It was noon on Friday, August 28, 2020, when a quiet day in Opebi community, a middle-class residential area of Ikeja, suddenly turned catastrophic, as a helicopter operated by private aviation company dropped from the sky into a family building and broke into pieces. It is the sort of scenes that are possible only in the movie, but this one was real and deadly.
The chopper reported to be returning from training in Port Harcourt was carrying two crew members and one passenger when the sudden crash occurred. Two persons died in the crash, and another injured person later died at the intensive care unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
An eyewitness, while speaking to BBC, described the event as a devastating one. The helicopter, they said, struggled to balance in the air before it abruptly crashed on top of a fence in between two buildings. The aftermath of tragedies like this is irreparable. Not only will the family and loved ones of the victims be in utter grief, the witnesses, and owners of the building where the incidence took place will be emotionally traumatised, in addition to the financial loss (in some cases) from the unexpected damages.
An older woman who lives in one of the buildings where the crash happened, told the BBC said she was in her room reading the bible, when she heard the loud noise from the crash. “I couldn’t put myself together, I saw smoke everywhere and lightning. It was when I got (outside), I saw that a helicopter had crashed in between one house and my daughter-in-law’s flat. This accident was so bad, it affected two cars in our compound” she said.
Nigerians took to social media to celebrate the heroism of the late pilot, Captain Prudence Ernest Chika, who was said to have emptied the fuel tanks of the helicopter to prevent a fire explosion on impact, and that he purposely crashed into a fence to minimise casualty.
There are other lessons to glean from this accident.
Accidents have no destined locations
This accident reinforces the knowledge that crashes of this nature can occur anywhere in the face of the earth. Though by the nature of some locations, they can be said to be prone accidents due to proximity to risky activities- such as having to site a business near a highway bearing fast-moving vehicles.
But an accident can also occur where people are innocently having a siesta in their homes, completely oblivious of an unfortunate vehicle that has developed technical problem heading to make a mess of their building.
Having the mindset that takes into cognisance that risks and unexpected outcomes lurk around, helps you to put in place mitigation plan to take care of the effects, should one occur. It is not paranoia; it is proactive risk recognition and management. It is smart thinking.
We cannot predict how life happens
Like the coronavirus pandemic which surprised all the 2020 socio-economic projections across the world, sudden events like accidents elude human’s ability to predict their occurrence accurately.
One minute, a grandmother is in her living room reading the bible and having a nice day, and suddenly, a chopper crashes into her compound. The outcome would have been different. It could have been a breadwinner in that house who unfortunately falls victim to the crash. What would become of those left behind? Would the dependant still be able to achieve their life dreams as previously supported by the breadwinner?
One cannot begin to imagine the state of wellbeing of the loved ones the victims left behind. This reality brings us back to legacy. Leaving behind a legacy simply means putting a stamp on the future and contributing to future generations.
There is a plan for sudden incidents
As hopeless as the lessons mentioned above may have sounded, the fact is that there are smart financial plans that allow anyone who falls victim to a sudden negative incident to recover financially. This is where insurance comes in.
Over time, insurance has proven to be a veritable way to plan against unforeseen circumstances. It can protect you from risks and serve as a brilliant form of wealth creation and sustenance. An insurance institution like Leadway Assurance with a strong legacy spanning up to 50 years of performance, can provide stable robust offerings that helps you identify risks and provide management plans to mitigate financial losses.
You can call Leadway Assurance professional advisors for further guidance via its virtual communication channels – 08134892145, Social Media handles @LeadwayAssurance on Facebook & Instagram and @Leadwayinsure on Twitter or send an email to [email protected]. You can also request a call back from an experienced insurance advisor by visiting www.leadway.com/call-me
