“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me – Psalm 139:9-10.”
So reads a post by Pius Adesanmi the day before he died. The professor is smiling at the camera, holding his passport.
He was one of more than 150 victims who died in the Ethiopia Airlines crash over the weekend.
“He worked tirelessly to build the Institute of African Studies, to share his boundless passion for African literature and to connect with and support students,” said Pauline Rankin, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Carleton University. “He was a scholar and teacher of the highest caliber who leaves a deep imprint on Carleton.”
Adesanmi posted several other faith-based posts on his Facebook, including a personal prophecy:
Adesanmi was awarded the Penguin Prize for African Writing in nonfiction in 2010 for a collection of essays titled, “You’re Not a Country, Africa!”
Sunday’s crash, minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa for a flight to Nairobi, inflicted a particularly heavy toll on the United Nations, which has large offices in both cities, according to Reuters. The 157 victims, including 149 passengers and eight crew members, came from more than 30 countries, the airline said.
Also among the dead were four Catholic Relief Services employees from Ethiopia. Sara Chalachew, Getnet Alemayehu, Sintayehu Aymeku and Mulusew Alemu were headed to Nairobi for training, their employer said.
