Some days back, reports indicating the inferno that raged the Muritala Mohammed International Airport were featured mainstream on both the electronic and print media all over the country and beyond. A section of the number one Nigerian airport situated in Lagos, was engulfed in flames after an electric spark flickered and burst into flame. The accident was said to have been triggered as a result of welders who were working in the vicinity that was also being renovated at the time of the fire.
Could this have come at a much worse time when Nigerians still mourned the death of prominent Nigerians in the December 15th crash? Just when Nigerians seemed to come to terms with the fact that both road and air travel was becoming unsafe by the day, it turns out that the international airport isn't as safe as we thought either!. Even though thankfully, no life was lost, yet as expected, the whole airport was thrown into a state of pandemonium as travelers scrambled for safety which culminated into a stampede as shouts of "Fire, Fire" and billows of smoke drifted through the air. Fortunately, men of the Fire Service were available and were able to bring things under control after the electricity supply to the airport had been cut off to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the airport.
This is quite disappointing to say the very least. For an "international airport", surely provision for fire incidents such as these should have been made? Even without the help of the fire service, there should have been sprinklers maybe? Then again you have to wonder, just where do all the resources go? And the so called allocation from the yearly budgets to matters pertaining to this? The airport is only thirty three years old and it looks like it has stood there for a hundred years and still every now and then, it undergoes some some sort of renovation.
With the late Governor Patrick Yakowa and his colleagues on the ill-fated aircraft having been officially handed over to their home state governments and military institutions in preparation for their respective burials, is it just going to be business as usual? What has FAAN said as regarding the number of aircrafts that are literally just "falling-from-the-sky?" Is there a new code of conduct on the modus operandi for flying or is the old method being remodeled and revamped? Apparently, we need a new and revised edition of whatever set of regulations they've got cause the old one has succeeded in killing thousands. This madness simply must stop!
Sad to state however, that with another festive season already knocking at our doorsteps, it brings another wave of fear and tension along with it. Reason being because it is at this time of year that the most terrible and fatal accidents are bound to happen. What with the traveling of merchants back to their hometowns, which is quite popular with the people of South-Eastern descent. I hate to sound like a prophet of doom but with all the bad roads around, what else is there to expect? Other than to trust wholeheartedly in God....and hope the drivers drive safe?
I sincerely hope that Faan, FRSCN and all the concerned authorities basically would take concrete and more solid steps towards curbing the incessant rise in the fatal air and road accidents. Recently,the upsurge in the death toll could send a chill down any body's back. Turning on the telly to see the horrid pictures of causalities in such accidents would make your tummy churn. No one has to live through that moment and no one should have to go through the pain of loosing family and loved ones in such tragic circumstances owing mainly to the lackadaisical behavior of the regulating bodies and "crazed-for-gain" operators.
It is rather simple, if the government wants to turn their backs on a people that voted them into power, then the people just have to make the government see why they should do their job. After all, the notable Nigerians are not immune to death should another plane drop from the sky. We just have to keep saying it and stating it till they listen. In the words of my father (or should I just say he loves the phrase so much?) "Repetition is for Emphasis".
Written By Temitope Benjamin
http://temibenjamin.hubpages.com/
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