By Donu Kogbara

These are the names of the 61 youngsters who died in the Sosoliso Airlines plane that   crashed a decade ago, on  December 10, 2005 to be precise (see names below).

The school term had just ended and they were excitedly heading towards their homes to take deserved breaks from academic work and celebrate Christmas.

But they never made it to their respective homes because disaster struck at Port Harcourt airport, as they neared the end of their journeys.

All except Wailafite Wills (a Federal Government College student) were pupils at Loyola Jesuit College near Abuja. Some – Wailafite, Ibrah Ellah, Fanye Daniel-Kalio, Vivian Baa, Adachi Nzenwa, for example – were my friends’ beloved children.

And Chigozirim Ukairo – the brilliant son of Tony Ukairo, one of my favourite cousins, and his beautiful and charming wife, Nnenne – was my relative.

Only two people survived. The total death toll was 108; and several adults – another relative of mine, Father Obi (a Catholic priest), and Roland Cookey-Gam (a talented architect who was married to my distinguished chum, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, a former SSG and Attorney-General), for example – perished alongside the children.

Unimaginable horror

But it’s not just about my friends and my family. My heart bleeds for EVERYONE, complete strangers included, who lost their lives or lost loved ones on that fateful day of blood and tears. And I will always particularly marvel at the courage displayed by Andy and Ify Ilabor, who suffered the unimaginable horror of losing ALL of their three children in one fell swoop.

The airline and airport authorities were chronically and criminally negligent, to put it mildly. Sosoliso’s owners spectacularly failed to adequately safeguard their staff and passengers; and the relevant government agencies were woefully unprepared to cope with the crisis that unfolded and had no emergency response capabilities.

Isaac Okemini, whose darling daughter was a casualty, is the Chairman of the committee that was created by parents to commemorate the children who passed away. He kindly granted me an interview a couple of days ago and spoke about the multiple lapses that contributed to a tragedy that could have been avoided.

“There was no light at the airport and no functional fire trucks or ambulances. We were so dissatisfied when we gained access to information about the events leading up to the crash – and so very unhappy about the post-crash management issue – that we decided to take Sosoliso and the Federal Government to court,” he said.

Amazingly, instead of admitting guilt, expressing shame, taking responsibility, begging the parents to forgive its appalling incompetence and then respectfully and compassionately offering them compensation – at a time when the entire nation was protesting in support of the bereaved – the Federal Government cruelly dugs its heels in and, according to Okemini, “did everything to frustrate our efforts.”

“Judges kept adjourning our case at the request of government,” he continues. “There were constant delays. Witnesses were forced to chicken out of giving evidence against the government. And we were eventually forced to forget about the government aspect and negotiate with Sosoliso, which didn’t have appropriate insurance that met with international standards; and we only got $35,000 each,” he said.

Imagine $35,000?! What a terrible, disgusting, disgraceful travesty of justice!  As far as the parents were concerned, the money per se was not important. Even if they’d received billions, no amount could mend their broken hearts or bring back the offspring whose demises have left painful gaping holes in their existences.

But compensation is a matter of principle. And I think that every decent individual will share my despairing outrage and view that private- or public-sector organisations that cut corners, commit manslaughter and inflict incalculable suffering should be forced by law to pay HUGE sums to their victims’ next-of-kins.

But Nigeria is not the kind of country in which human rights are a sacred priority. So the Sosoliso victims’ families resigned themselves to harsh realities with dignity and, as Okemini put it: “I wouldn’t wish this level of pain on my worst enemy. But we have buried our dead, managed our emotional anguish and moved on.” Partly because their loved ones were burned to death and partly because Rivers is an oil-producing state in which many workplace accidents are fire-related, Okemini and his “colleagues” have repeatedly called for the establishment of a Burn And Trauma Centre in Rivers State. But their recommendation has been ignored.

Fortunately, some clouds have silver linings and there have been some positive outcomes. Okemini says that he wants to believe that the crash “was a

wake-up call that brought a little bit of sanity into the aviation industry” and that he thinks there have been improvements in areas such as radar coverage.

Meanwhile, a new Loyola Jesuit school – which insists on the same high academic standards for which the original school was famed – has been built in Rivers State, thanks in part to Dr Peter Odili, a previous Governor who lost a niece in the crash and generously provided the land and a large percentage of the take-off funds.

I think it is fair to say that the new school is a befitting memorial to the kids who never got a chance to complete their educations and were robbed of their futures.

1,   Abba Kenechukwu.                                            2. Adaka Christian

3. Adebolu Olubusayo.                                           4. Adewoga Adeleke
4. Adeyemi Boluwarin.                                           6. Aikhionbare Gabriella
5. Ajilore Olawole.                                                      8. Allan Obongawan
6. Akwiwu Agu.                                                           10. Amachree Owanari
7. Awaji Ugona.                                                       12. Awaji Chisom
8. Baa Vivian.                                                           14. Badru Omotoke
9. Chigbo Chineye.                                                 16. Daniel-Kalio Fanye
10. Edet Helena.                                                         18. Egbosimba Chinonye
11. Egwele Uzo.                                                           20. Ekefre Udeme -Obong
12. Ekereuwem Aniefon.                                      22. Ekwem Amanze
13. Ellah Ibrah.                                      24. Gbemudu Sandra
14. Ibiam Nnanna.                                                   26. Idabor Peter
15. Ilabor Chukwuka.                                             28. Ilabor Nkem
16. Ilabor Busomna.                                                  30. Iroghama Silvia
17. Kamanu Chibuzor.                                          32. Loolo Immanuel
18. Mba Chinweoke.                                               34. Mba Ijeamaka
19. Monago Augustine                                           36. Njoku Linda
20. Nkaginieme Ubani.                                           38. Nkaginieme Obioma
21. Nnaji Alexandria.                                               40.Nnebedum Chukwuebuka
22. Ntemuse Emmanuel.                                      42. Nwadei Vanessa
23. Nwigwe Chioma.                                                44. Nwoko Stephanie
24. Nzelu Chidinma.                                                46. Nzenwa Adachi
25. Okafor Zikora.                                                     48. Okafor Chidinma
26. Tony-Okeke Jachimike.  50. Okemini Ibiso
27. Okereke Onyekachuku.  52. Okpe Daniel
28. Olakpe Chris.                                                        54. Orbih Whitney
29. Oyebode Mayowa.                                          56. Ubah Ifeanyi
30. Udeozor Richard.                                               58. Ugochukwu Uzo
31. Ukairo Chigozirim.                                            60. Utuk Peter

61, Wills Wailafite