Much more should be done in memory of all those who died in the military plane crash that claimed over 200 persons in the Isheri Oshun part of Lagos on Saturday September 26, 1992. It is thirty three years since that unfortunate incident.
Many of those the officers left behind are still in tears. Some of them were thrown out of the barracks. There are state governments that failed to provide accomodation for them. It is sad that a few families were given houses in places that can only be accessed by bulldozers and military trucks.
In all this, I remember Lt. Col George Otonbara Ikoli (N5402). His grandfather, Sir Ernest Sisei Ikoli, died in October 1960 shortly after Nigeria gained independence from Britain. I doubt if many compatriots really understand the role the old man played to free the country from the shackles of imperialism.
The senior Ikoli, a riverine boy from Twon – Brass, sailed to Lagos early enough in 1906, as a thirteen – year – old. By 1908, he had joined the struggle to keep the colonial masters uncomfortable, as one of the foundation members of the Peoples Union. Other pioneers included Edward Wilmot Blyden, John Payne Jackson, John Randle and Herbert Macaulay.
When Kings College, Lagos took off in 1909, Ikoli was one of the pioneer students. He ended up as the first Nigeria Science and Mathematics Teacher there. I was informed by one of the grandsons that one of his students, Sylvanus Olympio, later became the first president of Togo.
From political activism to teaching, Ikoli veered into journalism to continue the struggle. In 1926, he was the first African Editor of the Daily Times. It did not end there. The nationalist set up his own newspapers. From The African Messenger, to Daily Service the Colonial Office in London felt the heat.
This same Ikoli who chastised the British would be wondering what has become of his beloved Nigeria. He was a Lagos Boy and represented Lagos in politics. The Eko of today has been taken over by people who neither sacrificed for Lagos nor Yoruba land but are tormenting residents with tribal brush.
That his grandson, George, died for Nigeria in the same Lagos and could have been forgotten is quite unfortunate. The Army officer was accompanied to the Murtala Mohammed Airport that fateful day, by younger brother Anthony George Ikoli.
What a terrible experience it was for one to be told that the blood brother you saw off, did not spend five minutes in the air before the aircraft crashed into swampy Isheri Oshun. It was worse that not much was done to rescue him and his colleagues over twenty hours after the disaster.
The Ikolis always remember their own every September 26. However, their mother, Madam Elsie Ajayi Ikoli will not join them this year. She passed away on September 3, 2025. When she meets her Father – in – law and son, on the other side, I am sure they would be discussing their country and Lagos.
Some stories touch the heart. Maj. Okopi Amaga (N/6905) was a medical doctor. He once taught Anatomy at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. His cousin, Andrew Okopi,swore that no member of the family would join the Army after that disaster. Before the major’s death, four other family members had died serving the military.
Maj. D. O. Okoroji (N/6253) of Nigeria Army Engineers and E. O. Amechi – Okoro (N/5861) of the Nigeria Army Corps of Artillery were uncles to some families. Madam Priscilla Ogbeha had two sons in Service. Maj. Samuel Ogbeha fought with ECOMOG in Liberia. He returned in one piece, only to die in Ejigbo. His elder brother, Brig. Gen. Tunde Ogbeha watched the late recovery efforts.
Chiamba Seijir (NN/0645) lived in Room A226, Jaja Hall at the University of Lagos, in the 1976/1977 session. He was one of the seventeen naval officers that died. Journalist Ranti Aboruwa, lost her husband, Lt. Cdr. A.O.G. Aboruwa (NN/0639).
Omo Oba Ademola Adebanjo was shocked when I met him near Iroko Estate, Lagos and asked if he was related to Squadron Leader Ezekiel Kola Odubanjo (NAF/930). I just could not miss the facial connection. The family did not recover from that loss.
Their mother, Olori Felicia Abike, died on April 21, 1993, just seven months after losing her son. Oba Joseph Odubanjo, Kegbo of Atikori, Ijebu – Igbo found himself burying wife and son in less than one year. Lt. Col. Musa Gambo lost his son, Selechang, 12, a student of the Nigerian Military School, Zaria.
I remember my dear friend, Diran Oshe. On an official assignment to the crash site, he was severely beaten by soldiers. I cannot get off the sight of military trucks conveying dead bodies through Ilasamaja, on the Apapa – Oshodi Highway. Ten years later, Oshe’s only son died inside Ejigbo Canal during the stampede that followed explosions at the Ikeja Cantonment, in 2002.Until the photographer’s death, he remained inconsolable, believing the boy would comeback home, someday.
There were errors even after death. The official Federal Government release could not use the correct name spelling of the pilot, Wing Commander Pere Alabosun. Some newspapers wrote Alabesunu. Others chose Aborosun. Maj. Grace Nwada Nze (NA/6348) of the Nigeria Army Medical Corps was mistaken for a man.
The Federal Government and the military must not forget these officers. The Nigerian Air Force appears to have done better than the Army, through scholarships awarded the children. I want to see smiles on the faces of Madams Folake Lasisi, Stella Onabolu, Hadiza Pindar, Grace Gbenro, Winnie Ndule, Ndidi Feruke – Bello, Julie Jibunoh and others.
On his fourth birthday, Abubakar Ismaila lost his father, Garba Ismaila (N/3474) of the Nigeria Army Armoured Corps. He deserves attention just like Chigozie Nwuke, Otu Ekanem, Ahmed, Mustafa and Nafisa Njidda, Nuhu Ndule, Adaku Ukaga, Nwabu and Chukwuka Jibunoh.
Another military aircraft went down in September. That was in 2006, around Ngokugh in Benue State. Ten generals, including Maj. Gen. Nuhu Namali, Aide de Camp to Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, in 1992, lost their lives. Detimbir Chia, the boy who discovered the crash site, later trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy.
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