NEWS: Family, Friends mourn Lagos plane crash victim, Tunji Okunsanya Snr and Junior

"'MIC boss was a philanthropist'

M.I.C (Magbamowo Industrial Company) boss, Tunji
Okunsanya and son were part of the people who died
in the Lagos plane crash on Thursday.
Mr Tunji died alongside his son, also known as Tunji
Okunsanya. Until their death, they were residents of
Odulami street, Tinubu square, Lagos.
Nation newspaper reports that at the MIC Casket
office, sympathizers discussed in hushed tones, with
most staring into space and shaking their heads in
despair, as the staff move round as if unsure of what
the future holds for them.
In the condolence register opened for sympathizers at
the office, one sympathizer wrote: "Though you saw it
coming, but no human power can resist it." If the
sympathizer knew that death was coming, no other
neighbor saw the death of a man they all said was their
benefactor coming.
The late Okusanya's daughter, Wura, on learning of
her father's death, took to twitter to explain her grief.
On Thursday night, she twitted: "Why my daddy why:
Why plane crash whyyyy: Why my daddy why: My
daddy and my brother Lord nooo My dad is dead!"
Alhaja Ajia Ayodele Sanusi has her shop almost
directly opposite the MIC Casket office. She was still at
a loss over the tragedy. "I saw him about two days ago.
He didn't betray anything like somebody who would die
soon. He was such a lovely man. You can go round the
entire street, we are all mourning. He did not
discriminate, whether you are rich or poor. I know
some women who come to him regularly for
assistance. For instance, all the young men in the
neighbourhood would gather in his house during any
festival, and would feed everybody. Even my
grandchildren would make sure that don't fail to come
with me because they know they would get something
from him.
"Recently a woman lost her husband.
The man did not waste time to take
over the responsibility to pay for the school fees of the
children. Those women that clean the street will not go
home until they have seen him. They all converge at
his office every day, and none of his staff dared to
drive them away. What man would do that? I tell you,
we will miss him greatly here."
A few distance away, Francis Ajayi, the boss of St
Francis Casket, is a long-time neighbor of the late
Okusanya. "I have known him for a long time. I knew
him and the late father very well. We all grew up
together on this street, "Ajayi said of his relationship
with Okusanya.
Asked to comment on the type of person Okusanya
was, Ajayi simply blurted out: "He was a philanthropist.
He never had any enemy in the neighbourhood. He
was loved by all. He was always there when you need
his help. All the boys in the area were his boys, and he
never disappointed them." Himself an undertaker, Ajayi
confessed that Okusanya's death in the course of his
duty has driven fear into him, vowing that he will never
travel by air with a corpse. "I am scared. The story
brought fear into me. I will never travel by air with a
corpse. Rather, I would prefer to go and meet them by
road. No more traveling by air with a corpse for me."
Allen Magnus is the director of Monumental Marble, a
tomb sculptor, said he first came in contact with the
late Okusanya more than ten years ago. With their
offices located a few buildings apart, Magnus said they
see each other often. He said he lacked the words to
comment on the sad incident, but quickly added that
the MIC boss was large-hearted man. "It is tough to
describe him. He was a cheerful giver who was loved
by both men and women. You cannot really say who
will miss him the most. The area boys in this area will
miss him, the widows, the young men and women will
miss him. The truth is that everybody that knew him
would miss him."