Plane Crash: I Lost A Political Successor — Falae

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and a chieftain of Afenifere, Chief Olu Falae, whose son, Deji, a commissioner in Ondo State, died alongside 12 others in last Thursday’s plane crash in Lagos, says he lost a political successor.

Falae spoke when the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, paid him a condolence visit in his Akure, Ondo State home, just as Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), yesterday, commenced the identification of the victims of the crash burnt beyond recognition.

Those who visited Governor Olusegun Mimiko to condole with him over the disaster, yesterday, include Pastor E.A. Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, a former governor of Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua and the first lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi. All Progressive Congress (APC) leader, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and the Director General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt Folayele Akinkuotu, were among those at LASUTH to see Feyi, the son of a former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Agagu, whose corpse was being conveyed to Akure when the plane crashed.

Falae, while receiving Tambuwal, said he had reached the peak of his political sojourn. ”I was looking forward to seeing Deji take over from me, because I have reached the peak of my being in politics. I will miss him so much,” he said. He, however, pointed out that he had submitted to the Almighty God and he could not question God over the death of his son.

The House Speaker told his host that Deji was his friend and that he had sent useful text messages to him on how to move the country forward, four days before the unfortunate incident.

He prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss. Adeboye, during his visit to Mimiko, commended the Ondo governor for taking over the burial ceremony of his predecessor irrespective of party affiliation and charged him not to relent in his good works for the people. He vowed to continue to pray for peace and development in the state.

The Nigerian Medical Association,NMA, also condoled with the families of those involved in the plane crash, calling on government at all levels to be more committed to the development of the transport system, particularly in terms of fixing and regularly maintaining the bad roads/death traps that dot Nigeria’s highways and landscape.

Meanwhile, LASUTH, yesterday, commenced the identification of the victims burnt beyond recognition in the plane air-crash. Relatives of the victims had earlier been asked to come forward for collection of biological samples for the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test. According to the Chief Examiner and pathologist, Prof John Obafunwa, the DNA analysis was necessary for proper identification of the corpses.

Families of the victims, who had reported as early as 8a.m at LASUTH, however, could not hide their anger for being kept in the dark till about 3p.m by the authorities.

According to some of them, the authorities were aggravating their pains. Addressing the relatives, the Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Wale Ahmed, said the delay was as a result of consultations with the involved in the crash to ensure correct dissemination of information to relatives. Ahmed further disclosed that results of the DNA test would be ready between three to four weeks based on the email from the company handling the analysis in the United Kingdom.

In the meantime, one of the seven survivors of the crash recuperating in one of the hospitals in Lagos, identified as Hassan Samson, was said to have passed on.
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/48940.html