It is a great person, say the Yoruba, that does great things. But this is also true in plurality: great people do great things. In Ogun, Nigeria’s Gateway State, the people and the government are building a prosperous future together, and Nigerians are taking ample notice. For years, the site that now hosts the airport city within which the Gateway International Agro-cargo Airport is now majestically nestled, outclassing many airport projects in the country by miles, was a huge pile of heaps and rubbish. The land was set aside and humongous sums earmarked for the project that never came, and the people sighed in despair. But then an agent of change came and a phenomenally well equipped, aesthetic masterpiece of an airport city, not just an airport, came into view, primed to transform the infrastructure, business, tourism and culture landscape of Nigeria’s top investment destination after Lagos.
Welcome to the aerotropolis, a self-sustaining city spanning over 5,000 hectares and hosting industrial clusters, housing estates and commercial parks; hotels and entertainment centers, business incubation zones and agro-processing facilities. It is no accident that the adjacent Gateway Aviation Village has already delivered 200 homes and created over 5,000 jobs during the construction. And President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, landing on the jewel this week on a condolence visit to the state and to observe the 8th Day Fidau Prayer for the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, gave a testimony straight from the heart, opening up a floodgate of goodwill for Ogun State and its people: “The fact that I landed here with a full airbus flight shows the capability of this airport. This is not just a dream, it is a working reality. Ogun is on the move.”
The president did not lie: The Gateway State truly is on ascent into greater heights. That is why the President, during the colourful ceremony on which he inspected a guard of honour, commended the governor eloquently for bringing development to the people. And he is not alone. Hear his Chief of Staff to the President, Rt Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, said: “For Ogun State, this airport has the potential of being a hub for every other state around the South-West and improving the ease of doing business. The potential is enough; you can’t begin to count its ripple effect on the economy.” That remark aptly captures Governor Abiodun’s vision. He told a team of prospective investors: “This is not just an airport. It’s a catalyst for industrial revolution, job creation, and investment inflow. Ogun is ready to lead the future.” Exactly.
Full equipped to global standards, the Gateway International Airport can accommodate aircraft of any size and shape, 24/7. It features advanced runway guard lights, considered among the best in the world. A sophisticated runway lighting system has been installed, enabling safe landings day or night, and the airport’s VIP lounge and other facilities are ready for operation. Go to the airport and see the Advanced Lighting Systems: Category I (CAT I) approach lighting system for guidance during inclement weather, the runway elevated end lights to indicate proximity to the runway end, displaced threshold lights to guide pilots to the safe landing area, the runway edge lights for lateral visual cues during takeoff and landing, and the Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPI), a row of colored lights providing glide path information to pilots during approach. The goal is safe, efficient flight operations, a pride of place in Nigeria’s aviation hub. At the core of the Gateway Airport is its 4,000-meter by 60-meter runway, the longest and one of the widest in West Africa, built to accommodate wide-body and ultra-long-haul aircraft, including Boeing 777s, Airbus A330s, and even the double-decker Airbus A380.The airport is fully equipped with Category II Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), high-intensity lighting, precision approach navigation, and the runway that recently passed all aerodrome and flight validation checks by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The airport features a towering 36-meter Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, offering 360-degree visibility and equipped with state-of-the-art aviation control systems. Navigation aids include Doppler VOR/DME, ADS-B transponders, and fully calibrated ground-to-air communication systems.
The President came to Ogun aboard a full-sized Airbus A330 -200, one of the biggest and most celebrated aircraft in global aviation, widely used by leading carriers like Lufthansa and Air France. The Gateway International Airport has major facilities that can land any type of plane, and the President and his entourage knew that much, and much more. The President and his pilot and his crew were impressed—no, they were actually ecstatic about the structures. This was something that many believed would be near impossible, something successive governments had failed to do. Yet Dapo Abiodun started and basically completed the airport even before the end of his first term. What is being awaited now is inauguration and, no doubt, the airport will be the destination of choice. It will decongest Lagos airport and people living in Ogun, Epe, Lekki and even Ibadan and Osun will find it useful because of its proximity to the highway. Again, cargo carriers will navigate their way more easily. The edifice is located strategically along the Iperu-Ilisan axis near the Sagamu Interchange and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. It is designed to serve commercial, cargo, and passenger operations, with direct implications for trade, investment, and job creation.
The future, no doubt, is bright for Ogun and its great people.
Akinmade is Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun
