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As the nation continues to mourn the tragic NAF plane crash which claimed the lives of Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military officers, the wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo has been visiting the bereaved families and widows of the late officers to console them and offer relief and emotional support at this critical time, Funsho Akanbi writes
Like any other Friday, Nigerians were looking forward to a blissful weekend devoid of a tragic incident resulting from kidnapping and killings, which have become a regular occurrence in the country. Many workers had closed for work while those who were yet to were preparing to do so. Nobody envisaged a national tragedy that would throw the entire nation into a mourning mood.
But sadly, Friday May 21, 2021 turned out to be a tragic day for Nigeria following the shocking news of a plane crash involving the nation’s top military chiefs.The NAF Beachcraft 350 carrying the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and other top officers went down at the Kaduna International Airport, killing all the passengers on board. Nearly every Nigerian had wished the report was fake news but it eventually turned out to be the reality. They were said to be on their way to Kaduna for an official function before the ill-fated aircraft crashed.
Among the victims of the tragic plane crash were Lt.-Gen Attairu’s principal officers, personal aides and the crew. They were: Brigadier-General MI Abdulkadir; Brigadier-General Olayinka; Brigadier-General Kuliya; Major L. A Hayat; Major Hamza; Sergeant Umar; Flt. Lt. TO Asaniyi; Flt. Lt. AA Olufade: Sergeant Adesina and ACM Oyedepo. The army officers paid the supreme prize in defence of their country they all swore to protect and defend.
In the loud bang that threw the nation into mourning mood, the nation lost some of its finest gallant soldiers and breadwinners of several families. The dark episode has also suddenly turned the wives of army chiefs into widows and their children into orphans. They had hoped to see their husbands and fathers again, but the cold hands of death couldn’t allow them. None of these families had the premonition that their beloved and highly resourceful husbands, fathers, uncles and brothers would depart so soon. They never knew they would never have the grace to say goodbye.
For the wives, they had lost worthy partners, friends of many years and beloved husbands. For the children, who have suddenly found themselves on a long list of fatherless kids, they never knew they would become orphans at such tender ages. They would never have the opportunity of seeing their caring dads anymore. Nobody will be there to play that unusual fatherly role in their lives again. Never!
Indeed, for these families, it was a moment of sorrow and for the nation that has lost its patriotic heroes; it was a big setback in the war against insurgency. Their demise has undoubtedly created a vacuum in military formation that might be difficult to fill.
But in this critical and pitiful situation, a woman stands out to be counted and identified with these bereaved families – to share in their pain and moments of grief. She is Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo. She was on hand to console the widows and the children left behind by these gallant military officers right from the moment the tragic news of the crash was confirmed.
During that period of heartache for the distraught families, Mrs Osinbajo provided that needed emotional succour in an emotional week for Nigerians at home and abroad.
On behalf of the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari and herself, Mrs Osinbajo had been on regular visits to the wife of the late army chief, Mrs Fati Attahiru, and other widows left behind by the crash victims,
While no amount of consolation would bring back the late military heroes, that Mrs Osinbajo took out time to show empathy to the bereaved families by visiting and comforting them in their time of pain, would have provide some succour in helping them deal with the unimaginable grief.
On the evening of Friday 21st May 2021, when it was confirmed that the COAS and the other officers did not survive the tragic plane crash, Mrs Osinbajo made it a point of duty to visit families of the departed military officers. She was there to console their widows, relatives, and offer relief and emotional support.
Sensing how tragic the news was and the imaginable emotional reaction of the plane crash victims’ families, Mrs Osinbajo accompanied by the wife of Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Victoria Irabor, immediately visited the wife of the late COAS, Mrs Fati Attahiru. It was a moment of sorrow laced with presumable degrees of pain and grief. In one of the amateur videos of the visit, the wife of the Vice President hugged the widow and did her best to console her. It could be seen that few words were spoken as palpable grief overshadowed the atmosphere.
The following day, on Saturday, May 22, the wife of the VP returned to the Flag Staff House, the official residence of the COAS, at Niger Barracks, to spend more time with the family and further console the widow of the late Army Chief, with reassuring words.
Mrs. Osinbajo continued her visit to Niger Barracks the next day, Sunday, May 23, accompanied by Mrs. Irabor, the wives of the Chief of Naval Staff, Hajiya Nana Aishat Gambo; and the Chief of Air Staff, Mrs. Elizabeth Olubunmi Amao, again to see the widow of the COAS, Mrs. Attahiru.
Afterwards, the wife of the Vice President, along with her entourage comprising wives of the service chiefs, visited the wife of the late Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Olatunji Olayinka, and other spouses of departed army officers at the barracks.
To sympathize with the widows and relatives of all Abuja-based deceased Air Force, Mrs Osinbajo proceeded to the NAF Base near the airport, officers during which she met with the families of deceased officers, Flt Lt A Olufade, Sgt Adesina and ACM Oyedepo.
With the visits, the wife of the Vice President has visited relatives and families of 7 of the departed military officers consisting of 3 at the NAF Base, and 4 at the Niger Barracks, Abuja.
The VP’s wife’s visits have gone a long way to show that the Federal Government would do what is necessary to help the families of the late COAS and officers deal with the unfortunate incident.
Already, the Defence Headquarters and the Services are providing resources, psychological and trauma support for the care and immediate comfort of the bereaved families.
In the same vein, the Women Associations of the DHQ and the Services vis-à-vis the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA) and the Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA), are equally providing humanitarian and moral support to the widows as well as orphans of the deceased officers.
The Services (NAF and Nigerian Army) are also collating information on the additional needs of the bereaved families. These include employment requirements, housing and scholarships needs among others.
In honour of the late Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other officers who died in a plane crash, President Muhammadu Buhari directed all public buildings, facilities and official residences to fly the Nigerian flag at half-mast, while he also approved May 24 as a work-free day for the members of the armed forces.
Also, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, commiserating with the families of the late military officers, said, “Their death while in active service in the defense of our country reflects the depth of sacrifice our military officers, men and women of the other ranks are often prepared to make. We honour the service of the Army Chief and all those involved in this unfortunate accident even as we continue to demonstrate our profound appreciation to all in our military services and in harm’s way. The gallantry of these heroes would always be remembered.”
Indeed, the late officers paid the supreme prize in defence of their country they had sworn to protect and defend.
The ill-fated NAF plane claimed the lives of some of Nigeria’s finest soldiers.
The families – who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate incident are still coming to terms with the pain and grief. While for a nation that lost its patriots and heroes, it has undoubtedly created a vacuum in military formation that might be difficult to fill.
Mrs Osinbajo’s timely visits to the families is significant, especially as it showed that in trying times like this, the Federal Government, as well as Nigerians, will be there to provide emotional and sundry support to its patriots and their loved ones in their time of need.
