By MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

•Reptiles, weeds take over ADC plane crash site at Ejirin
•We will fix it soon – Aviation minister

BARELY a month after  the Federal and Lagos state governments unveiled the Iju-Ishaga arcade in memory of the victims of the ill-fated Dana flight, those familiar with the flight 086 memorial Arcade, Itoikin Town, Ejirin axis of Lagos, weep over the sorry state of the monument erected in honour of the victims of the ill-fated ADC aircraft Boeing 727-231, on November 7, 1996.

It will be recalled that the one-year remembrance for the victims of Dana plane crash was done simultaneously in Abuja and Lagos by President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Babatunde Fashola.

Though issues concerning misrepresentation and omission of victims’ name and unpaid compensation to the families of the passengers and the on-ground victims were raised in respect of the arcades for the Dana crash victims, the total neglect of the site of the ADC crash site is criminal to say the least.

Ejinrin cenotaph

Neglect of the monument
Sources said that the  neglect of the monument erected at the riverside of the Itoikin River in Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area, LCDA, by the Federal and Lagos state governments has turned the arcade and its surrounding to a  national embarrassment.

Vanguard gathered that the place has become home to reptiles and weeds.

Standing on the Itoikin Bridge and looking at the cenotaph erected few metres away, it was sad to learn that where serving military officers died had been overgrown with weeds.

When Vanguard visited the cenotaph, the path to the monument was bushy. The gates were wide  opened, as its padlock was missing.

Iju-Ishaga cenotaph

Inside the Arcade, offensive odor of urine and human excreta  enveloped the air. The place has since become the restroom for commuters from Epe and Ijebu-Ode axes of Lagos and Ogun state.

Nothing apart from the faded black paint used in engraving  names of the victims’ on the cenotaph and the plaque unveiled by the ex-minister of Aviation, Air Commodore Ita Udo-Ime on November 7, 1997, indicates that heroes and heroines died  there.

Mr. Felix Ogayemi, a resident of Itoikin Town, said “With the situation of the place, no one especially children that were born after  the incident occurred, will know that such disaster which threw the nation into mourning occurred at Itoikin Town.”

“As you can see” Ogayemi said “the place has been left unattended to. With this, very soon snakes and other harmful reptiles will turn the place to their home.

“The last time the government renovated the cenotaph was in 2010. And since then, no government official has visited the monument,” he added.

We will fix it – Aviation minister
When contacted, the Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah, in a text message to Vanguard, assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would in a few days rehabilitate the 16-year-old Memorial Arcade.

“We are going to rehabilitate the arcades and other in the country. We are already discussing on the best way to quickly fix it. I can assure you that in short time, the place will wear a new look.”