The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria has expressed sadness over the death of a Nigerian-Canadian, Prof. Pius Adesanmi, and others who lost their lives when an Ethiopian Airline flight crashed on Sunday morning.

The commission, in several tweeted messages on Monday, wrote that Mr Adesanmi was an embodiment of the intellectual ties binding Nigeria and Canada. 

It wrote, “We are saddened by the Ethiopian Airlines crash yesterday. We mourn all the 157 people, who lost their lives, including Nigerians and Canadians.

“Among those who died was Prof. Pius Adesanmi, a Nigerian-Canadian who was the Director of the Institute of African Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

“Pius embodied the people-to-people ties that bind Canada and Nigeria and he made important intellectual and cultural contributions in both countries.”

Adesanmi was a lecturer of English and Literature in Carleton University.

Ambassador Abiodun Bashua was the second Nigerian who died in the crash.

Adesanmi was carrying a Canadian passport while Bashua had a United Nations (UN) passport.