President Muhammadu Buhari’s movement in and out of Lagos to attend the final burial rites of the late HID Awolowo led to the shutting down of the Lagos airspace for over one hour Wednesday leaving no fewer than six commercial flights hovering in the air to the dismay of passengers. The Editor-in-Chief of Political Economist, Mr. Ken Ugbechie, who was trapped in the’ hold-up’ in the sky narrated his ordeal.
“I was aboard an Air Peace flight from Abuja to Lagos. The flight was smooth from Abuja and there was no premonition of what awaited us. We had commenced descent into the Lagos airport (about 40 nautical miles to Lagos airport) when the pilot announced that the airport had been shut due to operational reasons. He said we were number six on the waiting queue for landing and assured us he has enough fuel to hover and wait in the sky. Initially the pilot projected the waiting might be for about 15 to 20 minutes but it turned out a long wait in the sky.
“Then the waiting stretched to 30 minutes, 40 minutes…anxiety was building and some people suggested the pilot should head back to Abuja. The noise level inside the aircraft rose by many notches and the pilot had to come clear. He told us we cannot head back to Abuja because what led to the shutting down of the Lagos airspace is also heading to Abuja and he cannot guarantee that the same fate will not befall us in Abuja.
“After much waiting, it was now our turn to land but again another announcement by the pilot that the airport had been shut again. It was at this point that the anxiety morphed to real fear. At this time, some persons suspected Presidential movement. We eventually landed and made inquiries only to be told it was President Buhari’s movement into Lagos en route Okenne to attend the late HID Awolowo’s burial”.
“We thought Buhari would be different from other Presidents who put other people’s lives in danger in the course of flying into airports. This is a shame and can only happen in Nigeria. You do not shut down Heathrow because the Prime Minister of Britain is landing or taking off, you do not shut down Charles De Gaulle Airport in France for same reason. You do not even know when their leaders are travelling. It is just punitive and primitive”, yelled a passenger (name withheld) on the Air Peace flight who also commended the pilot for his level-headedness.
Buhari and no fewer than 16 governors attended the burial of the late matriarch of the Awolowo family, who was interred Wednesday, around 1:45 pm beside her husband, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The interment was witnessed by only family members and some invited bishops and it was done in a mausoleum built within the premises of the Awolowo country home in Ikenne.
Reporters were barred from covering the interment but were allowed to cover other activities within the premises.
Some of the 16 governors and other dignitaries including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former head of State, General Yakubu Gowon and Head of Interim National Government, Chief Earnest Shonekan, among others, did not wait for the interment neither did they attend the reception which held on the premises of the Awolowos.
President Buhari arrived Ikenne about 2:15pm after the internment and headed straight a closed door meeting with the immediate family at Efunyela Hall before departing .
