Indeed, a terrible thing did happen on that fateful black Sunday that a passenger plane, belonging to Dana Airline crashed at Iju, a Lagos suburb, killing 153 passengers and all crew members on board. Inside the flat, where he lived with members of his family before he was transferred to the Navy headquarters, Abuja, were his wife Mrs Nkechinyere Abi-Kalio, 44, and scores of sympathizers who came to condole with her.
Commodore Datoru Abi-Kalio was among the victims of the plane crash. He was said to be travelling from Abuja to Lagos on official duty before the incident.
Grieving Nkechinyere, who sat on a chair with one of her sisters beside her when Daily Sun visited, was actually overwhelmed with grief. All she could do was to gaze at visitors who walked in and out of the flat. In a minute, she was seen muttering inaudible words, but to no one in particular. The next minute, she was raising her hands as if she was going to catch an object hanging in the air.
She indeed cuts the picture of broken-hearted woman. She began: “That was not what my husband promised me. He promised me he would live long and to our children’s children. He promised me we would live together in our old age. Now, they are telling me he is dead.”
The news of her husband’s death was like dream, drama, a fiction and she wished it could just remain so. Mrs Abi-Kalio told Daily Sun she strongly believes that her husband was still alive and would soon join members of his happy family.
“I don’t believe them, that my husband is dead. He can’t die, I don’t believe he is dead, he can’t leave me like that, that was not what he promised me.”
She recalled how her husband called her at about 8:am that black Sunday, informing her that he was going to church and to go to the airport later. “He told me he was going for an official duty in Lagos. At about 1:pm, he called again to tell me that he had arrived at the airport.
Some minutes past 1:pm, he called again to tell me that they were checking them in, and the next thing I saw was a text message telling me that he had boarded the plane,” she told Daily Sun in tears. The grieving woman explained that she was still sitting on the same seat to receive her husband’s message, when somebody called her on phone to inquire if her husband travelled.
“I told him he travelled and she asked me the aircraft he boarded and I told her it was Dana aircraft. And she told me that she got information that the plane crashed in Lagos.
“Till 12 midnight that Sunday, I never believed he was dead. I thought it was a dream, that he did not die. As I’m talking to you now, I still don’t believe he is dead. He is coming back home because God promised us that he would see his children’s children. The graduate of Sociology from University of Port Harcourt, disclosed that she had been jobless since she graduated in 2010.
“He is the only one sustaining the family. I have six children, four are in school currently, two are in the university while two are in secondary school. The other one has graduated but has no job like me. I don’t know where to start from, my God! Don’t leave me alone, God, I know you will give me the strength to bear this. If it is true that he is dead, it’s God’s will. He is the ultimate, He knows when it will happen.”
Mrs Abi-Kalio appealed to the Federal Government and the Nigerian Navy to give his husband befitting burial and to ensure that the family does not suffer. “My husband was dedicated to his duties and died in active service.”
Another thing that is bothering the widow now is the fact that her late husband does not have a personal house anywhere, coupled with how to cater for six children. She has therefore cried out to President Goodluck Jonathan, the First Lady, Dame Patience, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and his wife to come to her rescue. “I want them to come and help me, I’m in trouble now, how can I train all these children when I’m jobless?” she asked rhetorically. If Mrs Abi-Kalio could later summoned up courage to pour out her heart to the reporters, her 24-year- old son, Jaminafa could not. He rather turned down the request to tell Daily Sun more about his father, whom many described as caring and loving.
The Commanding Officer, NNS Pathfinder, Port Harcourt Commodore Oyetunji Fadeyi, who incidentally, is Abi-Kalio’s coursemate captured the person and character of the late officer in his message in the condolence register.
He said: “Abi ‘K’ as popularly known was a good, gentle and reserved senior officer. A wonderful mate, caring and loving officer. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.” The late officer’s bosom friend, Emmanuel Oloye, described him as one of the finest officers in the Nigerian Navy.
He further described him as a simple, friendly, determined and hardworking officer, who never allowed his poor background to deter him from achieving his goals in life. In the Nigerian Navy, he was great achiever in any endeavour. The Chief of Naval staff can testify to his dedication to duty. Speaking in the same vein, Mr Promise Daibioribo, from Ogu town, Rivers State, described the late officer as very friendly and accommodating.
“He was like father to all; we usually came close to him for advice and assistance. The news of his death was shocking to us. He was dedicated till the end. He was on official duty to Lagos when he died. May God give him eternal rest.” Commodore Abi-Kalio, from Kalio-Ama village, Okrika, Rivers State, was Commissioned into Nigerian Navy as Sub-Lieutenant in 1985.
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