A retired ambassador, Abiodun Bashua and Nigerian-born Canadian scholar, Professor Pius Adesanmi who is a well-known political columnist, have been confirmed to be among the 157 passengers onboard an Ethiopian airline that crashed with no survivor.
Pius Adesanmi, who holds a Canadian and Nigerian passport, posted a photo from Addis Ababa Airport, Ethiopia, hours before the plane took off.
Adesanmi posted on Facebook with a caption which read, “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me– Psalm 139:9 -10.”.
The plane, which was bound for Nairobi, Kenya, crashed in the early hours of Sunday.
One Nigerian was mentioned among the dead as well as thirty two Kenyans, eighteen Canadians, nine Ethiopians, eight Chinese, eight Italians, eight Americans, seven French, seven Britons, six Egyptians, five Germans, four Indians, four Slovaks, three Australians and others.
Popular Nigerian social media influencers have all expressed shock at the accident and have offered condolences.
Adesanmi, who was a Director at the Institute of African Studies at Carleton University, Canada, was a professor of English.
As of the time of filing this report, there were over 500 condolence messages on his Facebook page.
