Family keeps co-pilot’s widow under watch

Eniola, wife of Lt. Adeyemi Sowole, the co-pilot of the Navy helicopter which crashed in Bayelsa State on Saturday, is closely being watched by members of her family, PUNCH Metro has learnt.
She is devastated, a member of her husband’s family said on Wednesday, which is why her parents and her husband’s family are not leaving her welfare to chances.
Eniola and the co-pilot got married in April 2011 and have an 11-month-old daughter, Teniola.
It was learnt that the daughter had been placed in the care of her maternal grandmother.
The co-pilot’s sister, Mrs. Funke Kalejaye, told our correspondent on Wednesday, “She (Eniola) is actually doing better today (Wednesday). But she’s been taken to hospital a number of times. Right now, we are just trying our best to give her support and be with her.”
Meanwhile, sympathisers on Wednesday continued to troop to the home of the Sowoles to offer their condolences.
Relations and those who knew Adeyemi recalled either the last conversation they had with the deceased or the last time they saw him.
His uncle, Segun Sowole, sobbed as he recollected that he was always filled with pride that he had an officer in the Navy as a niece.
Segun said, “I had developed a sense of pride that there was a military man in my family. We’ll never be the same again with the loss of this our promising son.
“Somebody called me about 30 minutes after I received the news that there were survivors in the crash. You can imagine what it was like for us after that. We were praying and hoping that Adeyemi would be one of the survivors.
“We were the more hopeful because the news was only mentioning the names of the two popular personalities as the casualties.”
However, the family said arrangements were being made for Adeyemi’s burial but a date had not been picked.
“We are currently meeting with military authorities to determine the arrangement for the burial,” the deceased’s elder brother, Taiwo, said.
It was learnt that Adeyemi’s corpse arrived the presidential wing of the Murtala International Aiport’s local terminal on Wednesday evening.
The body is being kept at a Navy morgue, our correspondent learnt.
Adeyemi died alongside five others including Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and former National Security Adviser, Andrew Azazi, when their helicopter crashed into a jungle.