The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole are among those who are yet to recover from the shock of the ill-fated Dana airline crash of 2012 where a lot of people including a popular lawyer, Onyeka Anyaene with his immediate family and mother-in-law perished.
Reason? The late Anyaene was the head of the Chamber of the Sokoto State Governor who was then Speaker, House of Reps after the exit of the polo-loving Bankole.
While Hon. Bankole who set record as the youngest Speaker elected will forever missed the late Anyaene and his wife because they carried a lot of ‘business interest’ to the grave.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who became the star boy after unceremonious exit of Patricia Etteh, quit public glare after his exit in office.
Bankole was arraigned alongside Usman Bayero Nafada in court by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a 16-count charge relating to contract inflation. However, on January 31, 2012, the court found Bankole and Nafada not guilty of all charges and proceeded to discharge and acquit them.
The son of the Egba High Chief Alani Bankole later contested for governorship in the last election on the platform of Action Democratic Party but lost to the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun.
A source revealed that, if it were to be the lawyer alone that died it would have been easier for the duo to connect with the wife, but as it is, the whole family was wiped off.
The six members of the Anyaene family – Onyeka (44), his wife, Maimuna (33) and four children namely: Kamsiyonna, (3) Kainetochi, (2) Kaimarachi (2) and Kobichimee, (five months), died in the ill-fated Dana Airline crash eight years ago in Lagos and were buried at their home town, Ndiowu in Orumba North local government area of Anambra State amidst wailings and tribute by thousands of mourners who gathered for the emotion –laden ceremony.
Described as a great philanthropist, the preacher at the burial, Rt. Rev Eprahim Ikeakor said “Life is a mystery because Onyeka, with all his magnanimity and philanthropies, had to end up this way. Onyeka came, he saw and he conquered because for him to achieve all that he achieved at the age of 44, was an indication that the hand of God was in his life.
In his tribute, the ex-Speaker but now Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal said it was unfortunate that he had to visit his friend’s house for his burial when two of them had been planning to visit his village for a long time, adding that man proposes and God disposes. According to him, the only consolation was that Onyeka Anyene lived an eventful life, describing him as a great man who many people would want to associate with. He said: “Onyeka was a brilliant, industrious and forthright fellow who exuded confidence and drive ceaselessly in all things that he put his hands on. An incurable optimist and goal getter, compulsive workaholic, Collins would not go to sleep while his task remained unaccomplished. Indeed, he was a bundle of talent.”
The late Onyeka and Maimuna Anyaene would be a reference point for all lovebirds. Theirs was a love story that defied ethnicity, religion and all reasonable imaginations such that death could not do them part.
The late Anyaene,44 had a successful career as a lawyer. He was a law graduate of the University of Jos and the eight out of a family of 10. The late lawyer used to shuttle between Nigeria and the U.S where the family was based, until they came for wedding in Nigeria and were due to return to their based before their untimely death in the ill-fated crash