Featured

CAN Expresses Shock Over VP’s Convoy Fatal Accident

Published

6 years ago

March 16, 2020

…Commiserates with the bereaved, Call for probe of the explosion

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle and the entire Christian Association of Nigeria received with shock the news of the fatal accident involving the convoy of the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, GCON, SAN while on their way to catch their flight at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja recently.

Religious body made this known on Monday in a statement issued by the Special Assistant (Media &Communications) to the CAN President Rev. Bayo Oladeji on Monday in Abuja

According to the statement, It was quite unfortunate that a runaway Toyota Camry Driver ran into the convoy of His Excellency, hit and killed one of the motorcycle escorts in the convoy, in the person of Late Inspector Ali Gomina. That was quite shocking and we could feel the pain in the heart of His Excellency over this sad development.

“While we commiserate with His Excellency Professor Yemi Osinbajo over this unpleasant development, we at the same time commiserate with the family of the deceased, especially the immediate family, the wife, and the three children. May God grant them the comfort of the Holy Spirit and fortitude to bear the loss in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

“On the other hand, we rejoice with His Excellency for God’s safety again. The Bible says, ‘many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all.’(Psalm 34: 19) He that has delivered you will continue to deliver you so that you might be able to fulfill your life purpose in the name of Jesus.

“We give thanks to God for the quality of leadership you provided when you abandoned your trip to go straight to Guide community and the family of the deceased to identify with them at the time of their pains. Your assuring words that the government will not abandon the family and the community are quite comforting. May the Lord continue to watch over you, your team and all of you in government while you are performing your duties to our nation Nigeria in the name of Jesus

“CAN equally commiserate with the people and the government of Lagos State over the Sunday’s explosion that went off at Abule Ado in Amuwo Odofin Local government area of Lagos State which has reportedly led to the demise of not fewer than 16 people including the Principal of Bethlehem Girls College, Rev Sister Henrietta Alokha and some students of the school. Many houses in the area were reportedly blown off or partly pulled down as a result of the explosion.

“Our hearts go to all the bereaved families and we pray to God to console and comfort them all. We at the same time pray for the quick recovery of those who are currently recuperating in the hospitals.”

However, the CAN, therefore, asks both the Federal and the Lagos State governments to investigate the disaster with a view to discovering the remote and immediate causes of the incident in order to prevent a future reoccurrence of the disaster anywhere in the country. The outcome of the investigation will as well allow disciplinary action to be taken against any act of negligence or criminality that caused the avoidable disaster. Human lives are too precious to be wasted in this way.

“Again, we condemn in strong terms the transportation of explosive devices in the country without adequate preventive measures. It is high time all the agencies of the government were alive to their responsibilities.

“We urge all road users to be careful to observe all traffic rules so as not to put the lives of other road users into danger.” The statement said.

Share on Facebook

Featured

CELEBRATING A CENTURY-OLD CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR TRAJECTORY IN NIGERIA

Published

3 weeks ago

December 1, 2025

The Gleamer

This week, millions of Nigerians and others across the globe will join the Ministry of Aviation and Space Development under the irrepressible leadership of the Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo(SAN),and all the notable Aviation sector stakeholders in and outside the country,in celebrating a century of Nigeria’s civil aviation history.

There is no doubt that under the present leadership of the Honourable Minister and within the short spell of time in his stewardship,he has consciously and intentionally embarked on a “silent revolution” for the industry with very veritable and laudable landmarks that have consistently grown the industry.

Some of these spirited efforts for instance have consequently led to trust restoration amongst international lessors, financier,any global partners.Of note also is assidiously working for the full domestication and implementation of the “Cape Town Convention Agreement” ,which gives Airlines access to modern fleets of competitive rates as well as enforcement of IDERA(Irrevocable Deregulation and Export Request Authorization).

Having well applauded these vital contemporary initiatives,it will also be germane to cast our minds in retrospect by taking a peep into our history over several decades to recognise some of the notable forebears in the industry whose impressionabl efforts cannot be overlooked,as they took the impetuous initiatives of breaking the ice at the nascent stage.
It will aptly corroborate the truism which says that… ” a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”.

The above is vividly captured from a tribute by the First Republic Minister of Aviation Chief Mbazulike Amaechi at the funeral of late Igwe of Oba,HRH Peter Ezenwa(MFR) in 2018.
It states inter alia…”One significant thing I will say many people didn’t know is that the first indigenous airline that was to run in Nigeria was known as “STANDARD AIRLINE”.It was founded in 1966 by a company formed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa from Oba,and had on board,John Nwankwu from Abagana,Edward Ebo from Ezinifitte,(all from Anambra state),John Anyaehie from Nkwerre in Imo state,and lastly my very self Mbazulike Amaechi.
The five of us later acquired two brand new aircrafts,and had four pilots,namely;Unachievable,John Emma Ngwu and Felix Offor,who was to be the General Manager of the airline.
But just about the time for the take-off the crisis of the military takeover erupted in the North as the planes were on their way for delivery to us.In fact the bank handling the transaction was to allow the planes to be flown from the USA,but the news of the war broke out in 1967,the insurance company cabled for the cancellation of the deal as they will not be able to cover the risk cost of aircrafts being flown into war zone.
So,we asked the manufacturers to take the two aircrafts back to their country and hold on for six months with the hope of that the war will end within the requested time frame,but the war didn’t end as thought.We consequently asked for refund and they deducted some money and refunded the balance which was deposited at the London branch of African Continental Bank(ACB).

When the government took over the operations of ACB,we still hoped for the refund but unfortunately were disappointed that the Federal government took over the whole money and we lost everything.”

Further in line with our historical perspective,it will also be pertinent some of the later years reformists in the likes of Engr Onyereri and Harold Demuren who advertently sponsored some far reaching regulations that eventually steered the industry towards greater autonomy with the passage of the 2005 Civil Aviation Act,which I was also a prime participant of in my capacity as an Aviation sub chair in then House of Representatives.

As we mark this great century milestone,and with the clear evidential pathway set out by the current managers of the industry under the indomitable leadership of Honourable Minister, I do not see the sky posing any limitations as they say,but rather availing new vistas of limitless growth opportunities.

CONGRATULATIONS.

Hon Chidi Nwogu
Former member House of Representatives & presently Governing Council member
,African Aviation and Aerospace University,Abuja.

Share on Facebook