Mr Julius Olawunmi, the seventy-seven-year-old father of Flight Sergeant Olasunkanmi Olawunmi, who, alongside six others, died in the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in Abuja on Sunday, February 21, 2021, has spoken up.

In this interview with ABIODUN NEJO, the bereaved father speaks about his son’s journey into the air force and what his untimely death means to the family.

How will you describe your late son, Flight Sergeant Olasunkanmi Olawunmi?

The characters of my children are almost the same. But among other things, Olasunkanmi’s humility was uncommon. He was straightforward and decent; he exemplified absolute honesty in all ramifications.

What is his position among your children?

He was number six. His death has created a very great vacuum. I can say he was primus inter pares.

What was Olasunkanmi’s growing up like?

His personality was very dynamic. After his secondary school education, he said he had interest in military work. He was somebody that we could say had a future. Everything about him showed that he had a great future before him.

When he was growing up, did he have the character trait that gave the impression that he would become a military man?

While he was young, at times when we discussed, the way he talked showed he was fascinated with the military. Three of his brothers are in the force. One is an Inspector in the police, the immediate brother is a police officer too with the Special Protection Unit and another one is with the Lagos State Police Command as a riot policeman. He (Olasunkanmi) was the fourth among my children to join the force. Taking a cue from his elder brothers, he said he was interested in the force.

Why did your children like the force?

At the time they left secondary school, there were no jobs. Things were difficult then. It was like this present difficult time. The late police AIG, Chris Obadan, was a very good friend of mine; we were both teachers in the same school at Ogotun after his Grade II before he left the teaching service to join the Nigeria Police.

It was Obadan who advised me that instead of allowing my children to roam about, I should let any of them who was interested in the police to give it a try. My three sons did not join the police at the same time because they did not finish secondary school at the same time. The late Olasunkanmi joined the Nigerian Air Force in 2002. So far so good, till now, none of them has disappointed me. None of them has come to me to say we has problem in his place of work because they had been warned very seriously against toying with their jobs. I had cautioned them that they would solve their problems by themselves if they are found wanting. So, they have been very careful. So far, so good, none of them has ever toyed with his job.