The remains of Nigeria’s first and only female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, were finally laid to rest, on Thursday, amid tears, at the National Military Cemetery, Airport Road, Abuja.
The body of the deceased was conveyed to the venue of the burial by an ambulance belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, with registration number AF 442.
The Chief of Air Staff, Abubakar Sadique, who had been to the hospital to confirm Arotile’s death immediately after her demise, was also on ground to pay his last respect, as tears flowed freely among classmates, family members and colleagues of the late flying officer.
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, his wife, Rasheedat; Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Farouk; Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Air Force, Bala Ib’n Nalla, also joined other top military officials, dignitaries and family members to pay their last respect to the late Arotile.
These are indeed trying times for the Arotile family and Nigerians at large, especially considering the avoidable circumstances surrounding the late pilot’s death.
Damilola Arotile Adegboye, the late Tolulope’s elder sister, in her speech at the burial ceremony, thanked the Nigeria Airforce, and Nigerians as a whole, for their show of love and support during her family’s trying period.
The Spokesperson for the Air Force, Ibikunle Daramola, had said Arotile died as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base in Kaduna State.
Arotile, according to Daramola, died barely a year after she was winged as a combat helicopter pilot in the Air Force, following the completion of her course in South Africa.
The Nigerian Air Force had also released a preliminary report of its investigation into Arotile’s death, dismissing insinuations of foul play.
This followed suggestions that the late Arotile might have been murdered, and calls for a thorough investigation by Nigerians, as well as members of her family.
NAF’s spokesperson, Ibikunle Daramola, said in the report that, being a highly professional and disciplined organisation, the Nigeria Air Force would not not join issues with any individuals or groups “regarding the spurious allegations of ‘foul play’ espoused in some quarters.”
