Coffins in the Nigerian Air Space: Avoidable DangerBy Akpodigha Filatei (Calgary, Canada)
In the past one year, five fatal air mishaps have been recorded in Nigeria, the latest being the Oct 29, 2006 crash of the Boeing 737-200 aircraft operated by the Nigerian airline, ADC (Aviation Development Company). 104 of the 111 persons on board including top government and religious leaders and their families died in the ill-fated flight. Nigeria has a law limiting the age of passenger aircraft in the fleet of local airlines to 22 but it is usually not enforced.
This is one mishap too many, yet, there is potentially no end in sight. Each time these accidents happen, the political leaders always come out to shed crocodile tears but they shortly thereafter forget and continue as if nothing happened, only to be jolted by another accident a couple of weeks or months later. It has been reported by analysts that most of the aircrafts used by local airlines in Nigeria are not air-worthy but the elites in leadership of the country have not shown enough will to tame the problem. For instance, the aircraft involved in the latest accident was manufactured 23 years ago and without the necessary upgrades that would be compulsorily enforced if it were to fly in North American airspace.
I recently had a conversation with a commercial pilot at a bookstore here in Calgary and wanted to know what Canada and the USA do with old aircrafts. He responded without hesitation that they usually sell old aircrafts to poorer countries especially in Africa because it usually costs a lot more to do the required upgrades than to buy newer models. Yet, our ruling elites in Nigeria behave in public space as if they are of any meaning to the society that has found itself under their rule. They steal and use ill-gotten wealth to build mansions in major cities in Nigeria and overseas, in the face of a majority of Nigerians sliding into destitution. It is as if they don't realize that they are all potential passengers of coffins in the Nigerian air space waiting to be lowered 6 feet below the earth surface. We all are!
Some commentators have opined that the fact that there have been 5 fatal air mishaps in less than a year is attributable to the misfortune that the current President carries with him. Some even go further to say that it is God's way of showing disapproval of the many sins of the current leadership like was done in the days of the biblical Sodom and Gomorrah. Others have said that the President imposed on Nigerians a Minister (Secretary) who was rejected more than once by the Senate and gave him the Aviation portfolio and that Aviation deserved a more competent hand.
I don't agree with any of these. I think that we have recorded more air mishaps these days and in the current dispensation because the aircrafts have aged more than in past years. Another reason is because the first set of pilots (baby-boomer group) and engineers trained for the aviation sector in Nigeria were better trained but more of them have had to retire. Their replacements are products of the misrule and decadency that have eaten too deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society over the past few decades. These people (pilots and engineers) are not as competent. Scary, isn't it?
For these reasons, we will likely record more fatalities in the Nigerian air space in the coming months, regardless of who is President, if serious effort is not made to really revamp the aviation sector. Revamping should include a review of the both the personnel and the hardware of the sector. A minimum age should be set for the aircrafts with stricter maintenance routine. I am not that naïve when I make these recommendations. I know that there is a more fundamental and crucial Nigerian problem, which will make these recommendations unworkable. That is the rot in the system occasioned by corruption in high places. Despite the great efforts of the anti-corruption agency (the EFCC) headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Nigerian Government still lacks enough will to tame the corruption monster. We have read of Governors and other political leaders who have cases of corruption to answer but the Federal Government have not given the green light to the EFCC to bring them to book.
While I applaud exposition of the massive corruption of the former Inspector General of Police, Mr Tafa Balogun that ran into Billions of recovered stolen wealth and for which he spent 6 months (only) in jail, Nigerians still know nothing of what became of the allegations of corruption against former Senate President, Senator Adolphous Wabara and Former Minister of Education, Prof Fabian Osuji. Nigerians are also aware of the case of massive fraud at the Nigerian Ports Authority under the very powerful Chief Olabode George's chairmanship of its board but nothing has been done about it. He continues to wield enormous political influence within the ruling party, PDP, and in the politics of the southwestern part of the country. The national legislature has continued to lack the will to strengthen the 1999 constitution, which forbids prosecution of state Governors and their deputies despite repeated cases of reported massive criminal activities and corruption of these officials.
