The family of Lt. Adeyemi Sowole, the co-pilot of the Navy helicopter which crashed on Saturday in Bayelsa State have expressed disappointment that authorities have only reckoned with the dignitaries that died on the flight.
The co-pilot’s elder brother, Taiwo, said the government had not treated other victims as important as the two dignitaries – Gen. Andrew Azazi and Governor Patrick Yakowa – on board.
Taiwo, spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday, at the family’s 28, Akintoye Street, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos home.
The ambience was sombre, as relations and friends sat around Adeyemi’s father, Solomon, in the family’s sitting room.
Words were few. But some of the sympathisers intermittently offered prayers to break the silence.
The deceased’s brother said, “All lives are equal. At this point, the right thing to do is for government to treat all the victims with respect and give them the same recognition.
“But it seems as if only the dignitaries on board the helicopter died. Adeyemi is also important.
“Adeyemi and a senior colleague lost their lives also. They are equally precious to their families. It was their responsibility to transport the dignitaries even though their own lives were on the line.”
Another family member, an aunt of the deceased, broke down in tears. She expressed sadness that while the news about the crash was circulating, authorities only focused on Yakowa and Azazi.
“It’s like the people in government see our son and his colleague as unimportant. Is it only Azazi and Yakowa that died in that crash? Why can’t they sympathise with us as well? The incident happened and all they were talking about were the two government officials on board,” the aunt, who declined to give her name, stated.
Taiwo described his brother as a humble man, who loved his job since he was young.
He said he never believed his brother would die doing what he loved best: flying.
Adeyemi was the fifth child of his parents’ seven children.
Taiwo said, “We called him ‘Yemi Olopa (policeman)’ because he always behaved like one. But when he got into the Nigerian Defence Academy, it was a dream come true for him.
“He loved what he did so much that he never expressed fear at any point in time about the nature of the job.”
Adeyemi graduated from the NDA in 2005 having studied Geography and trained as a pilot.
Taiwo said the last time he spoke with his brother was about 10 days before the crash.
Adeyemi, according to him, was very concerned about their father’s coming 80th birthday, which the family had scheduled for celebration in March 2013.
“Adeyemi insisted we should start planning for the birthday now. We discussed a lot of things, the hall to be used, the expenses and many other things. He said we would discuss it more when he comes home for Christmas,” Taiwo said.
Taiwo got the news about his brother’s death at 8pm on Saturday through one of his brothers.
“All we heard initially was that his helicopter crashed and we were praying at the time that it will turn out to be a hoax. We were hoping it would be a mistake because we thought Navy pilots only fly military personnel or the President and Vice-President,” he said.
Two of Adeyemi’s other siblings – Owolabi and Aderonke – have not come to terms with the fact that their brother was dead.
Owolabi explained that the last time Adeyemi called him, it was also to discuss their father’s coming birthday celebration.
He became suspicious when a friend of the deceased, who is close to the family, called him to request for his parents’ number.
“He called but did not say anything. He called my dad and mum and said he only wanted to find out how they were doing. He eventually called me again to break the news. I can’t believe I’m not going to see my brother again,” he said.
Aderonke, who was her brother’s “pet,” broke down in tears as she described the last time she spoke with him.
She said, “Anytime he was coming home, I would ask what he wanted to eat and he would say ‘you should know because you are my mum.’
“Few days before the incident, I asked if he was coming home for Christmas and he jokingly said ‘no’. I told him he dared not. He said he would come and I was looking forward to seeing him. I still wish all this noise about his death is just a rumour.”
PUNCH
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My dear, that is the rot in our politicians and so they will keep dying. The unfortunate thing is that they are always using and killing other Nigerians along with themselves after which not even their names are mentioned. All lives are importatnt, not only the politicians'!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a loss!
ReplyDeleteIs it legal for military pilots to carry 'dignitaries' with military/government helicopters to social unofficial functions?
Issue for debate.....
That is why I do not pity the so called dignitaries when calamities befall them. Many people are suffering in silence.
ReplyDeleteThe total disregard shown by the government only iluminates the fact that we are just around here while government officials and there folks live here. It is vivid in all terms if not why fly from bayelsa to rivers , it was the profligacy of these super humans that have cost us these innocent pilots life. God will console the Adeyemis and majority of nigerians who are constantly desponded.
