Over the weekend, the Federal Government instituted an annual aviation safety programme in memory of the victims of the June 3, 2012 Dana Air crash.
To mark the one year remembrance of the crash, which killed over 157 persons in Lagos, the Federal Government said it would unveil a cenotaph in their memory on Monday (today).
The aircraft, marked J9 992, took off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and crashed at Iju Ishaga on the outskirts of Lagos.
The Ministry of Aviation spokesperson, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said, “The safety week will be observed from June 3, 2013, and will be done every year in honour of those, who lost their lives in one of the most tragic accidents in the history of air transport in Nigeria.”
Dati said the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, would lead the church service for the ceremony, while the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah would be the chief host.
The ceremony, he said, would climax with the unveiling of the cenotaph.
He added that the safety week would start with the evaluation of the actions the ministry had taken to improve safety in the industry.
According to him, there has been the introduction of some safety critical equipment since the Dana Air crash.
Dati said the ministry had given safety and security priority in line with the Technical and Administrative Review Committee’s recommendations.
Among those who died was Adekunbi Adebiyi and emotions ran high on Sunday as hundreds of her family and friends attended a Christian music concert organised in her honour.
The event was held at Agip Hall of the Muson Centre, Lagos. The gathering was characterised by singing, instrumental performances as well as a powerpoint picture presentation of the deceased’s life and times.
Some of the deceased’s friends wore yellow shirts, with the inscription, ‘One year on, KIA (Kunbi Irene Adebiyi) in our hearts.’
Friend after friend paid tributes to her, described her as a God-fearing and lovable person. Some described her as having the ambition of becoming “Nigeria’s First Female President”,she was also described as an entrepreneur with a mind for creativity and a touch of perfection.
“She was ahead of her time and always strived for the best and she even told me that she wanted to be the first female president of Nigeria.”
We learnt that Adebiyi was born in February 9, 1990. She attended Loughborough University in the United Kingdom where she studied Economics and Politics. She also attended Harvard University briefly
She worked at Guaranty Trust Bank, KPMG and was a National Youth Service Corps member attached to Etisalat at the time she died.
The deceased, it was learnt, was the co-founder and president of LBDC, an organisation aimed at alleviating poverty in Nigeria.
It is only hoped that Nigeria is never faced with such a tragedy ever again and that the necessary lessons that is needed to be learnt has been learnt.