On December 10, 2005, Nigeria suffered one of its most heartbreaking aviation disasters when Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, crashed while attempting to land at Port Harcourt International Airport. Among the 110 people on board was renowned pastor and televangelist Pastor Bimbo Odukoya (Abimbola Rosemary Odukoya), co-founder of The Fountain of Life Church in Lagos.
The crash claimed 107 lives, making it one of the deadliest in Nigerian aviation history. Pastor Bimbo survived the initial impact but later succumbed to her injuries on December 11, 2005, at the age of 45.
What Happened That Day
The flight departed from Abuja and was approaching Port Harcourt in heavy rain. According to investigations, the aircraft encountered severe weather conditions and touched down short of the runway. It skidded off the tarmac, broke through the airport perimeter fence, and crashed into a ravine before bursting into flames.
Pastor Bimbo was travelling to Port Harcourt for a church programme. She was one of the few who survived the initial crash but passed away the following day from severe injuries.
Who Was Pastor Bimbo Odukoya?
Pastor Bimbo Odukoya was a dynamic preacher, author, and marriage counsellor. Together with her husband, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, she co-founded The Fountain of Life Church, which grew into one of Lagos’s most influential mega-churches. She was widely loved for her practical teachings on relationships, family life, and faith. Her death left a huge vacuum in the Nigerian Christian community.
She is survived by her husband (who passed away in 2023) and their three children, including Pastor Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun, who has often spoken emotionally about losing her mother.
National Grief and Reactions
The news of Pastor Bimbo’s death triggered an outpouring of grief across Nigeria. Tributes poured in from political leaders, fellow pastors, and ordinary Nigerians who had been blessed by her ministry. Many described her as a woman of great faith, wisdom, and compassion.
The tragedy also reignited public anger over the poor state of Nigeria’s aviation sector at the time, coming just a few years after other major crashes.
Legacy
Twenty years after the crash, Pastor Bimbo Odukoya is still fondly remembered. Her teachings continue to be shared through books, recordings, and her children’s ministry work. Her husband, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, often spoke about her impact and how the church moved forward despite the painful loss.
The 2005 Sosoliso crash remains a painful chapter in Nigeria’s aviation history — a day when a nation lost not just lives, but a shining light in the body of Christ.
Source: Contemporary reports from Vanguard, Punch, BBC, and official investigations.
