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Tag: Sosoliso

  • Okwuchi, Sosoliso crash survivor, visits SPDC

    Okwuchi, Sosoliso crash survivor, visits SPDC

    It was an emotional moment when Miss Kechi Okwuchi, a survivor of the 2005 Sosoliso plane crash that claimed many lives, visited the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to express gratitude for the financial assistance the company gave her after the  incident.

    Kechi, her father’s friend, Mazi Victor Okoronkwo and her aunty, Mrs. Uloma Umeano, were received by Mr. Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director, SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria.

    Kechi, who was returning from school in Abuja to Port Harcourt, survived the crash but suffered third-degree burns. When her plight came to the notice of SPDC, the company  stepped in and ensured that she was flown to South Africa for treatment.

    She was later moved to the United States for more treatment.

    Kechi’s father, Mr. Okwuchi, in a letter read by Mazi Okoronkwo, said: “On December 10, 2005, Shell intervened, notwithstanding the medical uncertainty to save life regardless of cost; intervention propelled by a corporate policy that puts life above else. We thank and applaud you for it.’’

    Kechi added: “I am incredibly grateful and I walk through every day of my life knowing that I am here because of the amount of effort SPDC put into making sure that I stayed alive … you came when all looked dark and you shone a light of hope into my life.”

    She said her family would remain grateful to SPDC for ensuring that she received the best medical care available. ‘’I have never seen this kind of kindness from a corporation before,’ she added.

    Kechi also presented a certificate of recognition from the Shriners Hospitals for Children (Galveston, Texas) to SPDC for its thoughtful and generous contribution to the hospital.

    Okunbor said: “It was instinctive for us as an organisation to react the way we did as the most important thing for us then was to save and preserve lives. Even though we were not directly involved, the leadership decided that we had to intervene and do all we could as a company to help and today, I am happy we did.”

  • Okwuchi, Sosoliso crash survivor visits SPDC

    It was an emotional moment when Miss Kechi Okwuchi, a survivor of the 2005 Sosoliso plane crash that claimed many lives, visited the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to express gratitude for the financial assistance the company gave her after the  incident.

    Kechi, her father’s friend, Mazi Victor Okoronkwo and her aunty, Mrs. Uloma Umeano, were received by Mr. Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director, SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria.

    Kechi, who was returning from school in Abuja to Port Harcourt, survived the crash but suffered third-degree burns. When her plight came to the notice of SPDC, the company  stepped in and ensured that she was flown to South Africa for treatment.

    She was later moved to the United States for more treatment.

    Kechi’s father, Mr. Okwuchi, in a letter read by Mazi Okoronkwo, said: “On December 10, 2005, Shell intervened, notwithstanding the medical uncertainty to save life regardless of cost; intervention propelled by a corporate policy that puts life above else. We thank and applaud you for it.’’

    Kechi added: “I am incredibly grateful and I walk through every day of my life knowing that I am here because of the amount of effort SPDC put into making sure that I stayed alive … you came when all looked dark and you shone a light of hope into my life.”

    She said her family would remain grateful to SPDC for ensuring that she received the best medical care available. ‘’I have never seen this kind of kindness from a corporation before,’ she added.

    Kechi also presented a certificate of recognition from the Shriners Hospitals for Children (Galveston, Texas) to SPDC for its thoughtful and generous contribution to the hospital.

    Okunbor said: “It was instinctive for us as an organisation to react the way we did as the most important thing for us then was to save and preserve lives. Even though we were not directly involved, the leadership decided that we had to intervene and do all we could as a company to help and today, I am happy we did.”

  • Okwuchi, Sosoliso crash survivor, visits SPDC

    It was a moment filled with emotions when Miss Kechi Okwuchi, a survivor of the 2005 Sosoliso plane crash that claimed many lives, visited the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to express gratitude for the financial assistance the company gave her after the  incident.

    Kechi, her father’s friend, Mazi Victor Okoronkwo and her aunty, Mrs. Uloma Umeano, were received by Mr. Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director, SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria.

