For
the Awanis, birthday celebrations were one event that every member of
the family looked forward to. And so it was only normal that
preparations had begun for the 55th birthday of their dad, Daniel Awani,
which ought to be on Tuesday, June 5.
Plans were already in full swing by his doting wife, Mrs. Georgina Awani, who aimed at staging a surprise party for her husband.
Sadly, these plans never materialised as the couple died in the ill-fated Dana Air MD-83 plane that crashed in Lagos on Sunday.
Daniel Awani died two days before his 55th birthday.
On Thursday when our
correspondents visited the GRA Ikeja, Lagos home of the couple, the cake
the children had ordered for their father’s birthday was still on the
dining table.
It read, “Happy 55th Birthday, Dad.”
“The children only wanted
to surprise their father on his birthday, they do that every year,” the
family’s househelp told our correspondents.
Also, birthday cards
addressed to their late father were also placed alongside one of the
cakes, an indication that the birthday ritual was observed somehow.
Daniel was said to have lost his sister three days before his death in the Dana air crash.
Described by friends and
family as a very generous and peace loving couple, they were on their
way from Abuja where they attended a wedding.
At CTC Schools, GRA, where
the children of the deceased attend, it was a solemn atmosphere as most
of the kids present were said to be aware of the incident.
Narrating her last
encounter with Mrs. Awani, the Relationship Manager, CTC Schools, Mrs
Gloria Nwabani, who has known the family for eight years, says she saw
the deceased briefly two days before the crash.
According to Nwabani, since the event happened, their children only resumed school on Thursday.
Nwabani added the couple were always in high spirit and very involved in their children’s education.
She explained, “During open
days, – when we open our doors to parents – they were always together.
After checking the children’s school work, the wife would pass it on to
her husband. They were that close.
“During my 50th birthday
celebration on March 25 this year, she was there and she bought ‘aso
ebi’ (uniform celebration dress). She was full of life and she was
telling me that on her own day, she would not use the hall I used (LTV
8). Gina said she would look for a place much bigger, so that people
could celebrate and rejoice with her. She was full of life, this is very
unfortunate.”
The principal of the school, Mrs. Bimbo Fisayo, also described the couple as very loving.
PUNCH
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