Asaba International Airport: The Beauty, the Challenge and the Future By Emeka Esogbue

Asaba International Airport: The Beauty, the Challenge and the Future

By Emeka Esogbue

The Beginning 

In the end, Delta State had an International Airport like other cities of the world which stands the closest to Onitsha, one of the largest commercial centers of Nigeria. Onitsha is often regarded as the largest city in the entire Anambra State and the largest trading center of the Igbos, Southeast of the nation. The city is also prominent as the largest market in Africa in terms of geographical size, population and volume of goods available to it as some have observed. The metropolitan city of Onicha Ado n’Idu so traditionally known but Anglicised as Onitsha has a population of 7,425,000 according to the 2006 population census. 

Asaba, the city of the Anioma people is also rich with history. It is beautifully and strategically located on the edge of the River Niger with a population of 149,603 according to the 2006 census. The city of Asaba was the first capital of Southern Nigerian Protectorate and was the host of the Royal Niger Company of the British from 1886 to 1900. The Company was set by the British to facilitate trade and exportation of goods to their home country and was an instrument of exploitation of the people of the area within the period under discussion. 

The Royal Niger Company is best remembered by the legendary statement made by William B. Balkie following the trade treaty which was signed on August 30, 1880 with the Anioma people of Asaba. 

Following the signing of the trade treaty in which Asaba was represented by Chief Ezebogo, William Balkie excitedly documented of it:

“After our salutations, I spoke of friendship, of trade, and of education, and particularly enlarged upon the evils of war and the benefits of peace, all of which was well received.''

The statement speaks of the ease with each the British situated their Royal Niger Company in Asaba especially after what they faced in Onitsha which they bombarded and later fled to Asaba. It particularly expresses the spirit of cordiality with which the people of Asaba welcomed them without resistance. Immediately after the settlement of the British, they began to establish schools and churches in the area to educate the people and to teach them about the new faith of Christianity and the belief in a new God.  

Asaba is particularly situated on the terrace of the lower Niger River and this part of the Niger is the very area where the forest vegetation flourishes. This historic River Niger is also an area where the River Niger forms the trans-African link beginning from West Africa down into the Atlantic Ocean. Asaba of the Anioma people solely acts as a geographical monumental link that joins Anambra with Delta State, Southeast with South South and also forms a natural connector between western, eastern and northern Nigeria through the north. The community is indeed a Nigerian landmark, the very reason, it attracted the European explorers. 

Geographically, it lies approximately north of the equator and about the same distance east of the meridian and about 10 kilometres (100 mi) north of where the River Niger flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Quite naturally, the city occupies an area of 300 square kilometers and maintains an average tropical temperature. Both Onitsha and Asaba are historically regarded as Anioma communities with shared cultural links; each natural lying on two different ends and separated by the River Niger, the second longest river in Africa.

The Airport 

The Asaba International Airport now backs it up with indubitable provision of the fusion of the two states of Anambra. It is an airport that users have longed for, for so long. The Airport was officially ‘completed’ in 2011, though not without certain drawbacks that were associated with it, which ranged from funding, the choice of its location, availability of land, topography of land to payment of compensation to land owners and other claimants. However, it was an acquisition of other technical needs for the airport and necessary expansion to accommodate bigger air bowls that seemed to present a more challenging task for the authorities behind the project as it would later seem.  

Previously, the people had in the defunct Bendel State which they shared with the people of Bini, Ishan and others enjoyed the Benin Airport but with the creation of Delta State in 1991, it was obvious that the new state was in dire need of an airfield as already foreseen by the people of the new state, a field where airplanes could take off and land with runways and passenger terminals and Asaba being the state headquarters became a focal point for consideration. 

The journey to the birth of the Airport became a reality with former Governor James Ibori who birthed the idea but it was Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan, the immediate past governor of the state that brought the project to its reasonable functional phase but not on excessive state when he commissioned it just before the expiration of his second tenure in office as the Governor of the state, risking the ire of the indigenes, some of who thought that the airport should never have been commissioned at that stage because there were still more to be done. That notwithstanding, he contributed to the making of the airport as it is today.

