By Muji Armstrong-Bello
Ibadan Airport smelled of decay, neglect and utter abandonment until around July 2019 when the man, Kola Balogun, a first-time newly-elected senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, at the maiden plenary of the 9th Assembly, stood up boldly on the floor of the Upper Chamber. After making the initial introduction, he presented his first proposal, titled: “Motion For Urgent Need To Upgrade Ibadan Airport From Local To International Airport”. Senator Balogun had already done his homework. Armed with his expertise as a trained political scientist, the facts and information needed to succeed as a lawmaker and the overwhelming desire to serve the people he represented, he argued on the motion skillfully and with considerable passion. He did not mince words in reminding the lawmakers of the place of Ibadan in the nation’s history and political evolution. He reiterated the importance of the ancient town in the South-West geo-political zone, saying Ibadan is not only the political capital of Yoruba nation, but also the intellectual hub of the country, hosting several international and federal institutions, markets and businesses of international repute. Balogun averred that if the airport was upgraded to assume international status, it would transform Ibadan, with its vast landmass, into an economic hub of the region and reduce the stress, loss of man-hour and frustration people from neighbouring states of Osun, Ondo and Ekiti undergo when they want to travel by air.
As it is the practice in parliament, Senator Balogun had diligently lobbied and sought the support of some of his colleagues in making the motion a dream come true. In his engagement with a female colleague and former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, the senator had queried the decision to exclude Ibadan airport from upgrade, at the time Enugu and Kaduna which were former capitals of their respective regions like Ibadan were considered. Even when the former minister-turned senator had argued that the traffic count in Ibadan Airport was not significant enough to demand that undertaking during her tenure as minister, she, however, concurred with Senator Balogun that, with an Ibadan Airport of international status, Lagos traffic would be reduced by half, given the fact that many of those travelling from other South-West states pass through Ibadan to get to Lagos. Senator Ibn Na’ala, then Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation and later acting chairman when the election of the former chairman, Dino Melaye was annulled by the Court of Appeal, also reasoned with Senator Balogun that international status for Ibadan Airport was long overdue. He canvassed the argument to support the motion that Ibadan would serve as an alternative to Lagos in the event of a technical issue. The motion was subsequently adopted by the Senate. A National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation was raised. Headed by Senator Smart Adeyemi as chairman, Honourable Mike Nnachi, as vice-chairman with Senator Kola Balogun and other members as well as some staff of the Aviation Ministry, the committee came to Ibadan on a fact finding mission on Thursday, July 22, 2021 to examine the state of the airport and determine the financial implication required for budgetary provisions of the sector.
The committee had earlier that day paid a courtesy visit to Governor Seyi Makinde in his office at the state secretariat, where the governor eulogised Senator Balogun, describing him as the most hardworking senator from the state. In making the dream a reality, Senator Balogun, a man of deep intellect and foresight, did not relent in his oars. In his personal capacity as a Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he engaged the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema, in extending the operation of his airline to Ibadan to complement Overland Airline which services had not been regular, bearing in mind that without enough local patronage, it would be difficult to open up the airport to international flights. His efforts paid off on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 when Air Peace, having on board its CEO, Chief Onyema, Senator Balogun and other crew members, made the inaugural and historic groundbreaking landing at the airport where Governor Seyi Makinde, Ibadan obas, represented by Oba Amidu Ajibade, Ibadan elders, such as Chief Bayo Oyero, among other dignitaries, were waiting to receive them. The event elicited great commendation from Senator Balogun’s kinsmen as he became someone closely watched by the people. It was at this point that the Oyo State government came in, by rehabilitating the road linking the airport and providing the second fire fighting vehicle.
Today, I am very glad to hear that the seed planted by this visionary Ibadan prince about five years ago has become fruitful and received the approval of the President and Commander-In-Chief, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the upgrading of the airport should commence in earnest.
- Prince Armstrong-Bello (Akogun Aliiwo-designate) is the immediate past Auditor General of Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Kano (CIIK).
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