Isa Adeshina: From classroom teacher to NAF’s best graduating cadet

For Isa Muyiwa Adeshina, a military career that had taken more than a decade to build ended only nine days after he was commissioned as a flying officer in the Nigerian Air Force.

Adeshina was among the 25 people killed when the NAF 931 ATR-42 aircraft crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State in the early hours of October 5, 2026.

His death came shortly after he emerged as the best graduating cadet of Branch Commission Course 3 at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, where he received his award from the speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on September 26.

The ceremony formally marked his transition from serving personnel to commissioned officer, with Adeshina joining the NAF as a flying officer in the air intelligence speciality.

According to the NAF, he was the only flying officer aboard the aircraft that crashed, bringing an abrupt end to the career he had spent years pursuing.

A decade in uniform

Adeshina joined the NAF in August 2010 as a member of Basic Military Training Course 27 and began his service as an air intelligence operator.

He progressed through the ranks and was promoted to sergeant in September 2025 before being selected for branch commissioning, a route through which serving personnel can become commissioned officers.

His selection took him to the NDA as a member of Branch Commission Course 3, where his academic and military performance earned him the distinction of best graduating cadet.

Military sources said he had spent more than a decade in the Air Force before receiving his commission, but his tenure as a flying officer lasted only nine days.

A social media user, Anas Ahmerd, said Adeshina was travelling to Lagos to see his family before proceeding to his official posting after completing his training.

From teaching to the Air Force

Before joining the military, Adeshina had established himself as an educator at As-Siraat Comprehensive College, an Islamic school in Amukoko, Lagos.

The proprietor of the school, Ustadh Ahmad, said Adeshina joined as a physics teacher and later became vice-principal because of his diligence and commitment.

“He was the vice-principal of the school then. He was such a very intelligent and diligent man,” he said.

Ahmad said Adeshina worked at the school from 2004 to 2010, teaching physics and mathematics before taking on the leadership position.

His departure for the Air Force programme, according to the proprietor, was difficult for parents who had become attached to his teaching.

“He was so loved by the parents to the extent that when he wanted to leave the school for the Air Force programme, many parents pleaded that we should do everything to retain him,” he said.

“He was such a lovely guy. He is such an intelligent guy, very brilliant. So, I was not surprised to see him having promotions and all in the military. It’s so unfortunate.”

Ahmad said Adeshina was from Iwo in Osun State, although his family had been based in Lagos, with some relatives later returning to their hometown.

“He still has a mother,” Ahmad added.

Remembered by former students

News of Adeshina’s death prompted tributes from former students who remembered him not only as a teacher but also as an influence on their lives.

One of them, Lawal Kaothar, described Adeshina in a Facebook tribute as an important part of the foundation of As-Siraat Comprehensive College.

“Ya Rabbi, your slave Isa Muyiwa Adeshina has returned to you. Forgive his shortcomings, grant him your mercy and make him an inmate of Jannah. He was one of the foundations that built us in As-siraat Comprehensive College,” he wrote.

Another former student, Ibrahim Damilola, described Adeshina’s life as “deeply inspiring” and recalled him as one of his junior secondary school teachers.

“Some people leave this world, but their words and lessons continue to live in the lives they touched,” he wrote.

“Mallam Isa Adeshina, one of my Junior Secondary School teachers, was among the Air Force personnel who tragically lost their lives in the plane crash.”

Damilola recalled how Adeshina shared personal experiences with his students while teaching them the importance of observing their Salat.

“His story deeply inspired me, and from my Junior Secondary School days, it encouraged me to remain consistent with my own Salat. I will always be grateful for that lesson,” he wrote.

For Adeshina’s former students, colleagues and family, his nine days as a commissioned officer were only the final chapter of a life that had already spanned teaching, military service and a remarkable achievement at the NDA.

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