The Nigerian/Biafran war ended on 15th of January, 1970 after which the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon declared the three Rs. The three Rs were to mean, Reconstruction, Reconcilliation and Rehabillitation. It meant that the people of the former eastern region who fought the war with Nigeria were to be reconciled with the Nigerian side and rehabilitated and their destroyed facilities and land reconstructed. The three Rs have remained a mirage as there have been a sustained wage of war by successive Nigerian governments against the people of South Eastern Nigeria, nay the Igbos, though clandestine.
In continuation of these war, the South East region was left without an international airport and other major government facilities. In one of his interviews, former Senator Anyim Pius Anyim from Ebonyi State who was once Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation, had said that in around 2009, he led a delegation of South East leaders to the then minister of aviation to demand that Enugu airport be made and international airport. According to him, the young minister looked at him and asked him why Enugu airport should be made an international airport and that marked the end of the visitation.
Because of the enterprising nature of the people of the South East Nigeria, nay the Igbos, they remained the most widely traveled tribe in Nigeria and key customers in air transportation. It was quiet unfortunate that these people had to either travel to Portharcourt international airport or the Murtala Muhamad Airport Lagos if they must travel outside Nigeria. These pains had remained so for over 50 years after the civil war until God in his infinite mercies brought His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to power in 2011. If there was nothing President Jonathan did for the South East people, the upgrading of the Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu to an international Airport, is one gesture the Igbos will never forget in a hurry. This meant that air travel was now brought to their doorsteps as they could now travel to all parts of the world from home like other parts of the country.
The attempt by the Buhari' s administration whose plans has been announced by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika to either downgrade or degrade the Enugu airport to a local one is a continuation of the Civil war which Buhari himself was an active participant. The Minister in giving excuses why the airport should be degraded, had said it is because of the deplorable run way, a radio Marsk close to the airport and a market sitted immediately after the runway. As tenable as these excuses may be, we are all witnesses to repair works in all other international airports, non was degraded. The minister had said he had discussed with the Enugu State governor on why the market and the Marsk should be removed, did the governor say no? Why use that as excuse to degrade the airport? Whose duty is it to repair airport run ways, State or Federal government? If those things the Minister mentioned poses security risk to flights coming into Enugu airport, will degrading it to local airport remove the risk?
If this is an attempt by the Buhari government to punish the Igbos for their political views and continue with the civil war, he should come out plain. Afterall, we are not yet lost with the 97%, 5% saga. If it is not, the Minister should do as it use to be, close down the airport for repairs and give us time frame of when the work will finish. He should also immediately withdraw that his degrading or downgrading speech.
Ekpenyong Isaiah,
Commander, Infantry Pen Battallion
isacool4good@yahoo.com
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