How long shall we continue to grieve? Print E-mail
Monday, 04 June 2012 17:36

I have tried putting down words to express my true state of mind as regards the very avoidable sad event of yesterday but I kid you not the thoughts are so not processing, how do you explain it, air travel is meant to be the safest and fastest means of transportation everywhere and anywhere In the world but same cannot be said of my darling country Nigeria.

We have had series of air disaster in the last couple of years firstly, December 2005 Belleview Airline flight 210 a Boeing 737-210 crashed killing all 177 people on board, 10th of December same year Sosoliso Airline flight 1145 a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 with 110 people on board crashed during landing in Port Harcourt 107 people died, In 2006 ADC Airline flight 53, a Boeing 737-200 crashed near Abuja killing 96 of the 105 people on board, then yesterday 3rd of June 2012 a Lagos bound Dana aircraft McDonnell Douglas MD-83 carrying 147 passengers and 6 crew members crashed in a densely populated area in Iju ishaga Lagos killing all passengers and crew on board.

I have seen several pictures of loved ones that were involved in the mishap, I can’t comprehend how young souls will be lost at their prime, I saw the beautiful picture of the entire cabin crew, beautifully ladies gracefully dressed in their well tailored and smoothly ironed red apparel they embarked on a call to duty and never returned, the young handsome looking captain, I am sure he had his dreams, those dreams were cut. Levi Ajuonoma, the former NTA Sunday Show host who later joined NNPC as the Group General Manager, Corporate Affairs had no inclination that he would not make it to his destination. I shed tears for all the souls lost; they all never said their goodbyes to friends and loved ones.

This is not a time to apportion blame on any individual, sector of the economy or organization, the entire Nigerian system has failed us, we as Nigerians we have failed ourselves. Yesterday’s event was fostered by no power, bad roads, slow media/communication, terrible response and no water just to mention a few of our national socio-economic problems.

I thought out loud yesterday and said to myself ‘If I’m being optimistic about Nigeria its sheer lunacy, if I’m pessimistic I am unpatriotic or a skeptic. Nigeria, just keep an open mind’. I asked myself how did it get this bad.

I am in no place to advice The President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria or the Aviation Minister on what need be done, steps to be put in place, due procedures to be followed and checks and balances in the aviation industry, common am sure they have loads of advisers around them, moreover am not on their payroll.

I empathize with the bereaved families, I pray that the Supreme Being help those that are hurting right now, guide them and place your arms around them to comfort and give them strength.

But my singular fear is this, after our three (3) days of national mourning, will we go back to status quo, will committees be set up to investigate the disaster, will proper recommendations be made, will recommendations by the committee be put in place, or we just go about our daily activities and let everything remain as it were and someday soon In the nearest future there would be another air disaster.

HOW LONG SHALL WE CONTINUE TO GRIEVE?


Long Live Nigeria!
God Bless Nigeria!
God Bless The president of The Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Courtesy: Olasoji Olabode

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Comments  

 
# Blossom 2012-06-04 17:53
This is a deep question that I urge every one to constructively make an attempt to answer. It is worrisome!
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# dudu worldwide 2012-06-04 18:35
Talking about the sad state of Nigeria is like over flogging a dead horse. Likewise is the tragic Dana flight disaster which is akin to crying over a spilt milk. As the writer well noted, there has been several flight disasters for which nothing came out of the different committees that were set up. What we need is a total overhaul of Nigerian air safety program and policies for which I am not holding my breathe.
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# OBA GCFR 2012-06-05 06:35
Nice one.
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# OJ 2012-06-05 07:23
Deep.
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# Goke Aisida 2012-06-05 08:35
When will all these blood baths stop? When, I mean when, are we going to get it right?
When will the time come when we will be truly proud to be a Nigerian?
We have a handful of trouble already...
I pray thee Lord, look down from heaven and heal our land, NIGERIA.
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# femmelounge 2012-06-09 19:21
Sad. When will things change? Will things ever change?
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# Chidozie Mario 2012-08-14 13:50
As long as I can clearly remember in the recent times, it was first Bellview closely followed by Sosoliso and then ADC. And just when we thought Nigeria had achieved aviation safety, came Dana crash with lots of innocent lives lost. No amount of grieving can heal the wounds.
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# Chidozie Mario 2012-08-14 13:52
It is really worrisome.
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