2 CARS FOR N255M: WHAT WAS ODUAH, NCAA THINKING ABOUT?

When Nigerians heard that a minister has bought two armoured BMW cars worth N255, they were aghast. At a time when university students have been at home due to Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike that has entered the fourth month and in which the government claimed it had no money to meet the demands of the lecturers, it was simply unfathomable. This is also at a time when the country is witnessing graduate unemployment of unprecedented proportion and unemployment has made the country a haven for terrorism, kidnapping and armed robbery. The angry Nigerians wanted explanation. They did not have to wait for long as Mr Joe Obi, the spokesman of the minister of aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah who the two cars was bought for, told bewildered Nigerians that the cars was bought for the protection of the precious life of the minister who he claimed had taken far reaching decisions at the aviation sector and thus has made dangerous enemies that want to snuff life out of her. While Nigerians were still debating this unpalatable tale which was almost tantamount to “Tales By Moonlight” of the years of yore, a much more grandiose tale was coming that would dwarf the earlier tales by moonlight from Obi. It was a tale that will expose the gulf between the minister of aviation and the agency that is key to the success of the aviation reforms.

The director general of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Fola Akinkuotu apparently unaware of the earlier tale by Oduah’s aide claimed that the cars was bought for the minister and foreign dignitaries. This time no mention was made about the threat to the life of the minister. He said, “The cars are operational vehicles used in the various operations of the NCAA for transporting the minister and aviation related foreign dignitaries”. He noted that “ Aviation is a global industry. NCAA often plays host to international civil aviation bodies.” He claimed that it is internationally customary to convey the minister and these foreign dignitaries in security vehicle whenever they are in Nigeria. He also claimed that during such visit the security of the members of the delegation is the sole responsibility of the country. The vehicles are therefore in the pool of the NCAA for these special assignments. Even by the body language of Akinkuotu and from his face after telling his tales to the media, it was not lost on him that discernable Nigerians would receive his own side of the story as another tales by moonlight. No matter how much you love Oduah how do you expect the president to continue to have her in the federal executive council? If such a character is allowed to remain in office, it would be difficult for President Goodluck Jonathan to convince Nigerians that he did not support such profligacy.