    Kechi, who was returning from school in Abuja to Port Harcourt, survived the crash but suffered third-degree burns. When her plight came to the notice of SPDC, the company  stepped in and ensured that she was flown to South Africa for treatment.

    She was later moved to the United States for more treatment.

    Kechi’s father, Mr. Okwuchi, in a letter read by Mazi Okoronkwo, said: “On December 10, 2005, Shell intervened, notwithstanding the medical uncertainty to save life regardless of cost; intervention propelled by a corporate policy that puts life above else. We thank and applaud you for it.’’

    Kechi added: “I am incredibly grateful and I walk through every day of my life knowing that I am here because of the amount of effort SPDC put into making sure that I stayed alive … you came when all looked dark and you shone a light of hope into my life.”

    She said her family would remain grateful to SPDC for ensuring that she received the best medical care available. ‘’I have never seen this kind of kindness from a corporation before,’ she added.

    Kechi also presented a certificate of recognition from the Shriners Hospitals for Children (Galveston, Texas) to SPDC for its thoughtful and generous contribution to the hospital.

    Okunbor said: “It was instinctive for us as an organisation to react the way we did as the most important thing for us then was to save and preserve lives. Even though we were not directly involved, the leadership decided that we had to intervene and do all we could as a company to help and today, I am happy we did.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Remembering 60 pupils who died in Sosoliso plane crash

    Shortly after the Sosoliso plane crash of December 10, 2005 at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa in Rivers State, where sixty students of Loyola Jesuit College (LJC), Abuja lost their lives, the parents of the “angels” pleaded with the management of LJC to replicate the college in Port Harcourt to immortalise their lovely children.

    The students who lost their lives to the ill-fated plane crash were mostly from the states in the Southsouth and Southeast zones of Nigeria.

    Besides immortalising the 60 students, the parents noted that having a replica of LJC in Port Harcourt would prevent parents and guardians from the two zones from sending their children and wards to the Abuja college for qualitative education.

    Jesuit Memorial College (JMC), Mbodo-Aluu, near the Port Harcourt International Airport was eventually established, in memory of the 60 LJC students.

    The then Rivers Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, supported JMC by providing 40-hectare land at Mbodo-Aluu and his administration also assisted the memorial college with seed money, but the land could not be developed, because of the swampy terrain, which would cost a fortune to sandfill.

    Odili’s successor, Rotimi Amaechi, now the Minister of Transportation, however, provided better 21-hectare land at the Greater Port Harcourt City, opposite the swampy land, with JMC now in the third year of operation, with various developmental challenges.

    In December 2015, during the 10th anniversary/remembrance of the 60 LJC’s deceased students, a fundraiser was organised to support JMC, but not successful, with just N2 million realised, while the college would be needing N700 million for development, which made the management to organise another fundraising on June 25 this year.

    During the December last year’s fundraiser, governors of the states in the Southsouth and Southsouth, as well as other stakeholders, made pledges to assist JMC, but yet to be redeemed.

    In order to ensure success of the second fundraiser, management of JMC organised a news conference on June 21, where representatives of the students, teachers, parents and management urged the governors and others to redeem their pledges.

    Speaking at the news conference, two of the 271 students of JMC, Kadilo Luka-Gbarayeghe and Swithin Jonathan-Egwuonwu, pleaded with the governments of states in the Southsouth and Southeast, as well as individuals and corporate organisations that made pledges during the first fundraiser to redeem them and assist to provide needed facilities.

    The news conference was addressed by the Chairman of the Fundraising Committee, Fr. John Okorie, who was accompanied by the President of JMC, Fr. Emeka Asogwa; the Principal of the college, Bro. Osaretin Jonah; two teachers and four students.

    While also addressing reporters, the chairman of the fundraising committee disclosed that when the 60 students died in the plane crash, LJC was in its 10th year of operation, without any plan to establish another college in Port Harcourt, in view of the cost implication, but for the insistence of parents of the deceased students.

    Fr. Okorie said: “Following the Sosoliso plane crash of December 10, 2005 in Port Harcourt, a collective decision was taken to honour the memories of the 60 LJC students who died in the ill-fated plane crash. The decision was the genesis of JMC, Port Harcourt.

    “Through the abiding support of LJC parents and friends, the Jesuits have sought to build JMC as a fitting memorial to the unforgettable souls, whose hopes were buried in the crash site. As such, JMC is our collective project as a nation and a people.

    “Major construction work began in 2012 and has seen the completion of a number of structures, including the administrative block, a classroom block and the primary school block.

    “A model primary school, offering free qualitative service to the residents of the area, with free lunch, is an intrinsic part of the JMC project. The college welcomed its pioneer students in October 2013, while the primary wing followed a year after.

    “Owing to fiscal constraints, work has only just begun on the phase two. Providing education for the children of this country, especially in the circumstances that gave birth to JMC, requires the collaborative effort and support of parents, spirited individuals, the government and business organisations.”

    The chairman of the fundraising committee also disclosed that JMC had an urgent need of providing student accommodation for its incoming class of September 2016, stressing that N700 million was estimated as the cost of completing the building, with a capacity to house 300 students, and other crucial projects.

    Fr. Okorie pleaded with governments, corporations, all Nigerians, friends of the country and lovers of qualitative education, not to allow JMC to suffer from lack of adequate facilities that would hamper the attainment of the vision that the Jesuits had set for the school.

    The second fundraiser of June 25 was a huge success, with millions of naira donated by individuals, families and corporate organisations, but most of the donors pleaded that their names should not be announced, for personal reasons.

    The Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Chief Tony Elumelu, was the guest speaker and he spoke on: “Youth and Entrepreneurship,” while the Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka’s Childe Internationale was presented by JMC’s Drama Club.

    Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike, who was represented by Elder Emmanuel Ibama; Senator Osita Ozinaso, with two children in JMC; and a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Dame Aleruchi Gookey-Gam, were among the eminent personalities at the fund The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of JMC, Fr. Jude Odiaka, stated that the co-educational institution was dedicated to the training of leaders of conscience, competence and compassionate commitment towards bringing about social justice for all men and women.

    Chairman of UBA said the students must have purpose in life, in order to make progress, stressing that they must work towards realising the purpose through hard work.

    Elumelu said: “You need to periodically check yourself, to be sure you are on course. Be resilient, knowing full well that life is not a bed of roses. Do not give up.

    “You need humility and integrity to succeed in life. Do not forget where you are coming from and do not allow your success to control you. Success is measured in terms of your purpose.”

    Wike said the Sosoliso plane crash of December 10, 2005 in Port Harcourt could not be forgotten in a hurry, describing it as a black day for the government and people of Rivers.

     

  • Sosoliso crash and memory of LJC-60

    Sosoliso crash and memory of LJC-60

    Exactly eight years ago today, 61 students of the Loyola Jesuit College (LJC) were headed home for the Christmas holidays when the Sosoliso aircraft conveying them crashed in Port Harcourt. These students, who had left their school and friends less than two hours earlier, were barely minutes away from re-uniting with their families when the tragedy struck. The crash claimed all the lives on board, except two (one LJC student and another passenger). It was an overwhelming catastrophe that cast a shadow in the lives of everyone involved and the nation as a whole.

    The scope of that tragedy and the sharp poignancy of its hurt are sufficient triggers to provoke a crisis of faith in those less toughened by the imperatives of love and deep belief in the omniscience of God. But even when we cannot understand why those 60 children were taken away from us, we have taken solace in God’s words in the Bible that His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.

    Today, eight years may have passed and the scars are gradually healing but we will never forget our children who left us in the most heart-breaking manner. Yet while they live forever in our hearts, we want their memories to enrich the lives of others as we demonstrate that abiding bond between parents and children that is aptly captured in the motto of the LJC PTA: “For the sake of our precious jewels”!

    However deep our pain as parents, the tragedy of December 10, 2005 was not only for the PTA but also for the Loyola Jesuit College. Having 60 promising lives, 10 percent of its entire student population, cut short in one fell swoop, was too much for any school to bear. Yet out of that tragedy, a new Jesuit Memorial College has emerged, on the same ground that our children perished in Port Harcourt. Also, there is now an annual memorial drama by students of LJC Abuja in honour and memory of their departed senior colleagues.