I see these problems as fundamental enough to hinder the success of any attempt to take out the flying coffins from the Nigerian airspace before the next set of fatalities. Knowing that these fatalities have proven to be equal-opportunity incidents – taking down both the elites and other innocent and poorer victims, I believe that most Nigerians including the ruling elites will be concerned. But, do they have the courage to address the fundamental issues outlined in the preceding paragraph? Who will be among the next dozens of persons that will be interred with the next air-coffin to come down? Should Nigeria wait for another set of disasters before the proper thing is done?
In Nigeria's short Aviation history, reproduced below is a descending list of the air fatalities recorded since they start to happen: 1. October 29, 2006: A Boeing 707-200 operated by ADC, bound Sokoto from Abuja. 104 of the 111 persons on board the 23-year aircraft were lost in the crash at Tunga-Madaki Village, about 2 kilometers from Abuja international airport. 2. Sept. 17, 2006: A Dornier 228 operated by the Nigerian Air Force crashes in Benue State on its way to Calabar from Abuja: 13 of the 18 people (including 10 army generals) on board were lost. 3. Dec. 10, 2005: A Boeing 727-200 (32 years old) operated by Sosoliso Airlines from Abuja crashed in Port Harcourt leaving 107 of the 108 persons, mostly school children on holiday, dead. 4. Nov. 28, 2005: Beechcraft 200 executive jet crashed in Kaduna, killing the 2 persons on board. 5. Oct. 22, 2005: A Boeing 737-200 aircraft operated by Bellview Airlines crashed in Lisa, a village in Ogun State, about 40KM north-west of Lagos, barely three minutes after take-off from Lagos en route to Abuja. All 117 persons on board died. 6. May 4, 2002: A BAC1-11-500 operated by EAS Airlines, from Kano and bound Lagos crashed into a densely populated area near Kano killing all 76 people on board and 52 other on the ground, totaling 128 people. 7. Jan 5, 2000: A Bandeirante 110P1A operated by Skypower Express Airways had a Ground collision that resulted in one fatality. 8. Jan 31, 1997: An Embraer 110P10IA operated by Skypower Express Airways crashed in Landing, killing 5 people in Yola. 9. Nov 7, 1996: A Boeing 727-231 operated by ADC crashed near Lagos and killed all 143 on board. 10. June 24, 1995: A Tupolev 34 operated by Harka Air Services crashed on Landing in Lagos and killed 16 people. 11. Nov 11, 1995: A 737-2F9 operated by Nigerian Airways crashed on Landing in Kaduna and killed 9 people. 12. Sept. 26, 1992: Nigerian Air Force Hercules C-130 aircraft crashes at Ejigbo, killing all 192 officers on board 13. July 11, 1991: A DC-8-61 operated by Nigerian Airways carrying pilgrims returning to Nigeria crashed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: after takeoff, killing all 261 people on board. 14. Nov 28, 1983: An F28-2000 operated by Nigerian Airways crashed on approach to Enugu and had 58 fatalities. 15. Mar. 1, 1978: An F82-1000 operated by Nigerian Airways crashed in Kano Nigeria killing 16 persons. 16. Jan. 22, 1973: A Boeing 707 operated by Royal Jordanian Airlines returning from Mecca crash-landed in Kano, killing all 176 on board. 17. Nov. 20, 1969: A Nigerian Airways operated BAC VC10 aircraft on a flight from London crash-landed in Lagos and killed all 87 passengers and crew on board. Considering that Nigeria is about the size of New Mexico in the United States and with relatively far less air activity, the preceding list is not modest. We could do far better.
I believe that with a little sacrifice, the coffins in Nigerian air space can be interned without Nigerians in them. Let's do it!
Thank you for reading.
Akpodigha Filatei Currently, an IT specialist based in Calgary Canada.
October 30, 2006
|