Author: Wale Ojo – Lanre
I AM SAD! Ekiti matter on my mind Do you want me to be happy? No I am not happy at all And I am not They are my friends 24 of them Arrived Nigeria From Trinidad and Tobago Not so rugged people Visited Badagry Spent 5 days Spent quite much money there in hotels and bought a lot of Souvenirs They were in Lagos, Love to visit Ekiti State visit the land of pounded yam See Ire where Ogun God of Iron descended into the earth crust Ikogosi on their mind Erina Waterfall, Ipole iloro on the list Erio, the new Jerusalem was there Usi, where the first Catholic Mass was held in 1913 Okutagbokutaleri in Ado included Igede Stream, the Source of Osun River Ero dam, the third largest man-made dam in Nigeria But they cannot venture into Ekiti land.
The trip from Badagry to Ekiti The traffic chaos all the route to Ife ( Badagry -Mile 2, Lagos – Ibadan, Iwo road – ife ) Just because they want to visit a great land Don’t you have an Airport in Ekiti? They asked No, we have one in Akure? I mean in Ado Ekiti, the capital city of your state? No, We don’t? I responded They checked the flight routes to Akure.
The Arik flight is not there! ‘Sorry, we cannot make it to your state! Your state is a paragon of tourism You need an airport no matter the dimension It is because of the need Not for fanciful sake ” So my state was edged out from the dollar rain.
They are just one group And I was thrown into sadness.
That my people always allow politics, sentiment and individualism To affect the decision on common interest.
I remember when Chief Segun Oni was the Governor of the state The Airport would have been constructed But the then Minister wanted it in his town which is not geographically suitable for it then it meant to promote a certain huge agricultural project, But it was killed by the Fayemi’s government.
But who could have done it if he had secured a second term And when the present Governor brought the idea Which I supported with full strength Despite my political difference with him For I know it is a good one For Ekiti state and he will not take it along after his four years Like the Governor’s House in Oke Ayoba built by Fayemi.
But we killed it because of politics, personal hatred, perception about the viability and other erroneous reasons.
That is how we have killed many programmes, schemes and projects On the alter of personal animosity, political hatred, unreasonable sentiment, sheer opposition not thinking about the future of Ekiti.
Malaysia is a country of 25 million It has only 62 airports servicing special areas of needs I am not happy but sad That with the enormous agricultural potentialities in Ekiti With the preponderance of tourism assets we cannot see the reasons.
Why we should have an Airport in Ekiti
That there is an Aiport in Akure makes no meaning to me, Akure may not need the Airport.
They have oil which brings the state fund So they don’t need it for a purpose But Ekiti need it for a purpose!
If Governor Fayose’s government has been hamstrung from constructing an Airport I am sure a reasonable and sensible government will do it in the future I would have done it if I could But I will support any individual Who can do this Who can and will make me happy.
For Ekiti deserves Airport No matter what But it is not for Baba Afe Babalola And if Baba Afe rose to the rescue I would be happy.
For Ekiti deserves and needs a commodity or cargo airport.
©Wale Ojo – Lanre Ibipeju Oluru Chamber Upper
Ogudu River Irede Estate Temidire Street Usi Ekiti.
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