By Enyichukwu Enemanna
In a bid to immortalize them, Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has renamed key federal airports after past leaders of the country, including his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari and Obafemi Awolowo.
Buhari handed over power to Tinubu of his All Progressives Congress (APC) on May 29, making him the 16th President of the largest African country.
Renaming of the federal structures was announced on Monday in a memo by the Federal Ministry of Aviation dated June 1, 2023, and signed by Director of Airport Operations, Joke Olatunji.
The statement further noted that the renaming of the airports is part of reforms of the aviation sector in Nigeria.
While the Maiduguri Airport situated in North East Nigeria was renamed after Buhari, Ebonyi Airport South East Nigeria is now to be known as Chuba Okadigbo, a former President of the Nigerian Senate.
Similarly, the Port Harcourt Airport was renamed after Awolowo, while the Nasarawa Airport immortalised the late founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Usman Dan Fodio.
In the same vein, the Airport in Benin was renamed after the late Oba of Benin, Oba Akenzua II and the Ibadan Airport after the late Premier of the old Western Region, Ladoke Akintola.
Below is the full list of renamed airports:
1. Akure Airport – Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu
2. Benin Airport – Oba Akenzua II
3. Dutse Airport – Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi
4. Ebonyi Airport – Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo
5. Gombe Airport – Brigadier Zakari Maimalari
6. Ibadan Airport – Samuel Ladoke Akintola
7. Ilorin Airport – Gen. Tunde Idiagbon
8. Kaduna Airport – Hassan Usman Katsina
9. Maiduguri Airport – Gen. Mumammadu Buhari
10. Makurdi Airport – Joseph Sarwuan Tarka
11. Minna Airpor – Mallam Abubakar Imam
12. Nassarawa Airport – Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio
13. Osubi Airport – Alfred Diete Spiff
14. Port Harcourt Airport – Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo
15. Yola Airport – Lamido Aliyu Mustapha
