A spokesperson for Carleton University in Ottawa said the community is “shocked and saddened at the death of Prof. Pius Adesanmi, who was among the 18 Canadians killed in Sunday’s crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet at the Addis Ababa airport.”Global Affairs Canada confirmed that Adesanmi is among the victims.“Pius was a towering figure in African and post-colonial scholarship and his sudden loss is a tragedy,” said Benoit-Antoine Bacon, president and vice-chancellor. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all those who knew and loved him, and with everyone who suffered loss in the tragic crash in Ethiopia.”“The contributions of Pius Adesanmi to Carleton are immeasurable,” said Pauline Rankin, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. “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. He was a scholar and teacher of the highest calibre who leaves a deep imprint on Carleton.”Thousands of people viewed Adesanmi’s Facebook page which was filled messages of shock, sorrow and condolence for the lives lost in the crash. “We pray for their souls and for their loved ones at this time,” said Mirielle Tushiminina, executive director of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa.Read more:Eighteen Canadians among 157 people killed in Ethiopian Airlines plane crashInvestigators determining the cause of Ethiopian plane crash that left 157 people deadA timeline of how the deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash unfoldedAdesanmi was an English professor, director of the university’s Institute of African Studies and an award-winning writer.In 2010, Adesanmi won the inaugural Penguin Prize for African writing in the non-fiction category for his book manuscript, You’re Not a Country, Africa. Liberal MP Rob Oliphant (Don Valley West) arrived in Addis Ababa Sund ...
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