time. It is amazing how everyone described him as “unforgettable” no matter where you met him. He was the spark of every gathering and seemed in a hurry, dreaming large and conquering every interest with aplomb. Chemical engineering, tick; photography, tick; flying, tick. We speak sadly about him in the past because something happened on board that helicopter on that day that brought the chopper down. It is clear to everyone who read about this young pilot that he certainly wanted to live his life to the max, enjoying it and touching everyone with his infectious energy.

As for the NAF plane, an investigation has been instituted by the chief of air staff. I am sad to see another set of young persons who don their aviator glasses in their smart uniforms go down again in this tragic manner. Squadron Leader Adekunle Suara and Aircraft Woman Naomi Adekunle, described by many as fine flying officers, left Kaduna at 6:45 am for Abuja with five passengers on board. No one made it alive when it crashed into the Kaduna cantonment.

I have written this piece from a remembrance point of view, from a historical point of view, and from a tribute point of view. Let us spare a prayer today for all those who fly and seek the face of God to stem the tide.

May the souls of these young men whom we were all so proud of and the souls of all their passengers rest in peace. Amen.
Investigations from the relevant bodies should be thorough and help us to avoid future occurrences. My heart is heavy but we trust in God. May God give their families the fortitude to bear the loss.

Eugenia Abu