1st August, 2011
The death in a plane crash on Friday of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JOSEPDAM Group of companies, Mrs. Josephine Oluwadamilola Kuteyi, shocked directors, managers and employees in the conglomerate, sources said.
The company described the deceased as an astute business woman of good standing and integrity. According to the company’s website, she had, “with the support of other directors and managers, taken JOSEPDAMGROUP to the enviable position it is today.â€
JOSEPDAM Group of companies is one of Nigeria’s diversified business conglomerates with its operational headquarters in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
The group’s activities encompasses Trading – Sugar & Chemicals, Sugar – Manufacturing & Refining, Packing & Distribution, Port Services, Logistics – Haulage, Real Estate, Agro-Allied Services, JOSEPDAM Foundation.
It is worth several billions of naira and reportedly employs many workers.
It was learnt that Mrs. Kuteyi was travelling from Lagos to Ilorin, Southwest Nigeria in a helicopter with two other passengers and the pilot. All the occupants perished in the tragic incident which occurred on Friday afternoon.
The two other occupants included Mrs. Kuteyi’s Personal Assistant whose identity has not been disclosed by the authorities and a Filipino whose job has not been made public.
The helicopter, which belonged to OAS Air Service, was said to have disappeared not too long after taking off from Maryland in Lagos and crashed shortly after in Osun State.
The rescue team of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, retrieved the bodies of the three victims, it was learnt.
It took NEMA operation office in Lagos and Abuja over six hours to locate the helicopter after the initial alert sent by nomadic Fulani men and hunters.
The Accident Investigation Bureau said that the remains of the victims had been deposited at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital in Oshogbo, the Osun State capital.
—Simon Ateba