Originally designed by Contemporary Design Associates of the Contemporary Group headquartered in Lagos with branches in Asaba, Delta State and Accra, Ghana in West Africa, the Asaba International Airport was originally and purely conceived as a domestic Airport capable of providing a safe, fast and reliable means of transportation network that can link Asaba, the state capital to other centers of political and economic activities within and outside the country but was later amended to an International Airport with cargo flight capability to serve wider needs. The International Airport plan was potentially blessed with a number of qualities that Airports of its status enjoy thus, its categorization as public with surface Asphalt. However, since its establishment, and several years after, the Airport has surprisingly remained programmed to function within the domestic airport category. Hence, it went back on its original domestic arrangements.

The Airport terminal building has a total area of approximately 3,600sq and is equipped with three avoid bridges i.e. six fingers and a state of the art control tower. This Airport with 3.4 kilometre-runways that can at the moment to accommodate a Boeing 747 aircraft is regarded as the second longest in Nigeria following Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos which points to 4.2 kilometres. The available land size of the runway size of the Asaba International Airport can be leveraged on in future for wider and better expansion purposes especially as works and maintenance of airports the world over is always seen to be exhaustive.  

According to Wikipedia Encyclopedia, the Asaba International Airport has an elevation of AMSL of 305ft/93m. The Airport at the moment beautifully provides reliable channel for travelers to Onitsha, Nnewi, Oraukwu, Awka, Abagana and deep down the Southeastern home thus serving as a commercial melting-pot to Delta State and a few South-eastern states. Major airlines of the airport are Aero Contractors, Air Peace, Arik Air and Overland Airways. The location of the airport in Asaba is just too apt considering its service beyond Delta State since the use of an airport is to service cities with populations of people with populations of needs beyond the immediate spot of the location of the airport. The Asaba International Airport serves this need.

As it now seems, the people of Onitsha and a little beyond need not crave for an Airport of their own since the Asaba International Airport now serves their air transportation needs or that exercise would amount to unnecessary dissipation of funds over what is already available to in a neighouring state. Such is the importance of Asaba and Asaba International Airport to the people of Delta and Anambra States that has now particularly opened up the areas of Asaba and other neighbouring Ibusa and Okpanam communities with hotels, housing estates and other forms of developments that have now sprang up with commercial gains for the hosts.

Within Delta State itself, the Airport facilities smooth the progress of movements from one community to another and are a testimony that Asaba, contrary to initial fears now ably discharges its socio-economic duties as one Nigeria’s youngest state capitals. For instance, the presence of taxis can now be felt within and around the airport ready to convey passengers to their possible destinations. It is strongly believed that if the development plans of the Airport are genuinely executed in such a manner that it is upgraded to an international level, the Airport will definitely stand supreme in a country where international airports are rarely established.

The First Flight

Historically, maiden no-commercial flights took place at the Airport on Mar 24, 2011 while the very first commercial flight was recorded four months later, precisely on July 2011 when passengers from Abuja historically landed at the airport at exactly12.17 pm (Nigerian time) on a 14-seater overland airlines jet with Registration number 5N BND. It landed with 27 passengers onboard including the then Governor Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan. Since then, the Airport has reputedly serviced about hundred thousand passengers who have plied Asaba, Lagos and Abuja.

The Challenges

The challenges of the Asaba International Airport seems enormous despite this, the air transportation interest of Delta State and beyond and remains one of the biggest projects alongside the Stephen Keshi Stadium recently commissioned by His Excellency, Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa which now hosts international football matches in the state and invariably granting the people of the opportunity to watch top international matches of great value and standard. This is an achievement for the people of the state.

Regardless of the great expectation that followed its opening, rapid deterioration of the new runway requires major restoration to serve passengers. As far back as 2014, it was downgraded by the Nigerian Aviation Authority (NCAA). In fact, most airports in Nigeria function on category 9 but the Asaba International Airport still functions on 6. Another of its challenge is that in spite of its existence since 2011, the Airport has only maintained flights from Lagos and Abuja to Asaba on a daily basis. 