ReplyDeleteUP TIL NOW I STIL SUSPECT FOUL PLAY N DS MANS DEATH.BT GOD LET UR WILL BE DONE.GIV US DE GRACE TO SEE U ATLAST IJN.AMENYAKOWA REST N PFECT PEAC.
ReplyDeleteMay the soul oof Adeyemi and the soul of all the faithful deperted thrugth the mercy of God rest in paece Amen. These is migeria for you deffiret folks.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity wen dose political leaders living in affluence at d xpence of suffering Nigerians, the hypocrite start pitying dem. Look at a very clear situation now the wicked leaders we have do nt recorgnice dose of us Nigerians who neva steal public funds even though they died 2geda unda d same situation. My prayer is this. If they will nt change their habit 2 better d lots of Nigerians. If they fly in d air they will crash amin. If they move on our roads while our movement is impeded they will have accident n die amin. If they sail on water they will sink n be eaten by wild fishes amin. But it will be ok wit dem only if they make nigerians feel d impact of our God given suplus treasures.
ReplyDeleteIT IS WELL. ALL LIVES ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WERE ALL CREATED IN GOD IMAGE... THE LORD WILL CONSOLE UR FAMILY ESPECIALLY PAPA AND MAMA. I UNDERSTAND HOW U FEEL. BUT HONESTLY THE LORD WILL SEND THE COMFORTER. I REMEMBER WHEN MY ELDER BROTHER DIED ABOUT 14YEARS AGO AT A TENDER AGE OF UNDER 30 ... THE STUPID COM -PIZER ( UPTIL TODAY ) DID NOT DEEM IT FIT TO SEE THE FAMILY BECAUSE HE WAS A BLOODY SALES REP..... BUT THE LORD IS SUFFICIENT.... IT IS WELL.THE LORD IS ENOUGH . WHAT UR BROTHER WILL DO, HE WILL SEND IN HELPERS TO DO MUCH MORE.... PLS TAKE IT EASY ... THE TEARS IS NOT FOR A DAY BUT JOY COMMETH!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...MEEEEE
ReplyDeleteDon't mind them,only God will consol you people, afterall all of us will still die whether rich or poor, since poor ones cannot live in this country again. kpelee
ReplyDeleteWith my heart felt to 'others' even if they mentioned, as they said. These are yet great lessons to Nigerians over our politicians how perverse they are...
ReplyDeleteWe are in a country where government cares not about less privilege
ReplyDeleteIn actual fact of the matter our leaders are found of doing this any other death that is attached to the dignitaries is meaningless, this is not the first time i have noticed this for a very long time they don't have value for human lives they are after themselves and their family alone + pocket shekenah
ReplyDeleteI thought by now we Nigerians know we are nothing to this goverment. All precedence should have enlightened us enough. But the bitter part of it is we has Nigerians still never learn. A friend of mine 2days ago read aloud a quote of Tunde Bakare as we were chatting: "it takes idiots to be ruled by fools" he felt offended by the statement as he read it over, but I took a few minute to help him digest it. Yes, the statement seems rude to us as Nigerians but is it not the bitter truth?
ReplyDelete1 Are we not the ones that when elections comes we will begin to mix issues and statements like: "omo wa ni e je o se" meaning he is our son/daughter let him rule even when such person is a fool.?
2. Are we not the ones that when voting Goodluck in the last election, we began to say he is a man with luck, he has always been lucky so let's vote him in? Didn't you hear that during the last election ?- what a foolish reason to elect a president.
3. Are we not the ones that instead of looking at a man's life, the precedence and what he has to offer, we will begin to talk about tribes. He is Hausa so I cannot vote him, she is Igbo so she cannot rule us etc.?
4. Are we not the one that in those days when Gani Fawehinmi who fought with his blood both in the 1st and 2nd republic, came out to be elected as the president and we said he cannot rule us? This is a man who with no iota of doubt would have cleansed our system. But we said stuff like he is not rich, he will be too harsh etc., stuff I cannot imagine from someone being rescued from oppression. As a matter of fact, I was told he lost even in his ward. This is an area with mass poverty, an area I would have thought all souls even the cock and the hen would have come out enmass to vote him in. So when Gani came on the screen later and shed tears on the National TV that Nigerians have been betwitched, am sure he was struggling to comprehend how we think as Nigerians.
