Months after surviving a deadly road crash in Nigeria, rumours of Prof. Pius Adesanmi’s death on Sunday 10 March 2019 trended on Twitter.

Adesanmi, a Nigerian professor with Carlton University in Canada, is rumoured to be one of the fatalities of the ill-fated Ethiopian Airlines which crashed on Sunday with 157 people on board.

John O. Oba, a PR executive and journalist, shared news about Prof Adesanmi’s purported death on Twitter. He wrote,

I just got information that Professor Pius Adesanmi, a Nigerian professor with Carlton University in Canada is among those that died this morning on the ill fated Ethiopia airline. On his way to attend the AU ECOSOCC committee meeting in Nairobi. RIP.
@pius_adesanmi @Canada

I just got information that Professor Pius Adesanmi, a Nigerian professor with Carlton University in Canada is among those that died this morning on the ill fated Ethiopia airline. On his way to attend the AU ECOSOCC committee meeting in Nairobi. RIP. @pius_adesanmi, @Canada

— John O. Oba (@JohnOOba) March 10, 2019

Fans of Prof. Adesanmi’s work have taken to Twitter to mourn him, with many saying though they have never met him, he impacted their lives.

See some tweets below:

I have tears in my eyes for a man I have never met, but because of his steadfastness in wanting a better Nigeria, I feel close to him. If it’s true that you’ve gone, RIP Prof Pius Adesanmi. May God console the people you left behind

— Mazi Kelechi (@kelisofgod) March 10, 2019

@pius_adesanmi Please come out and debunk the grapevine spreading like inferno here in Nigeria. Come outta your cocoon, Prof and clear all doubts. I pray you’re okay.

— Ọ̀GBẸ́NICZAR™ ỌMỌ́GBỌ́LÁHÀN #DADDYG.O?? (@OgbeniCzar) March 10, 2019

Let it be that he @pius_adesanmi missed his flight. Amen.

— The OverLord Queen Herself (@Topsyken) March 10, 2019

From the manifest of the @flyethiopian. Only one Nigerian passenger. No names of the passengers yet. Am only waiting for him @pius_adesanmi to tweet. What is your take on the rivers election so far sir. Pls tweet sir.

— Era Unuigbe (@EraRepair) March 10, 2019

Please tell me that Prof @pius_adesanmi was not on that plane. Please. https://t.co/MACiKlgSeF

— Oba (@OlaseniOladejo) March 10, 2019

Nah I need my Canada connects to confirm this Pius Adesanmi rumor isn’t so. Please God I’m pleading.

— InvestGod (@eldivyn) March 10, 2019

The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying 149 passengers and eight crew members, took off at 08:38 am (05:38 GMT) and lost contact with air traffic controllers six minutes later.

It crashed near Bishoftu, southeast of the Ethiopian capital, Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement.