…From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan…
The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has expressed shock over Thursday’s plane crash in Lagos carrying the corpse of the late Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu and others to Akure, for burial rites.
Afenifere noted in a press release signed by its media/publicity secretary, Mr. Kunle famoriyo that “Agagu’s burial rite does not deserve such a terrible ill-fate occasioned by nothing other than the rot and corruption that bedevil our nation in an un-restrained manner.”
The group equally condemned, in strong terms, “the spreading rumours, which aim to attribute the obnoxious incident to some unfounded fetishism.”
Afenifere’s statement read in part: “Such barbaric utterances could help to create the atmosphere needed to ensure the immediate and remote causes of the crash are never known as is the tradition of plane crashes in Nigeria. We therefore urge all Nigerians to replace such rumour with the clamour for transparency and uncompromised upholding of aviation standards and policies.
“When previous errors are not decisively and wholesomely corrected, there is bound to be a repeat. We cannot confidently say that plane crashes have been handled in such a way that will forestall it, judging from the frequency of occurrence.
“Our heart grieve and we condole with the Agagu family and families of other victims of the plane crash, the government and people of Ondo State, the entire Yoruba land and Nigeria as a whole.”
ENDS