The Ifesowapo Consultative Forum, a coalition of 32 communities surrounding Lisa Town in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, has announced plans to observe the 20th anniversary of the Bellview Airlines crash that claimed 117 lives at Lisa village on 22 October 2005.

The announcement was made during a strategic meeting of community representatives, where Dr Fola Abati, Chairman of the Forum, detailed preparations for the commemorative event. He stated that the anniversary would feature inter-religious prayer sessions, an aviation safety lecture, and outreach initiatives directed at the families of the victims. Government officials, aviation stakeholders, and representatives from the international community are expected to participate, while the event will be live-streamed to enable Nigerians and the diaspora to join in the remembrance.

“The 20th Memorial Anniversary is not merely about looking back with sorrow,” Dr Abati said. “It is about using history to inspire progress. We owe it to the victims, their families, and to ourselves to ensure that Lisa is not remembered only for tragedy, but for resilience and renewal.”

Dr Abati recalled that the 2005 crash brought global attention to Lisa and led to the construction of the Lisa Memorial Arcade by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Gbenga Daniel, accompanied by promises of sustained development. He lamented that, two decades later, the arcade has fallen into disrepair and that the 10.5-kilometre Ijoko–Oyero–Lisa access road remains in poor condition.

“The anniversary will serve as a renewed call for urgent government intervention,” he said. “Restoring the Lisa Memorial Arcade would honour the departed with dignity, while rehabilitating the access road would alleviate the daily burden of thousands of residents who commute between Ogun and Lagos. We also emphasise the need for the site to be recognised as a national heritage landmark, and for the long-envisioned aviation tourism centre to be established to preserve memory and inspire future generations.”

The Forum also acknowledged the role of Rt Hon Ibrahim Ayokunle Isiaka, Deputy Chief Whip of the Federal House of Representatives, in facilitating the construction of a flyover bridge at the Awela River axis. Dr Abati observed that this intervention has significantly reduced annual loss of lives caused by flooding in the area.

Additionally, the Forum commended Oba Odugbemi for his ongoing commitment to the welfare of Lisa and neighbouring communities, noting his leadership in security, infrastructure development, and government engagement has kept the region’s voice present in national deliberations.

The 20th anniversary observance is scheduled to take place on 22 October 2025, as communities across Lisa prepare to honour the victims and call for renewed attention to infrastructure and heritage preservation. (THE GUARDIAN)