President Bola Tinubu and the Air Peace flights to Brazil: Prestige or misplaced priority?, by Isa Kamaluddeen
Flipping through my phone yesterday, it came to my notice that Air Peace will commence direct flights to Brazil, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bilateral agreement with the South American nation.
Specifically, it was reported that President Tinubu arrived Brasilia on Monday, the 25th of this month for a two-day visit that was targeted at deepening Nigeria’s relations with the foreign nation.
Commenting on the issue, the presidential spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga stated that the two leaders witnessed the signing of several agreements and MOUs at the Palácio do Planalto in Brasília, following a two-hour extended bilateral meeting.
On the surface, this move appears to be a welcome addition to Nigeria’s growing international connectivity. However, a cursory analysis on the development reveals a disturbing misplacement of priorities especially now that our basic infrastructure is in ruins.
To be honest, air travel is a luxury for over 95% of the Nigerian population. The average citizen who struggles to afford basic meals is neither boarding a flight to Rio de Janeiro, nor São Paulo. In other words, the said flights to Brazil will cater for a tiny elite, while the majority of the masses remain trapped in a transport nightmare that is caused by deplorable road conditions.
READ ALSO: Flyover Frenzy: A misplaced priority in Northern Nigeria, by Yusuf Alhaji Lawan
Across the nation, for instance, our highways have become death traps. The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, East-West Road, Kano-Maiduguri route, Abuja-Lokoja, Suleja to Minna, and Abuja-Kano Roads amongst others stretch for miles, and masquerade as roads, but cause accidents, delays, and economic losses that cripple businesses daily.
Quite undoubtedly, roads are the arteries of economies, and those in Nigeria are clogged by neglect. Farmers cannot move their produce efficiently as a result of astronomical transport costs; and commuters spend hours navigating potholes that could swallow small cars.
Recently, while traveling along the Kontagora-Makera road en route Ilorin, I witnessed a shocking incident: trailers sink into a large ditch that resembles a mini swimming pool- on what is supposed to be a federal road. Worse case scenarios are in our rural communities that are often cut off from neighboring markets especially during rainy seasons because even the tattered roads vanish into muddy oblivion.
Yet, rather than prioritising the rehabilitation of critical road networks that serve over 200 million citizens, the government is celebrating a diplomatic move that benefits less than 1% of the population. How exactly does such a move foster inclusive growth? How does it address the suffering of millions who endure endless journeys on treacherous roads?
No one doubts the importance of international connectivity, but connectivity starts at home. A nation that cannot link its states seamlessly by safe, motorable roads has no business bragging about transatlantic flights. Let alone, the Air Peace-Brazil deal, at best, is a glossy headline that masks systemic failure of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The government should be discussing on fixing its roads, being the lifeline of our economy, before chasing prestige projects that do little to improve the quality of life for the average citizen. Else, Nigeria will remain the so-called “giant of Africa” as a paradox: soaring across oceans while its people die as a result of potholes
Maimartaba chief wrote in from Kontagora and can be reached at maimartabachief@gmail.com
Isa Kamaluddeen
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