The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria has expressed sadness over the death of a Nigerian-Canadian, Prof. Pius Adesanmi and the other 156 passengers on board the Ethiopian 320 Airline that crashed on Sunday morning.
The embassy said this known on its twitter handle @CanHCNigeria, accessed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
“We are saddened by the Ethiopian Airlines crash yesterday. We mourn all the 157 people, who lost their lives, including Nigerians and Canadians.
Among those who died was Prof. Pius Adesanmi, a Nigerian-Canadian who was the Director of the Institute of African Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Pius embodied the people-to-people ties that bind Canada and Nigeria and he made important intellectual and cultural contributions in both countries,’’ the commission said.
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Until his death, Adesanmi was a lecturer of English and Literature in Carleton University.
The late don in a message on his twitter handle – @pius_adesanmi – on Saturday before the crash, said: “Folks, please, remember: `I cast my vote…’ Any `I casted my vote’ I see on my TL will be considered election violence. I reserve the right to defend myself.
Someone just reminded me that I had foreseen `live within your means’ just one year into the life of this administration in 2016. I should start a church.
It Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better by Pius Adesanmi.’’
The management of the Ethiopian Airline had on Sunday confirmed that two Nigerians were among the 149 passengers and eight crew members that died in the crash on Sunday.
The aircraft was en route from Addis-Ababa to Nairobi with 149 passengers and eight crew members on board.
An official of the airline who preferred anonymity said that Amb. Abiodun Bashua and Prof. Pius Adesanmi were two Nigerian victims, whose identities were confirmed.
Prof. Adesanmi was carrying a Canadian passport while Bashua had a UN passport.
“I’ve just been informed now that we lost a high profile Nigerian, Amb. Abiodun Bashua in that crash.
“Bashua was the former UN and AU Deputy Joint Special Representative in Darfur, Sudan. A complete gentleman. May God rest his soul,” the official said. (NAN)