By Babatunde Odubamwo

Amidst the National crisis bordering on economic downturns, political hullabaloo and the scourge of the Covid-19 pandemic, a dark cloud hovered around the Nigerian Airspace. Accompanying this eventful happening were the torrential downpours of tears and emotional outpouring by colleagues and sympathizers of a promising military officer. The grieving public had a justifiable reason for their grief, one that was deeply rooted in agonies associated with the sudden demise of one of their own, a rare gift to the nation, Tolulope Arotile.

It hurts even more, knowing that this fallen National Heroine has just returned from an airstrike mission in Minna – the Operation GAMA AIKI in which she combated the menacing activities of insurgents and bandits terrifying the North Central state of Niger.
The Operation went smoothly as the 23-year-old native of Ijumu, Kogi State exhibited an uncommon gallantry in upholding the triad bond of the country which are Love, Peace and Unity. Alas! On her return to the Air Force (NAF) Base in Kaduna on Tuesday, July 14, her life was ended by an alleged over-jubilant freaked driver who resides within the premises of the barracks.

News of her death sent tremors of rude shock to the Defense Headquarters, the Presidency, the Legislative Arm, the hallowed halls of the Press, and her closest allies. Sadly, this unsettling report wreaked an irrepressible havoc in her family. Speaking to journalists, the father of the deceased Flying Officer, Tolulope Arotile who hails from Kogi State, noted that his daughter fulfilled a childhood dream of flying a fighter jet for the country. Of course, no one can shy away from the sorrow buried in his voice and the crying mother of the late flying officer.

The Late Tolulope Arotile was a graduate of Mathematics from the Nigerian Defence Academy. She was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 16 September 2017 and made history on 15 October 2019, as the first woman ever to be winged as a female combat helicopter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force. Having successfully completed her trainings in South Africa, the promising lady combatant also held a commercial pilot license. Before death came calling, she was trained on the Agusta 109 Power Attack Helicopter in Italy.

In the light of an apparent national tragedy, it’s not preposterous to describe this fallen heroine as a typified example of the late Princess Diana, ‘’England’s Rose’’ – a woman who despite her royal entitlements and privileges offered her heart for the cause of humanity. She was just 36-years-old when the grim ripper paid her a ruthless visit. Though, the kind-hearted Princess died two years after the Late Pilot Officer Tolulope was born, there exists between both a kindred spirit of selfless service, commitment to excellence, and sacrifice. Like Princess Diana, Pilot Officer Tolulope was a shooting star whose reflection shone so brightly to the admiration of the High and Mighty and she was generally saluted by their contemporaries.

In a tribute song to Princess Diana by Sir Elton John in 1997, Candle in the Wind, which was a re-recorded version of the same title earlier released in May 1973, a portion of the lyrics further evinces the claims that the Late Officer died, a true compatriot with a heart of gold. The line read thus:
‘’You called out to our country
And you whispered to those in pain
Now you belong to heaven
And the stars spell out your name
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in’’

They both stood firm for righteousness and upheld justice where it was deemed appropriate. Unfettered by the stereotype of gender limitations, they pulled weights and proved to the world that women can indeed, compete with their male counterparts. Such was the vim and motivation that drove these two women whose lives best describe the title of the song by Sir Elton John – Candle in the Wind. The British singer concluded in the Grammy-award winning number – ‘’Your candle’s burned out long before your legend ever will’’.

One common denominator to both legends’ end is the fact that both of them were victims of car accidents dying from the aftermath of the ill-fated happening. In the case of Princess Diana, the verdict was that the incidence poses a question that is yet unanswered.

Like Princess Diana, Pilot Officer Tolulope’s death has been fingered in series of conspiracy theories. For instance, it was reported that in February 1998, a year after the ghastly motor accident, Mohamed Al-Fayed, father of Dodi Fayed, the Late Diana’s partner contended that the crash was orchestrated by MI6 on the instructions of the Royal Family. These claims were later refuted by a French judicial investigation  and by Operation Paget, a Metropolitan Police Service inquiry in 2006.

Two years later, precisely on 7 April 2008, an inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice headed by Lord Justice Scott Baker concluded that Diana and her lover, Fayed were the victims of an “unlawful killing” by the “grossly negligent” driver, Paul. The investigation also revealed that the deceased was not wearing a seat belt. Later on 17 August 2013, Scotland Yard admitted that they were examining the information that Princess Diana was killed by a member of the British military.

Reacting to the death of the Nigerian youngster, a Pan Yoruba group, Apapo O’odua Koya, (AOKOYA) insisted that she was murdered citing similar examples of such killings. AOKOYA refuting the claim that she was ran over by a vehicle within the barracks was a ‘’Cock and Bull story’’, requesting for an independent investigation into the death of the promising star.

In a statement signed by officials of the group, by its officials, Captain Abigo Oritsebugbemi (retd) and its Middle Belt Coordinator, Akeem Meduna.

‘’We want full investigation into this suspicious death. We find it difficult to believe the story based on the information at our disposal. How can she have died in a traffic accident right inside the Air force base in Kaduna? We have made preliminary findings and all officers who spoke to us could not understand how that could have happened. One officer, her colleague in Kaduna specifically said the case of murder was the strongest motive’’.

A section of conspiracy theorists argues that the brilliant officer could not have been killed by a car having contributed in no small measures in the war against insurgency in the country. They concluded that her death may be linked to alleged inter-tribal animosity within the military.

In conclusion, a writer once wrote: ‘’The Irony of history is that history repeats itself’’. Here is presenting before the authorities a very good chance at re-writing the possibilities of the re-occurrence of bad history. If the young Pilot Officer’s death would be thoroughly investigated and a definitive report on her death presented to the public, then the spirit of the dead would rest in peace and history’s sledge hammer completely avoided.