The metal bird lands in Jigawa

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North The people started taking vantage positions as early as 7am for an event slated for 3pm that luminous Saturday. They came in droves. Some emerged through footpaths traversing the Sahel forests; others alighted from exotic limousines, decorated buses and cars while many others, including women and children, trooped into the arena by foot but in ecstasy. Pilgrims boarding aircraft at the new airport Pilgrims boarding aircraft at the new airport As the crowd surged forward, drumming, singing and dancing in acrobatic styles, they stopped at one spot, which served as the point of convergence and began to dissolve into a larger crowd. It was a beauty to behold. Straddling the vast arid land is a monument of pride lying there majestically as if it was transported from above and planted there by superior craftsmen and builders. On the long stretch of the road measuring about four kilometers, security men, drawn from the army, police, DSS and NSCDC and local vigilance groups, were having a hectic time controlling the number of human and vehicular traffic to the place. Despite the scorching sun, many pushed and shoved on all in a bid to see for themselves the event of the moment and the man, who made it possible. The Sultan of Sokoto, Oba of Lagos, Emir of Kano, Suleja, Katalgum, first class emirs drawn from the five emirates of Jigawa State and many other prominent traditional and religious leaders from the North-west were there in large numbers. On the political side, the Chief Servant of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, joined his host, Governor Sule Lamido, at the venue to see things for himself. In the end, a cocktail of religion, culture and politics was woven together and served the attendees on a platter and they savoured it with glee. The day was Saturday, September 6, 2014 and the venue was the newly completed N13 billion Dutse International Airport, Jigawa State, which Lamido completed in13 months, setting a new record in project execution in Nigeria and carving a niche for himself in a country where major projects are not only delayed for decades but are often abandoned. Vice President Namadi Sambo was at the new airport to formally inaugurate flights for this year s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. And it was done in style for obvious reasons. Although such event was not new in Nigeria, the use of the Dutse International Airport for the ceremony meant something more for the governor and his people: History was actually made that day, as the first plane capable of ferrying hundreds of passengers landed and took off from the new facility. Sambo, who ordinarily would have been the cynosure of attention for that day, did not say much and did not appear to be in the mood to make political statements that bright afternoon but did not fail to commend Lamido all the same for putting up the structure. After his speech, he flagged off the pilgrimage for the year and took off but none of the people was ready to depart the airport. They were waiting for the climax of the day: the airlifting of pilgrims for the first time from Dutse. It was clear that most of the natives, who thronged the airport, had never seen an aircraft just as majority of them had never gone close to an airport in their lifetime until that bright afternoon. For that reason, as the Max Air big bird touched down at the DIA at 2:30 pm, the excited natives almost pushed through the barbed wire into the tarmac to touch the plane and feel it. The dignitaries were happy with the monumental strides recorded by Lamido. Although it was a spiritual event meant to airlift pilgrims to the holy land, some tinge of politics was added to it. Interestingly, it was the leader of Muslims in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar 111, who set the ball rolling by describing Lamido s performance in glowing terms and eliciting a standing ovation in the process. The religious leader described the governor as a pride to the people of his state, having surrendered himself as a servant to the people and not as a ruler as some politicians in the country were doing. The Sultan’s proclamation enamored Governor Aliyu, who did not only give Lamido a pat on the back by also encouraged him to go for higher responsibilities at the end of his tenure. We are really proud of the achievements of Governor Lamido, who is clearly the most experienced governor in Nigeria today, Aliyu said, adding, ‘I am happy you have done very well and everybody is happy with you. This is what we call sense of equity. Our party, the PDP, is happy with what you have done and it is my hope that you will seek higher responsibilities after your tenure of office . Ovation rocked the arena. Fanfare roared and many began to move in the direction of the governor and did obeisance to him. With the speeches over, the event moved to the tarmac where the symbolic first pilgrim flight was to be set off and the crowd followed the governor and the other dignitaries to the apron, where the departing aircraft was parked. It was difficult to control the people, who were waving, shoving and trying to touch and shake hands with Lamido for the many good things he has done for us . It was clear to the governor’s aides that there was nothing they could do to stop the people from reaching Lamido and they obliged the people. They rolled on the governor, praised him and rendered more songs for him in Hausa eulogizing him for taking away their shame and giving them a new lease of life. In responding to the people, Lamido said that he had not done anything new to warrant the commendation as he was merely discharging the normative functions he was elected to render to the people. He said that he had chosen to quietly work for the people, having known the problems that had been militating against the progress and advancement of the state in the past. The governor said he had to embark on the building of the airport so as to open the state to the outside world and attract investments opportunities for the state and its people. He thanked the Federal Government for choosing his state for the flag off of the 2014 pilgrimage and said that he would continue to support the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to do better in airlifting Nigerian pilgrims to the Holy Land. Then came the high point of the day: Max Air big bird finally lifted off with the first batch of the 530 men and women from the state at 5:38 pm. As the plane took off, the governor waved in happiness that his effort in building the airport had ultimately culminated in the ferrying of the first ever set of pilgrims from Dutse. But as he began to smile, and seeing the mammoth pushing to touch him, he was overwhelmed with joy and he began to shed tears of joy. Some attempted to lift him on their shoulders and showcase as a hero, who had just achieved a feat, nut were prevented by security men. Soon, the plane fizzled out of the horizon and the crowd began to return home. But there was a snag as neither Lamido nor any of the natives could easily find their way out of the jam-packed airport. As a result, they snarled for the next one hour to get out of the new edifice, which has come to add beauty and pride to the state that was once a barren land. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/metal-bird-lands-jigawa/#sthash.RydPvCGB.dpuf