    At a moment like this, we cannot but draw strength from the courage and resilience of Kechi Okwuchi, the only Loyola Jesuit College survivor of that tragic incident, who continues to remind us of the obligations that the living still owe the dead. Kechi experienced the tragedy and lives it every day but she has refused to allow it to define her and the future that is still within her reach.

    However, as we mark the eighth anniversary of this tragedy today, our unceasing prayers go out to the parents and guardians of our departed 60 children as well as the Port Harcourt branch of the LJC Parents Teachers Association, the management and staff of Loyola Jesuit College, and indeed all Nigerians.

    For reasons beyond our knowledge, those beautiful children came to us; and for reasons also beyond our comprehension, they left us. And today in their memory, we have decided to express gratitude instead of grief at the privilege of experiencing their warm companionship. However fleeting their friendship and love, gratitude is a preferable healing force and the path of positive faith. Certainly, those young spirits would wish this path for us because to live forever in the hearts of those who bore and nurtured them is really not to die.

    It is from this backdrop of love that the Abuja branch of the Loyola Jesuit College PTA has decided to take a practical step of faith and build other monuments in memory of our departed students. These monuments are to externalize the depth of our timeless ties to these 60 innocent souls. Our purpose is to erect structures that will be an enduring legacy and simultaneously serve a practical purpose for the host school in loving memory of the LJC-60.

    For us, a day like this also offers opportunity to reflect on some of the challenges of our country, especially with regards to the education of our children. We believe that the PTA, alumni associations and other public-spirited institutions should get involved by coming together to provide solutions to some common problems in our schools. That is the spirit which defines communities that care.

    December 10, 2015 will mark the 10th anniversary of the Sosoliso crash and the Abuja branch of the LJC PTA has chosen to commemorate the lives of our 60 children with a worthy project, the ”Loyola Jesuit 60 Angels Memorial Buildings” – a staff residence of 60 units of two bedroom flats comprising five blocks with 12 flats each – to be dedicated on the anniversary itself as a lasting legacy in the school for years to come.

    The architectural concept of the proposed monument will be deliberately designed to speak to the minds and hearts of the stakeholders who lost their loved ones and also be at once a reminder and warning to our society to hold fast to enduring values.

    We have marked out January 30 next year as the day for the ceremony and cheque presentation. We hope President Goodluck Jonathan who is our special guest of honour will join us on that day as we take a practical step in the bid to redefine the role of parents in the schools their children attend. We are also grateful that the Bishop of Sokoto, His Lordship Matthew Hassan Kukah has graciously accepted our invitation as the guest speaker to engage the interconnection between education and aviation, two critical sectors that are seriously challenged in our country today.

    However, to achieve our objective for immortalizing our departed 60 students, the LJC-PTA has set out to raise N500 million by taxing and tasking ourselves and seeking the support of public-spirited individuals and credible institutions. Interested corporate bodies may alternatively opt to undertake erecting a building worth N100 million that would be credited to them. We know we have set for ourselves a big task but it is a deliberate attempt to awaken that spirit of generosity and sense of community that define our people for the sake of our precious jewels.

    At this existential level on a day such as this, the least we can do is to create a symbol, a structure, a totem that honours our fallen students. For sure, this cannot, and will not annul the hurt we still feel. Nor will it bring back the dead. But this gesture will signify faith in the past and future. Most importantly, it will serve as a healing gesture for our grieving colleagues who lost their children in such a tragic manner.

    We therefore appeal to moral and political leaders, educationists and believers in the power of the future to donate generously to this project. After all, as the French philosopher and Jesuit priest, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, incidentally a member of the Society of Jesus, owners of the Loyola Jesuit College, once observed, “We are not just human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

    Taking to heart the core of this rather radical perspective will surely provoke a shift in the understanding and a new appreciation of this journey of life. What’s more; it may force us to deepen and reassess our relationships with others. It will definitely help us to appreciate, perhaps like no other perspectives will, that we are building a monument to 60 LJC spirits that will never die.

    • Mrs Momoh is chairperson of the LJC (Abuja branch) PTA