Governor Ademola Adeleke and Team Survive Aircraft Incident

In a fortunate turn of events on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state narrowly escaped a potential air disaster along with his aides. Their private jet, a Bombardier Global Express 6000 belonging to billionaire Chief Adedeji Adeleke, caught fire just moments before takeoff at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

The incident transpired at the domestic wing of the airport around 9 a.m. when the jet was preparing for a flight from Lagos to Abuja. The aircraft, taxied to the runway's end for departure, suffered a sudden explosion originating from one of its engines, prompting an immediate abort of takeoff.

Chief Adeleke, a prominent figure and the father of renowned singer David Adeleke, commonly known as Davido, possesses familial ties to Osun State's governor. The jet had been parked at the Executive Jet hangar of the airport before its intended departure.

Sam Iwuajoku, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Executive Jets, the hangar's owner, shed light on the incident. He mentioned that the private jet experienced high temperature due to Foreign Object Damage (FOD), likely caused by a bird nest in one of its engines. This unforeseen circumstance posed a serious risk but was fortunately averted.

Iwuajoku emphasized the commonality of such occurrences in the African region, citing a similar incident with one of their aircraft in 2021. In that case, extensive engine repairs were required, underscoring the need for appropriate maintenance and precautions against wildlife-related hazards in aviation.