From left, Oyo State Commissioner for Public Works, Prof Daud Sangodoyin; Ibadan Airport Manager, Mrs Oghenetega Ayenuro; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Chief Executive Officer, Air Peace Airline, Allen Onyema; deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan and Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Debo Ogundoyin during the Inauguration of Air Peace Airline and commissioning of Protocol Lounge built by Oyo State Government at Alakia, Ibadan Airport. PHOTO: Oyo State Govt.From left, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Chief Executive Officer, Air Peace Airline, Allen Onyema; deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan and Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Debo Ogundoyin during the Inauguration of Air Peace Airline and commissioning of Protocol Lounqe built by Oyo State Government at Alakia, Ibadan Airport. PHOTO: Oyo State Govt.From left, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Chief Executive Officer, Air Peace Airline, Allen Onyema and Ibadan Airport Manager, Mrs Oghenetega Ayenuro during the Inauguration of Air Peace Airline and commissioning of Protocol Lounge built by Oyo State Government at Alakia, Ibadan Airport. PHOTO: Oyo State Govt.Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (right) and Chief Executive Officer, Air Peace Airline, Allen Onyema during the Inauguration of Air Peace Airline and commissioning of Protocol Lounge built by Oyo State Government at Alakia, Ibadan Airport. PHOTO: Oyo State Govt.Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (second right); deputy governor, Engr Rauf Olaniyan (second left); Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Debo Ogundoyin (right) Chief of Staff, Hon Segun Ogunwuyi and Ibadan Airport Manager, Mrs Oghenetega Ayenuro during the commissioning of Protocol Lounge built by Oyo State Government at Alakia, Ibadan Airport. PHOTO: Oyo State Govt.From left, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Debo Ogundoyin and deputy governor, Engr Rauf Olaniyan during the commissioning of Protocol Lounge built by Oyo State Government at Alakia, Ibadan Airport. PHOTO: Oyo State Govt.
By Greg Abolo
...Inaugurates Air Peace Airline At Ibadan Airport
…Commissions Protocol Lounge
Hitherto, one airport in Nigeria that attracted more crawling lizards on its tarmac than landing aircraft, it was Ibadan airport. Anyone who needed to fly out of the South West, be it from Ekiti to Osun, Ondo and even Kwara state that is mainly Yoruba speaking but in the southern fringes of the political North, they would travel by road first to the country’s commercial capital, Lagos.
But the youthful governor of Oyo state, Engr. Seyi Makinde gave a long and hard thought over this.
He had a plan.
Revamp the Airport in Ibadan, attract airlines into it and make it a hub for travelers out of Ibadan to various destinations. That way, he’d be cutting into the booming business that Lagos State was benefitting from which has made it buoyant, financially.
He knew that doing that was going to revitalize the hospitality business in Ibadan. Hotels would receive guests, and taxes would also accrue to the State coffers.
Investors flying into Ibadan for business, would thereby avoid the traffic gridlock between Lagos and other destinations.
It would also mean heaving a sigh of relief that travelers would fly above the security challenges Nigeria currently faces.
Makinde has tantalized Air Peace Chairman to set up shop at Ibadan airport. This would mean East-Ibadan traffic. By the time Air Peace starts flying from Ibadan to Asaba and Port Harcourt destinations, he would realize that a huge revenue source had been unlocked for the benefit of financial accruals to his state, battling to increase it’s IGR.
Meanwhile, there are skeletal flight services out of Ibadan to Abuja.
