A media executive, Olayinka Oyegbile, has highlighted why he believes the Nigerian Air Force establishment should be held responsible for the death of pioneer female combatant, Tolulope Arotile.
Arotile was killed in a dramatic car accident and was buried in Abuja a few days ago.
While many Nigerians still grieve and express disgust at the loss, Oyegbile said a system that allows an officer such as Arotile to be walking about photocopying documents is suspect.
Here is the submission of Oyegbile, an editor with ‘The Nation’, as he posted on Facebook:
I have restrained myself from commenting on the death of Nigeria’s first female combat pilot, Tolulope Arotile, in what was called a freak accident a few weeks back.
I resisted the urge to comment because I wanted her to be buried and the family to mourn her and not add to the grief. However, I can no longer hold myself after watching her burial a few days ago on television. I felt and still feel the loss of the family. She was the agemate of my own daughter and I can understand and feel the pain. It could have been my own daughter.
But the truth must be told. The young man who is being held for killing her was only an instrument – may God never let us be an unwilling instrument in the hands of the gods.
The first combat pilot was killed by Nigeria’s ineptitude and the usual careless ways of treating issues. I believe strongly that the Air Force authorities should be held responsible for her death. How do you allow such an important asset to be walking helplessly about going to photocopy some so-called documents in a seedy Mammy Market?
Would this have happened if Tolulope were to be a combat pilot in American, British or German Airforce? No. What is so important in that document that the authorities couldn’t have done for her as a special privilege? Should she have even slept in her sister’s place outside the barracks in the first place? Which country plays with its elite military brass the way Nigeria does?
The young man who drove the car that killed her would never be the same again even if he gets away with this. How do you think he is going to live a happy life? The story of the death of Tolulope would haunt him for the rest of his life.
We should blame the military authorities for allowing such a brilliant officer to be so accessible as to be killed even inside its own fortress. The blame should be on us all and not the young man who drove the car.
Nigeria kills dreams mercilessly. God forgive us for killing this brilliant young lady.
