Posted by By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa on
For 86-year-old James Ajayi Eneware, the recent Bellview plane crash at Lisa, Ogun State, is a tragedy that would remain etched in his heart forever.
For 86-year-old James Ajayi Eneware, the recent Bellview plane crash at Lisa, Ogun State, is a tragedy that would remain etched in his heart forever.
This is because he lost his son, Steve Wariowei Eneware, personal assistant to the Postmaster-General of the Federation, Alhaji Abdullahi Argungu. He was among the 117 passengers involved in the fatal crash. The loss has foreclosed the possibility of the senior citizen having a grandchild from the deceased.
Steve, 49, who died along with his boss in the crash left behind a widow, Helen. The couple was childless.
Lamenting his predicament, the senior Eneware, who is the oldest man in the community, told Daily Sun at Trofani, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, during the service of songs for the deceased, that his only regret was that his son died without having a child.
His words: "The only regret is that he has not got an issue and it pains me. He had no issue from his wife before he died. That is my greatest pain."
He painted in graphic details how he got the news of Steve's death.
"I received the message in a very shocking manner. The news was broken to me on Tuesday, when family members came to inform me. I never expected anything like this. I heard the announcement on the radio that a plane crashed and I grieved when I learnt of the number of people that perished. In fact, I was the first person that broke the news about the incident to the occupants of the compound. I never knew my own blood was involved until they came to inform me."
Eneware supported the assertion by Prof Gabriel Okonzua that witchcraft could have caused the plane crash.
"Okunzua is right. Secret cultism can make that thing happen. They have the power to harm other human beings. It is possible that such a thing can happen. I agree with Okunzua's assumption because the way and manner things are happening in this country give one concern. People are wild in their thinking and behaviours towards fellow human beings."
The elder Eneware, who said he had resigned to fate over the tragic loss of his son, advised the Federal Government to pay close attention to the aviation industry so as to prevent a future occurrence.