5. Are we not the same religious Nigerians that have been brain washed and blind folded by religious leaders that we then chose to be oblivious of facts and reasonable thinking. That no matter what these so called religious leaders does, we cannot talk. We have left judgement to God and begin to vomit scriptures out of context like "Touch not my anoited" etc. But those that understand leadership and Integrity and also understand that God works in human to bring Judgement did not hesistate to convict the likes of Akingbola a Pastor, and his cohort in the United Kingdom even if he claims to have ten portions of Elishas anoiting.
The list goes on and on......
Guys, I consider anyone reading this as Educated and hope we will put our God given wisdom plus those we learn in school to work. You and I are the ones that will drive these heartless criminals called leaders out. You will tell your household and I will, you will tell your friends and families and I will. Educate the illiterates among us. When the next election comes, vote for personality and not the party. Stop looking at affluence for that is not what will make the change. Obama was an ordinary guy like you and I but all he had was a vision and he pursued it. Ensure you disect your candidate. Even if he is an Hausa man that is not the point but who is this person and what has he got to offer.
98% of people in Goverment as well as spiritual leaders are wicked. They do not care about you and I. All they know is their pocket and how they can enrich themselves and their generations up till the tenth. So the only tool you have is your next vote. Use it wisely.
Adeyinka Fadehan
I thought by now we Nigerians know we are nothing to this goverment. All precedence should have enlightened us enough. But the bitter part of it is we has Nigerians still never learn. A friend of mine 2days ago read aloud a quote of Tunde Bakare as we were chatting: "it takes idiots to be ruled by fools" he felt offended by the statement as he read it over, but I took a few minute to help him digest it. Yes, the statement seems rude to us as Nigerians but is it not the bitter truth?
ReplyDelete1 Are we not the ones that when elections comes we will begin to mix issues and statements like: "omo wa ni e je o se" meaning he is our son/daughter let him rule even when such person is a fool.?
2. Are we not the ones that when voting Goodluck in the last election, we began to say he is a man with luck, he has always been lucky so let's vote him in? Didn't you hear that during the last election ?- what a foolish reason to elect a president.
3. Are we not the ones that instead of looking at a man's life, the precedence and what he has to offer, we will begin to talk about tribes. He is Hausa so I cannot vote him, she is Igbo so she cannot rule us etc.?
4. Are we not the one that in those days when Gani Fawehinmi who fought with his blood both in the 1st and 2nd republic, came out to be elected as the president and we said he cannot rule us? This is a man who with no iota of doubt would have cleansed our system. But we said stuff like he is not rich, he will be too harsh etc., stuff I cannot imagine from someone being rescued from oppression. As a matter of fact, I was told he lost even in his ward. This is an area with mass poverty, an area I would have thought all souls even the cock and the hen would have come out enmass to vote him in. So when Gani came on the screen later and shed tears on the National TV that Nigerians have been betwitched, am sure he was struggling to comprehend how we think as Nigerians.
5. Are we not the same religious Nigerians that have been brain washed and blind folded by religious leaders that we then chose to be oblivious of facts and reasonable thinking. That no matter what these so called religious leaders does, we cannot talk. We have left judgement to God and begin to vomit scriptures out of context like "Touch not my anoited" etc. But those that understand leadership and Integrity and also understand that God works in human to bring Judgement did not hesistate to convict the likes of Akingbola a Pastor, and his cohort in the United Kingdom even if he claims to have ten portions of Elishas anoiting.
The list goes on and on......
Guys, I consider anyone reading this as Educated and hope we will put our God given wisdom plus those we learn in school to work. You and I are the ones that will drive these heartless criminals called leaders out. You will tell your household and I will, you will tell your friends and families and I will. Educate the illiterates among us. When the next election comes, vote for personality and not the party. Stop looking at affluence for that is not what will make the change. Obama was an ordinary guy like you and I but all he had was a vision and he pursued it. Ensure you disect your candidate. Even if he is an Hausa man that is not the point but who is this person and what has he got to offer.
98% of people in Goverment as well as spiritual leaders are wicked. They do not care about you and I. All they know is their pocket and how they can enrich themselves and their generations up till the tenth. So the only tool you have is your next vote. Use it wisely.
Adeyinka Fadehan
I sympathize with those who lost their lives. However, l would rather be concerned over the lost of a relation than be disturbed about attention given to me by some authorities. We should not use tragedies of our relations which involve their lives for our recognition or benefit. Will attention from the government bring back the lives of those who died? Let us mourn the death quietly.
ReplyDelete