Super Eagles’ Former Goalkeeper Escapes Plane Crash, Gives Thanks To God

Super Eagles’ Former Goalkeeper Escapes Plane Crash, Gives Thanks To God

By Femi Fasetire

Former Super Eagles' goalkeeper, Idah Peterside is giving thanks to God, after he survived what could have been a fatal air crash in Rwanda, as the plane he was travelling on skidded off the runaway because the pilot could not see where he was going.

The former Bcc Lions of Gboko and Enyimba of Aba shot-stopper, who is now a football analyst on cable television and pastor based in South Africa, disclosed further that the pilot of the plane was in admitted and could not see the runway while trying to land, and had to be diverted to complete the landing in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

It surely must have been an agonizing moment for Peterside and other passengers on the plane, knowing fully that it was just a day after reports emerged about an air crash in Iran, where 176 people lost their lives on the flight that was heading to Kiev in Ukraine.

While updated reports later hinted that the crash in Iran might have been due to an erroneous missile fired at plane from the Middle East country’s military forces, in fear of an attack from United States of America, Peterside and other passengers in Rwanda were only aware of initial information that it was caused by an engine problem.

That must have set bolts of worry going through the mind of Peterside, born November 25, 1974 in Port Harcourt, who is now the senior pastor at Christ Ambassadors Church based in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, as he would remember how another former Nigerian goalkeeper, Uche Ikeogu lost his life in an air crash involving the entire team of Iwuayanwu Nationale of Owerri 25 years and four months earlier, on their way back from a continental match in Tunisia.

Peterside was still playing in the Nigerian league at that time, and would surely not forget how Ikeogu was one of five people, alongside teammate Eghomwanre Aimanmwosa (Omale), two pilots and a female attendant died, while 21 others were injured when the chartered Oriental Airlines flight from Tunis crashed on September 18, 1994 in Tamaransett, Algeria.

However, after facing another narrow escape, the ex-international, who also played for Temba Classic and Moroka Swallows of South Africa then retired from active football in 2002, before he welcomed his first child after 10 years of marriage, said he has another reason to thank God for His mercy, grace and protection in his life.

He took to social media to reveal the scary story and ended up giving thanks to God for the safe escape and happy landing in Kampala, which he admits was a huge relief for him and other passengers, despite being several kilometers away from their original destination.

Peterside narrated: “Almost had a plane crash on air Rwanda, pilot almost landed and plane lifted with pilot telling us he could not see runway, we had to land in Kampala, glory to God."