It is time to extend flights beyond these named places to embrace more further notable places in the country that are readily accessible. This development will not only give air commuters a wider choice but increase commercial choice, interests, recognition and gains for the airport. It will also confirm the airport as one of the most important landmarks in the country in terms of reliability. Above all, the areas in Delta State will pass for one of the most visited in the country. Such is the fate that awaits her if this is put into consideration. 

Although the establishment and completion of the Asaba International Airports passed through political offices of three governors of the state, all being coming from three major groups that comprise the state that are Urhobo, Itsekiri and Anioma, it is nevertheless one of the projects that put smiles on the faces of the people of the state. It relieved the people of chronic hassles, saves time, provides avoidance of the poor state of roads in the nation and ultimately provides safety which is more important to and from Delta and other neighbouring states. No matter its state, it is one of the best gifts to the people.  On the other hand, the total amount spent on the construction has always been so enigmatic that its expenditure often becomes a source of conjecture or controversy every time it throws up for record purposes.

It is quite sensible that all of these qualities will be better achieved if fully upgraded to an international airport in which commuters will have access to traveling and returning to the state via the airport. This will ease the people the tension of traveling first to Lagos, Abuja or other states of the federation where this can be achieved before finally traveling out of the country and returning.  

The landmass of the airport may also need to be extended for accommodation of better services though the attempt may be hampered by lack of space within the vicinity itself. Already complaints from Ibusa and Okpanam, two quarters whose claims that bother on encroachment of their lands or territories are becoming louder. Extending the space of the airport further insider may mean extending deeper into the territories of the two communities and risking their ire. In fact, what nobody has talked about are the aftermaths of the conflicts and controversies that occurred within the communities with following the airport land acquisition arrangements before its construction.

The Capital Territory Development – The Way Out

Experts on airports have made some roadmaps on further development of Asaba International Airport but what needs to be added here is the need for the genuine and full development of the Capital Development Territory by the State Government. Social facilities should extend to communities around the airport. Two nearby communities should be developed in line with these objectives are Ibusa and Okpanam, two other hosts of the airport. 

These two communities when developed are capable of easing the social burden heaped on Asaba especially as these communities lie very close to another. Full implementation of the Capital Territory Development policy as initially initiated by the government and founders of the state will usher in further growth and development of the airport environment. The two communities of Ibusa and Okpanam should be utilized developmentally.

The Call for Renaming

In recent times, calls are being made for the remaining of the airport. The first school of thought thinks it should be named after an iconic individual with tremendous achievements and contributions for the people while the other school of thought believes it is not the way to go, pointing out that the present name of the airport provides adequate umbrella in the name of the state. To this end, the first school of thought suggested the name, ‘Dennis Osadebay International Airport, ’Chukwuma Nzeogwu International Airport’, ‘Nosike Ikpo International Airport’ and all three are indigenes of Asaba, Ibusa and Okpanam respectively. The first two personalities are late while the third is living. Interestingly, the other school of thought thinks the naming of the airport after any individual an exclusion of the rest occupiers of the state.

The third respondents in this realm of discourse submit that the renaming being the tradition in Nigeria may only be a matter of time. In Nigeria, edifices come as means of honouring individuals in the society and the airport may not be an exception. Well, until then, the airport must continue to function smoothly. 

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the Asaba International Airport is serving some purpose from which commuters benefit. For this reason, the initiators of the projects should be commended for conceptualizing the idea in the first place and moving ahead to pursue its implementation down to its present state. That all three governors in office – Ibori, Uduaghan and Okowa since conceptualization have given their attention to the task is also praiseworthy because it demonstrates the importance of air service to the state government. However, the airport will require continuous attention to bring it to the required standard, something that both local and international users will be readily proud of now and in the future.  

One of the ways to do this is to regularly adhere to globally required standards. The issue of Capital Territory Development should also be looked into. Together, the presence of the airport should equally benefit the three communities of Asaba, Ibusa and Okpanam in terms of availability of social facilities within the region. This is one of the reasons for putting an airport in place.