Deaths that shaped 2012

Nigerians witnessed one of the worst plane crashes in the history of the country in 2012. One hundred and fifty-three people perished when a plane belonging to Dana Air crashed in the Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos on June 3.

A number of notable Nigerians and a few people living at the scene of the crash lost their lives in the accident.

Nigerians will not forget in a hurry the brutal murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt by a lynch mob in Aluu, a community near the university campus.

The victims, now referred to as the Aluu Four, were said to have been wrongly accused of armed robbery by their assailants before they were burnt to death.

Here is a list of prominent Nigerians, among many others, who succumbed to death in the outgoing year:

Rashidi Yekini, May 4

Ex Super Eagles star, Rashidi Yekini, dies in Ibadan. The late footballer scored Nigeria’s first goal at the World Cup in 1994 and a total of 37 goals for the Eagles while his career lasted.

Apart from playing for Nigeria, he played professional football with Africa Sports of Ivory Coast and Vitoria Setubal of Portugal, among others. He won the  African footballer of the Year award in 1993.

Dana Air plane crash, June 3

A Dana Air plane with 153 passengers and crew on board crashed in a residential area in Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, on June 3, 2012. The flight was on its way from Abuja to Murtala Muhammed International Airport when it went down.

Passengers and crew killed in the plane crash

Abdu Aisha, Abdulrazak Lawan, Abikalio Tatoru, Adekola Ayoola, Adekunbi Adebiyi, Adeleke Oludamilola, Adijolola Abraham, Ahmed Mbana, Aikhomu Ehime, Ailende Ehi, Ajani Adenike, Akinola Olumodeji, Akinsanya Moyo, Akinsanya Omonigho, Akwaeze Elizabeth, Alade Matins, Amiaka Raphael, Amina Idris Bugaje, Anibaba Tosin, Anthony Nwaokoagbara, Anthony Okara, Aouade Roger, Apochi Godwin, Ariyibi Temitope, Asuquo Iniobong, Attuh Antonia, Awodogan Olusanmi, Bamaiyi Adamu, Benson Oluwayomi, Berkisu Myindadi, Kayimarachi Anyene, Bukhari Maikudi, Chukwuemeka Okere, Coker Olumide, Echeidu Ibe, Ehioghae Sonny, Eribake Wale, Eyo Bassey, Fatokun Anjola, Fatokun Ibukun, Fatokun Olaoluwa, Faysal Inusa, Garba Abdu, George Moses, Hunna Walter, Hurriya Lawal, Ibrahim D., Ibrahim Jangana, Ibrahim Matankari, Ifeanyi Orakwe, Ifekawa Jones, Ijeoma Onyijuke, Ike Abugu, Ike Ochonogor, Ike Okoye, Ikpoki Obi, Inusa Ahmed, Jennifer Ibe, John Ahmadu, Joy Allison, Kaikai Farida, Kaltum Abubakar, Kamsiyonna Anyene, Mutihir Istifanus, N. Chidiac, Nabil Garba, Nagidi Ibrahim, Ngozi Cole, Nnadi John, Noah Anyene, Norris Kim, Ntuko Charles, O. Awani, Obi Chinwe, Obinna Akubueze, Obot Emmanuel, Ogechi Njoku, Noah Anyene, Ojugbana Amaka, Ojugbana Christopher, Ojukwu Alvana, Okafor Chinero, Okeke Hope, Okikiolu Olukayode, Okocha Christopher, Okonji Patrick, Okor Eseoghene, Oloko Tunji, Oluchi Onyeyiri, Olukoya Banji, Olusola Arokoyu, Oluwasegunfunmi Abiodun, Onemolease Aimanehi, Onita Jennifer, Onita Josephine, Onwuliri Celestine, Onyeagocha Chimdinma, Onyegocha Ogechi, Onyeka Anyene, Kayinetochi Anyene, Osunbade Aderoju, Oyosoro Rajulie, Oyosoro Ugabio, Patience Sunday Udoh, Peter Nosike, Philip Chukwu-Buka, Rev Ayodeji Cole, Rijoel Dhose, Saka Otaru, Sarah Mshelia, Shaibu Memuna, Shaibu Sam, Shehu Saad Usman, Shobowale Femi, Somolu Oluwakemi, Sparagano Lawrence, Stamford Obrutse, Sunday Enumah, Taiwo Lamidi, Tony Madichie, Wang Yu, Wasa Awyetu, Wasa Ruth, Xie Zhenfeng, Yusuf Ali, Yusuf Ibrahm, Zhai Shutao.

