Omowaiye raises concerns over Ede airport project, demands probe
Former Osun State Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Engr. Oluremi Omowaiye, has raised concerns over the controversy surrounding the proposed MKO International Airport in Ido-Osun and the newly proposed Ede International Airport project.
He explained that the Ido-Osun airstrip has historical significance, noting that it was established in 1936 by the colonial administration after land acquisition in the area in 1933.
He maintained that the location was selected after a technical survey by the British authorities, which identified Ido-Osun as having favourable aviation conditions and one of the highest flat-top plateaus in the then British West Africa.
Omowaiye said previous administrations had made efforts to transform the historic airstrip into a full-fledged airport, adding that the administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola redesigned the project with a longer runway suitable for international operations.
He stated that the runway design was later expanded to 3.5 kilometres to accommodate wide-body aircraft and medium-sized jets, while the airport corridor was also fenced to prevent encroachment.
He added that during the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, efforts were made to revive the project through collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Air Force.
In a statement titled, “Matters Arising: Ido-Osun Airport and Scandalous Ede Airport Awarded to Interior Decoration Firm,” Omowaiye noted the need to clarify issues surrounding both projects and provide historical context on the Ido-Osun airport initiative.
According to him,”There seems to be a lot of back-and-forth on the proposed MKO International Airport, Ido-Osun, and the proposed Ede International Airport, which I term a ‘needless airport.’ It is important that I set the record straight and clear a lot of gray areas on these two projects.”
“The initial colonial runway was not sufficient for a standard airport; hence, the Aregbesola administration completely realigned it with an initial design of a 3-kilometer runway. Work commenced with all needed approvals from the aviation regulatory agencies.”
“Note that most airport runways in Nigeria, though largely for domestic purposes, are between 2.7 kilometers and 3.1 kilometers. In the course of building the runway, because of its proposed international airport status, the design was extended to 3.5 kilometers to accommodate wide-body aircraft and medium-sized jets.”
“Efforts by the Aregbesola administration to get a concessionaire to finish the project did not work. In 2019, I assumed duty as the Honourable Commissioner for Works and Transport, under whose purview the airport project fell. The then Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, mandated us to revive the construction.”
“In the process of reviewing the construction with some aviation experts, we noticed some flaws, majorly the fire station and the control tower designs which we agreed to reposition in our correspondence with the Federal Ministry of Aviation. We agreed to all the necessary corrections that the technical team from the Federal Ministry of Aviation raised. But again, we got stuck with financial challenges.”
“You will recollect that *Business Day* newspaper referred to Osun in 2019 as an insolvent state, which was using 92% of its revenue to pay debt. It was tough to survive. But by the end of the Oyetola administration, a whopping N97 billion of Osun’s loan was repaid without him borrowing a kobo. However, continuing with the airport project with Osun funds was clearly not a priority when education, health, and road infrastructure were in dire need of the government’s attention.”
“Governor Oyetola courted Federal Government support for the airport project; he visited the then President, Muhammadu Buhari, and the then Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, on the need for assistance. Several efforts were also made for appropriation for the project by the Senate Committee.”
“The Federal Ministry of Aviation clearly agreed to support the development of the project. In fact, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ede/Egbedore/Ejigbo, Honorable Bamidele Salam, on the floor of the House of Representatives in 2021, told the world that the Ido-Osun Airport had surpassed a stage that any reasonable country would wish it buried, stating that about 2 kilometers of the runway had been completed to a formative level, just awaiting paving.”
“Governor Oyetola approached the Nigerian Air Force under the leadership of AVM Amao. They agreed to look at our proposal and assess the viability of the airport project. The Air Force, after a lot of technical analysis, agreed that the Ido-Osun airport was suitable for their proposed Aviation City because of its historical and technical potential. A positioning structural height restriction survey around the airport corridor was also carried out, and it came out well, except for an overhead water tank within the Adeleke Secondary School compound that needed to be relocated.”
“Under the joint agreement, the Aviation City was to provide civil and military flight operations as well as other artillery aviation services. In furtherance of the Osun State Government’s agreement with the Nigerian Air Force for the seamless implementation of the partnership, the Nigerian Air Force Research and Development Institute (AFRDI) was immediately relocated from Kaduna to Osun to leverage the Osogbo Machine Tools industry and the Ido-Osun Airport corridor. The institute is a key hub for military innovation, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) production. Within six months, the administrative office for the Nigerian Air Force Research and Development Institute (AFRDI) was built in Ido-Osun.”
“The Osun State Ministry of Works and the Nigerian Air Force technical team jointly redesigned what was meant to be the first Nigerian Aviation City. The land of over 300 hectares was grossly sufficient, and a helipad was immediately constructed in 2021 by the Nigerian Air Force in Ido-Osun to ease the movement of equipment and materials needed for the development of the Aviation City.”
“The constructed helipad was the first in Osun anyway. It was going to be a dream come true for the people of Ido-Osun and Osun State. Unfortunately, Adegboyega Oyetola lost his re-election bid and left office in November 2022. Yet, the Air Force was poised to bring the project to reality.”
“But Governor Ademola Adeleke, upon assuming office, woke up one day and, driven by nepotism, decided to abandon the MKO International Ido-Osun project and start a new one in his hometown of Ede, a great city where several schools are begging for renovation, the State Hospital is begging for attention, and a city that needs massive industrialization for economic growth.”
“But what mattered most to Mr. Governor was to award the Ede International Airport contract for a whopping sum of N99.5 billion to an interior design firm, SHOWIE-TEE GLOBAL SERVICES LTD (RC-1865472). Evidence of the procurement process for the awarded Ede International Airport can be obtained from the Osun State e-Procurement portal (https://egp.osunstate.gov.ng/publication.php). Awarding an international airport project to a company registered primarily for interior/exterior decoration services, whose core competence is interior decoration and furniture, and a firm with no known history of aviation construction and engineering projects is SCANDALOUS!!!”
“Despite the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development rejecting Ede as an approved location for an international airport in letter Ref. No. 5.12/19/1/Vol.VI/188, the Ademola Adeleke-led administration turned a deaf ear to the Aviation Ministry’s directive and continued with the Ede Airport project execution.”
“Governor Adeleke, who is also the current Osun Commissioner for Works, through his so-called airport technical committee, insists on abandoning the MKO International Airport, Ido-Osun, on the claim of encroachment, and that the available runway of 3.5 kilometers was insufficient and unsuitable for a full-fledged airport. So, for the Ede International Airport, they proposed a 5.6-kilometer runway.”
“The newly constructed Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport in Ogun State features the longest runway in Nigeria, measuring 4 kilometers in total length (a 3.4 km paved runway with an additional 600 m safety zone). The Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport runway is 3.6 kilometers long, while the longest airport runway in Africa, located at Upington Airport in South Africa, features a runway of 4.9 kilometers. Governor Adeleke wants to build a 5.6-kilometer runway for the Ede International Airport, perhaps to beat the record for the longest runway in AFRICA, right? A big scam!”
“Ekiti, Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo all five neighboring states around us have airports that are not even viable for international flights. What is the GDP of Osun that N100 billion will be invested in another airport?”
“Unfortunately, Honourable Bamidele Salam seems to have lost his voice on the Ede Airport shenanigans. All hands must be on deck to ensure Governor Adeleke does not get re-elected so all these impunities stop. We call on the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and all anti-graft agencies to block this corruption conduit pipe of the Osun State Government,” he said