Somehow, a plane left the sky and chose to land not at
the airport but in a residential area. 153 persons dead and the number of
wounded residents growing. But why had the Dana flight been kept airborne
despite repeated signs of failure? Why had the management of the company
insisted that profits were paramount to passenger safety and survival? Why is
Nigeria the only country where safety regulations can be flouted without
repercussions?
The weekend had begun with a little excitement for some
people in Lagos. Many had gone about their usual business and none was to
expect the fatality of the event that was to occur right in their neighbourhood
in the afternoon. Air travel has always been the fastest way to travel and for
the ill fated flight 992, it had gone to Calabar from Lagos, and then to Abuja
before landing into a block of flats in Ishaga, Lagos.
A staff of Dana whose payoff is the smart way to fly has
spoken to news station Channels Television on the condition of anonymity. She
said the plane had a history of faults and malfunctions. One way or the other,
the Indian owned airline continued to run the aircraft in that state believing
against all evidence and reality that nothing will happen. Something did
eventually happen when with only 11 nautical miles away from landing, the pilot
had alerted the control tower to engage emergency landing.
A look at the manifest reveals several well meaning
Nigerians. Their destinies have been cut short and plans ended soon after the
crash. Not even their bodies will get a burial or recognition by family and
friends. But wait a minute, why had this plane taken off in the first place
when there were issues about its performance in recent weeks? Why had the
management of the company not insisted on having all issues surrounding the aircraft
resolved before it lifts a single passenger? Someone with my technical knowhow
of machines may argue and say that machines malfunction randomly without
warning but this was an exception. This particular plane we have been told by
an informed staff who though preferring to speak anonymously tells us of the
aircraft’s state. It was not airworthy.
The fact that this staff preferred to speak anonymously
is proof that declaring publicly her opinion was sure to land her in trouble
with her employers who are obviously not concerned about customer safety. But
who wants to ensure customer safety when profits must be maximized in a
challenging economy like Nigeria where not even the government does anything
whatsoever to guarantee citizen safety. Everywhere, federal roads are a death trap,
live electricity lines hang so close that even dogs can pluck them out of their
places while security has been at an abysmal low with the dreaded Boko Haram
repeating its feat same day at a church in Bauchi killing 12 worshippers.
Nigerians are living in their most unsafe period. With the government ensuring
that danger is on the increase through its carelessly considered policies, a
private airline from India will not find it difficult to conclude that profit
maximization is paramount.
Every day, people die on our roads in auto crashes. The
accidents fail to make the news because they are probably too many or maybe
worse, the persons involved at not newsworthy. But make no mistake, these are
also well meaning Nigerians whose lives have been cut short by the negligence
of persons in power who refused to fix the roads and eliminate that as a reason
for accidents in Nigeria. Just as negligence is one of the reasons the Dana
flight 992 had taken off and failed to land at the airport, so is Nigeria being
run with utmost nonchalance. Now promises are being made to investigate.
We hope sincerely that proper safety precautions will
become a prevailing culture in all sectors of national life. Of course the
president appeared at the scene and expressed his condolences and declaring 3
days of mourning while taking the next work day off to mourn. Should these be
the recourse of the country’s leader at such a critical time? Should there not
be that urgent charge to ensure such accidents do not recur unless it’s an
unforeseen mechanical malfunction? Should the aviation minister not have a
policy of preventing unworthy planes from even lifting? Why should our country
be run on a reactionary mode? Where is the pro-activeness of diligent
leadership?
It was Aikhomo’s son, a Livi Ajuonuma, a Rev. Cole and
wife and many others, what about the others that who though in comfort and
safety their homes were denied such safety? Time has come for a change of
safety regulations in this country and more importantly about certain attitudes
towards the sanctity of human life. A regime that cares less about humans
should not be trusted with guarding the affairs of state for that is a risk like
the Dana flight which not only killed its passengers and crew but went ahead to
kill innocent residents enjoying a Sunday rest. We pray God grant the families
of the victims of this crash the fortitude to bear this untimely loss.
Has this crash put Nigerians in a state of phobia for
flying? Only time will tell.
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