June 3rd 2012 witnessed a plane crash in Nigeria in which over 163 people were killed.
Over one year later on 3rd October 2013 there was another plane crash in which 17 people died.
Before the first crash took place last year and between the two major crashes there were numerous other smaller ones involving light aircrafts, helicopters etc. that were not publicised.
All these these unfortunate events occurred under the tenure of Princess Stella Oduah, the Hon. Minister of Aviation.
Under her watch close to 200 Nigerians have been killed in air crashes in the last two years alone. This does not surprise me because it was predictable considering her spiritual and emotional disposition.
What surprises me is the fact that just one day after those that perished in the latest crash were killed, before the victims were buried, before the site of the crash was cleared, before the charred remains of some of the broken bodies still lay on the crash site and before any formal investigation into the causes of the crash have even commenced, let alone been concluded, the ruling PDP, through their spokesman Chief Olisa Metuh, has told the world that they have ''full confidence'' in Stella Oduah and that ''she should be allowed to continue her good work''.
Is there any greater evidence of the fact that the PDP is a sick party that is led by sick people than this?
Such insensitivity is rarely seen anywhere in the world. Only in Nigeria can this happen. I wonder if Metuh would have been so quick to speak up for the Minister of Aviation if she had been a yoruba and if the crash had taken place at Enugu airport whilst the body of a former Igbo governor with some of his family members and government officials was being flown home for burial.
I imagine that in that scenario they would have asked for his or her head.
I really do wonder about these people. How many more people have to killed in air crashes before our President realises that he needs a new Minister of Aviation?
There is far more to aviation than beautifying airports. The first and most important consideration has to be the safety of the passengers followed by the seriousness, discipline and efficiency of the aviation parastatals and the airworthiness of the planes.
Most important of all when a plane crashes, whatever the reasons or causes, the Minister ought to assume full responsibility and even offer his or her resignation or be removed.
This is because it is his or her primary responsibility to keep air travellers safe and alive.
Sadly it does not appear that this is likely to happen anytime soon. As a matter of fact I am convinced that even if 1,000 people were killed in air crashes in the space of just one year under Goodluck Jonathan he still would not redeploy or sack Stella Oduah because our President just ''doesn't give a damn''.
May God help us and may He keep our skies safe.
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