By Bizuum Yadok

At last the airline that we can call our own – Nigeria Air – has arrived, even though, on logo and paper, for now, but we hope it will be actualized. It was the sustainability plan that worried me, remembering how the defunct Nigerian Airways came to a halt on grounds of the traditional mismanagement of government properties, but I was assured that FG only has 5% stake of the would-be airline and the logo of course. However, this means that Government cannot dictate control of the airline so it looks like a “bad guy” behind the scene has landed himself a jackpot. I don’t know if passengers will feel safe flying Nigeria Air since the country itself isn’t safe plus the probability of reusing a retired aircraft. Ethiopian Airline has just acquired and added the 100th aeroplane to its fleet while Nigeria was unveiling her logo. Whether our airline comes to fruition or not, this will definitely be penciled down as one of the big achievements of the Buhari administration.

Speaking of achievements, the Abuja light rail was commissioned about two weeks ago. I learnt that the light rail was first conceived in the Abuja urban master plan in 1977. Forty years later, the foundation was laid for the metro and having survived different governments, the first phase has been commissioned by Buhari’s government in 2018. Indeed it is a laudable achievement, considering the fact that the Government only had to supply its 20% counterpart fund and the Exxon Bank of China did the rest. Interestingly, the project is worth $800 million. I sincerely hope that this project lives up to expectation and sustains itself. If not, one day our children or grandchildren will be forced to leave the land because their grand parents have borrowed more money than they can return.

Monday last week ushered in the news of a flash flood in Jibia, Katsina State, which claimed about 44 lives, ten more bodies were discovered yesterday bringing the toll to about 54 human lives. Word also has it that over 200 lives of cows were lost. In the Nigeria of today, any loss of a cow’s life that does not happen in the abattoir deserves honorable mention because cows are sacred, MACBAN has stressed this point already. Already, many of the portions claimed by the flood were prone to it, but no one took the warning seriously. There are many other places like that in Nigeria that people have risked to built houses. May the those who have lost their loved ones and properties in the disaster find succour.

Still on disaster, Terminus market was razed down by fire last weekend, the cause of the fire remains unknown. Recently, a large market in Bauchi was gulped by fire and if we decide to mention all markets or institutions that have submitted to tongues of fire we will have a long list. There’s definitely a lot that needs to be done in the fire service as they always arrive late in most events of fire outbreak.

Yola was lit on Saturday, following the flag off of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign. At the campaign, Secondus was charging against corruption of this government and it struck me awkwardly. Could Atiku or PDP really be the antidote to corruption? Even the author of “An Antidote to Corruption” having lost the fight in APC has returned to PDP. It appears Nigerians are wedged between two colossal quagmires.
Someone has been paying nocturnal visits to the very people whom he claimed he cannot lose sleep over. Guess and win a million naira recharge card.

Meanwhile, Leah Sharibu is still in captivity, she needs your prayers. IDPs are in camps all over the North, they need your support.

Yours sincerely….

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State of the Nigerian Nation by Bizuum Yadok