Sheila Solarin, Oct. 21

Sheila Solarin, widow of the late renowned social critic, Dr. Tai Solarin, dies at the age of 88 at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State. She had slipped while going to bed and broken her hip before she was rushed to the hospital’ where she was operated upon.

Hope Harriman, Nov. 7

Industrialist and philanthropist, Chief Hope Harriman, dies in Springfield, Maryland, USA, two months to his 80th birthday. The prominent Niger-Delta leader and vivacious Itsekiri chief from oil-rich Ugborodo community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, died after a brief illness.

Lam Adesina, Nov. 11

Former Governor Lam Adesina of Oyo State dies at the age of 73. Adesina, who was a national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria and the rallying point of the political party in Oyo State, died at the St. Nicholas Hospital in  Lagos after a protracted illness.

He was elected the governor of Oyo State in 1999 and was defeated in 2003 by the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Rashidi Ladoja.

Adesina was a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly in the Second Republic.

Olusola Saraki, Nov. 14

Former Senate Leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki, dies at the age of 79.

Saraki was a consummate politician and senator in the Second Republic. He was also the Waziri of the Ilorin Emirate.

Born on May 17, 1933 in Ilorin, Kwara State, he was educated at Eko Boys High School. He attended the University of London, and St George’s Hospital Medical School, London. He worked as a medical officer at the General Hospital, Lagos, and the Creek Hospital, Lagos.

He first entered politics when he ran in the 1964 parliamentary election for Ilorin as an independent candidate, but failed to win. After the election, he returned to his medical practice in Lagos, only returning to party-politics in 1978/79.

Peter Eneh, Nov. 15

Nollywood actor, Peter Eneh, dies in Enugu, a few days after one of his legs was amputated. His legs were said to have been infected, leading to his hospitalisation.

Eneh, who had been admitted to Parklane Hospital, Enugu, for some months, succumbed to the illness.

He was the chairman of the Enugu chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria and had appeared in a number of Nollywood films.

Kayode Eso, Nov. 16

Eminent Nigerian jurist, Justice Babakoyade Eso, dies  in London at the age of 87.

Justice Eso was regarded as one of the most daring and respected justices of the Supreme Court ever. Born in Ilesa, Osun State, he held a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in law from the Trinity College in London.

Enebeli Enebuwa, Dec. 4

Nollywood actor, Enebeli Elebuwa, dies in an Indian hospital.

Elebuwa had battled the effects of  stroke for some time and  had undergone treatment in some hospitals in Nigeria before he was moved abroad.

He was well known for the role he played in a campaign by the Federal Government in the 1980s to discourage Nigerians from leaving the country.

Abiodun Adetiloye, Dec. 14

The ex-Archbishop of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Rev. Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye,  dies at the age of 82, a few weeks short of his 83rd birthday in Ekiti State.

The late Archbishop was born in Odo-Owa in Ijero Local Government area of Ekiti State on Dec. 25, 1929. He lost his father when he was only three years old.

He had his primary and secondary education in Ekiti, after which he was admitted to Melville Hall. After completing the programme, he was made a deacon and priest the same year. He was a graduate of King’s College, University of London, UK. However, he started his career as a teacher, teaching in schools and colleges in the defunct Western Region of Nigeria.

A one time vice-principal of the Immanuel College of Theology in Ibadan, Adetiloye was later appointed provost of the St. James the Great Cathedral, Oke-Bola, Ibadan, under the Episcopal leadership of the Rt. Rev. S. O. Odutola, then Bishop of Ibadan.

Patrick Yakowa,  Dec. 15

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State dies in a helicopter crash that occurred in the forest of Okoroba community in Nembe Local Government of Bayelsa State.

 The accident occurred a few minutes after the chopper took off.

Yakowa was returning from the funeral of the father of a Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Oronto Douglas, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital, when the helicopter crashed. All the passengers aboard and crew were killed.

Owoeye Azazi, Dec. 15

A former National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoeye Azazi,  was one of the victims of the helicopter crash in which Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State lost his life. Like Yakowa, he had gone to attend the funeral of the father of an aide to President Jonathan.