Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
News  

Shattered, unfulfilled dreams …

By Bertram Nwannekanma and Sunday Aikulola
19 August 2015   |   10:55 pm
HE was a promising young man, those who knew him said he was ebullient, loving, full of life and a delight to behold.
The late Peter Bello Jnr

The late Peter Bello Jnr

Crashed Bristow helicopter co- pilot for burial today in Calabar, Cross River State

HE was a promising young man, those who knew him said he was ebullient, loving, full of life and a delight to behold.

However, all these are now in the past, as Peter Kayode Bello’s life was truncated last week Wednesday near the King’s Palace, Oworosonki, a Lagos suburb.

Bello was the co -pilot of the crashed twin-engine Sikorsky helicopter, operated by the United States -based Bristow Group.

The helicopter was heading towards the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja from Escravos oil-rig before it exploded and plunged inside the lagoon just behind the Oworonsoki Divisional Police Station at Alonge.

Twenty-six-year-old Bello was a lifestyle and travel photographer before he joined the Bristow Group in 2014.

His sudden death has shattered the dreams of the photographer-turned pilot, leaving families, friends and acquaintances sobbing.

The Bellos, sources said, are yet to not come into terms with the disaster, which has shattered their dreams.

It was a tragedy that one would not wish even his worst enemy.

It is also a cross they have to bear, as Peter’s lifeless body will today be laid to rest at the Hawkins Road cemetery in Calabar, Cross River State.

A vigil mass was held yesterday at the St. Patrick Catholic Church, Calabar.

Meanwhile friends of the deceased Peter had taken to the social media to mourn his sudden death.

One of the messages his friend tweeted said: “How in the world would someone ever say: you won’t see Peter anymore. Guys, this was an absolute great guy with a pure heart. If anyone would ask me to pick one guy with a great heart, I’ll honestly pick Peter. Oh my World! Peter you touched our lives with the best pictures you took of us even as you had the magic hands of a pilot. We hung out many times that I learnt a lot from your meekness, I pray for it everyday and you had yours on a platter of gold. Not you…. Not you. God sends a reason and I received it. You can’t be amongst us liars, cheats, thieves and haters. You were Rare!!! Rest in Peace Peter Bello”.

It would be recalled that the ill-fated helicopter scheduled to arrive Lagos at 15.35 pm on that day had 12 people on board including the crew.

The helicopter with Registration Number 5N-BDG- 760540 took off from one of the nation’s oil-rigs in the South South region.

Six persons were killed, while the six survivors are receiving medical treatment at a Lagos hospital.
Victims of the ill-fated helicopter, The Guardian learnt would receive a compensation of $100,000 according to the standards of the International Civil Aviation Authority on compensation for crash victims.

The compensation was raised from $10,000 to $100,000 a few years ago by the regulatory body according to the Warsaw Convention.

11 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    RIP Bro, Such is life, let live for Christ. So that we can find Peace in eternity.

  • Author’s gravatar

    How can a photographer over-nite turn to a pilot under one year? Is it still the man know man or quick fixes we operate in this country. God help us. may he rest in peace….08057323826

    • Author’s gravatar

      Nd what has that got to do with the death of the guy? Some people shouldn’t comment trash here.

      • Author’s gravatar

        He did not turn overnite my dear, 7 years of engineerg education, 2 years of flight school and 1year of certified flying…that is a decade not a night….smmmmmh for all of you who go online and speak of what thou knowest not.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Ur such a fool. I’m certain that you definitely can’t read in English. He was in flight school gor 2 years. In flight school you learn how to gly by practically flying.

    • Author’s gravatar

      @oc peace and “Dr.” Ajibola, why join a conversation you know NOTHING about and clearly can’t understand? We all drive our families everyday yet we are doctors, lawyers, engineers, dentists etc. I bet the question that people like you 2 would ask next would be ” why would drivers be allowed to be engineers, doctors? Pls learn to be sensitive to other people’s plights. There’s always a better time and perhaps, place…. no?

      • Author’s gravatar

        Saadat, it is all about call to duty and delligent, Is not about having doctors,Engineers, lawyers, dentists,Professors, etc. we have all profession in Abundant in this country, yet Nigeria is in bottom of every good world ranking…08057323826

  • Author’s gravatar

    O boy, this is unbelievable. A photographer becoming a pilot just like that. It is not surprising that it is only in Nigeria you will see a farmer becoming the minister of technology and a lawyer, a minister of education. A bloodless civilian becoming a commander of troops at the level of ministry of defense. Our dear Peter is only a victim of Nigeria’s syndrome of a round peg in a rectangular hole.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Dear Dr. Ebenezer Ajibade Jegede, your opinion is deeply misinformed. A little research on Peter Bello would have helped but lemme quick school you. Peter graduated as a top notch Engineering student from KNUST, Ghana. Had a Masters in Safety Engineering from Sheffield. Attended two years of flight school in Britow Helicopter Flight School in USA which upon completion became a Certified Pilot. Being an amazing and brilliant person that He was, also learned professional photography from Yomi Black i.e if you know Him…..
      I am still mourning my friend. At least let Him enter the ground before you make inexistent analogies.
      Thanks.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Very insensitive of you. That young man is more educated than you think. At 26 I doubt if you could achieve what he achieved in your life time. Rule of thumb, if you don’t have something good to say, just keep quiet.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Oh, boy! How unfortunate. May the soil of our ancestors receive you kindly.