From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The family of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Maccido, has called for stronger aviation safety measures and greater accountability among regulatory authorities, 20 years after the monarch and 95 others died in the ADC Airlines Flight 053 crash in Abuja.
The family also urged Nigerians to embrace peaceful coexistence, dialogue and religious tolerance amid persistent insecurity, communal tensions and religious intolerance across the country.
The call was contained in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by Bello Maccido to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the crash, which occurred shortly after take-off from Abuja on 29 October 2006, claiming 96 lives.
The victims included the Sultan, his son, Senator Badamasi Maccido, and his grandson.
The family said the anniversary should go beyond mourning the victims to renewed efforts to prevent aviation disasters and promote the values of peace, justice and accountability.
It called on relevant authorities to strengthen aviation safety standards and ensure that regulatory agencies are held accountable for their responsibilities.
“Let this twentieth remembrance be more than an occasion for mourning,” the family said, urging Nigerians to work towards building a peaceful, just and united society.
Beyond aviation safety, the family stressed the continued relevance of the late Sultan’s leadership principles, particularly his commitment to dialogue, consultation, national unity and service to humanity.
“At a time when our nation faces serious security and social challenges, the ideals our father stood for remain as relevant as ever,” it said.
The family urged political, religious and community leaders to adopt dialogue and mutual understanding in addressing divisions and tensions, noting that peaceful coexistence remained essential to national unity.
Maccido became the 19th Sultan of Sokoto in April 1996 and served as President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. He was regarded as a prominent advocate of moderation and interfaith engagement.
Born in 1926 in Dange, Sokoto State, he was a son of Sultan Abubakar III and a descendant of Sheikh Usman dan Fodio. Before ascending the throne, he served in public administration, including as Presidential Liaison Officer in Sokoto State.
During his reign, the late monarch supported initiatives in education, public health and interfaith relations, as well as campaigns against polio and HIV/AIDS.
The family also recalled former President Shehu Shagari’s description of Maccido as a patient and consultative leader, quoting him as saying: “He does not rush or dictate things.”
The statement noted that the Sultan was in Abuja to attend a Presidential Forum on Education when the ADC Airlines Boeing 737 crashed on 29 October 2006.
Twenty years after the tragedy, the family urged Nigerians to remember all those who died and translate the lessons of the disaster into concrete action to improve aviation safety and strengthen accountability.
It also called on citizens and leaders to uphold the late Sultan’s ideals of peaceful coexistence, religious tolerance and national unity in confronting the country’s challenges.