President Bola Tinubu, has immortalised some late eminent Nigerians, like Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chuba Okadigbo, by naming airports after them.
Some federal airports are also renamed after several living prominent Nigerians, like Tinubu’s predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
The renaming of the airports was announced in a memo released by the Federal Ministry of Aviation dated June 1, 2023, and signed by Mrs Joke Olatunji for the Director of Airport Operations on Monday.
The statement noted that the President renamed the airports “as part of reforms of the Aviation sector.”
The Maiduguri Airport was renamed after the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari and the Port Harcourt Airport after the late nationalist Obafemi Awolowo, while the Nasarawa Airport immortalised the late founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Usman Dan Fodio.
Also, the Benin Airport was renamed after the late Oba of Benin, Oba Akenzua II, Ebonyi Airport after the late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo, and the Ibadan Airport after the late Premier of the old Western Region, Ladoke Akintola.
See the full list below:
1. Akure Airport – Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu
2. Benin Airport – Oba Akenzua II
3. Dutse Airport – Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi
4. Ebonyi Airport – Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo
5. Gombe Airport – Brigadier Zakari Maimalari
6. Ibadan Airport – Samuel Ladoke Akintola
7. Ilorin Airport – Gen. Tunde Idiagbon
8. Kaduna Airport – Hassan Usman Katsina
9. Maiduguri Airport – Gen. Mumammadu Buhari
10. Makurdi Airport – Joseph Sarwuan Tarka
11. Minna Airpor – Mallam Abubakar Imam
12. Nassarawa Airport – Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio
13. Osubi Airport – Alfred Diete Spiff
14. Port Harcourt Airport – Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo
15. Yola Airport – Lamido Aliyu Mustapha