Ondo Air Crash Pilot Dies Two Weeks After Wedding

Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, one of the pilots aboard the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday, died barely two weeks after exchanging marital vows in an elaborate ceremony in Abuja.
Man-Ugwueje married Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle on September 19, 2026, according to details contained in the couple’s wedding invitation and posts shared by vendors who participated in the ceremony.
Details on Man-Ugwueje’s Facebook profile identified Umuahia, Abia State, as his hometown, while Abuja was listed as his current city of residence.
The aircraft, designated NAF 931, was carrying 25 people, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, when it crashed during a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
The Nigerian Air Force on Tuesday confirmed that all 25 occupants died in the crash and subsequently released their identities.
Checks by newsmen on the social media pages of the wedding planner and vendors involved in the ceremony revealed photographs and videos documenting the couple’s wedding in Abuja barely two weeks before the fatal accident.
One of the videographers, Beejay Creates, shared footage from the ceremony with the caption, “Love in every word”, identifying the newlyweds as “BRIDE DAMILOLA AND GROOM AHAMEFULE.”
The wedding invitation showed that the couple’s Holy Matrimony was held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Masters Place, Plot 826, Solomon Lar Way, opposite the NHIS Headquarters/Customary Court of Appeal, Utako, Abuja.
The ceremony was scheduled for 11am, while the reception was billed for 3pm at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre, Km 10 Expressway, Asokoro, Abuja.
The invitation identified Man-Ugwueje as the son of retired Group Captain Man-Ugwueje.
Barely a fortnight after the ceremony, however, the Nigerian Air Force listed Squadron Leader Man-Ugwueje among the five crew members who perished in the crash, identifying him as the aircraft’s co-pilot.
According to the NAF, the aircraft was undertaking a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the incident as “a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation”, while extending condolences to the families, loved ones and colleagues of the deceased.
The Service said it had ordered a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
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