A former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has revisited the helicopter crash involving then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and members of his entourage seven years ago, describing the incident as an act of divine intervention and a test of uncommon resolve.
Akande, in a reflective post on his X handle on Tuesday, recalled that the helicopter conveying Osinbajo and 11 others crash-landed in Kabba, Kogi State, on February 2, 2019, at the peak of the Buhari–Osinbajo re-election campaign.
He said all 12 occupants survived the incident, noting that their escape from the crash underscored what he described as God’s protection over the team during the intense electioneering period.
According to Akande, he had taken to social media shortly after the incident while seated in a bus arranged to move the Vice President and his delegation to another campaign location. He added that the team was later taken to a hotel where they changed clothes and briefly rested after the ordeal.
Despite the crash, Akande said Osinbajo turned down suggestions that campaign activities be suspended for the day, insisting instead that the team return to the campaign trail within the hour.
“He didn’t agree to suggestions that we should abandon the work and go and rest,” Akande wrote, adding that the then Vice President’s decision lifted the morale of the entire delegation.
The former aide also disclosed that his wife later reminded him that the date marked an anniversary that could have ended in tragedy, a reflection he said deepened his gratitude for their survival.
Akande concluded by expressing appreciation to God for sparing their lives, describing the experience as a lasting reminder of faith, resilience and leadership under pressure during a critical moment in Nigeria’s political history.