Ethiopian Airways plane crash: Nigeria born Canadian professor among victims | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
10th March 2019
A Nigerian born Canadian professor, Pius Adesanmi was among the 157 people killed in Sunday’s crash of an Ethiopian Airlines passenger plane in Ethiopia.
Adesanmi, an English professor and Director of Carleton University’s Institute of African Studies, was identified as one of the victims of the crash, the university confirmed in a statement.
The statement by the President and Vice-Chancellor of University, Benoit-Antoine Bacon described him as “a towering figure in African and post-colonial scholarship” saying “his sudden loss is a tragedy.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all those who knew and loved him, and with everyone who suffered loss in the tragic crash in Ethiopia.”
On her part, Dean of the university’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Pauline Rankin said the late Adesanmi was a key figure in building the Institute of African Studies.
“The contributions of Pius Adesanmi to Carleton are immeasurable,” Rankin said.
“He worked tirelessly to build the Institute of African Studies, to share his boundless passion for African literature and to connect with and support students. He was a scholar and teacher of the highest calibre who leaves a deep imprint on Carleton.”
gathered that the deceased was on the flight to attend a meeting of the Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) in Nairobi billed to hold on Monday, 11th March in Nairobi, the capital of neighbouring Kenya.
Providing details of his involvement in the scheduled meeting, Mireille Tushiminina, of the Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, said Adesanmi was “one of the few professors who taught about the AU and Agenda 2063.”
Another Nigerian on the ill-fated Ethiopian Airways plane crash was Abiodun Bashua, who was a retired Ambassador and on contract with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
The plane, which crashed shortly after taking off from the airport left at least, 35 nationalities dead, including 32 Kenyans, and people from China, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Israel, India and Somalia.