During a working visit to Oyo State, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshall Sadique Baba Abubakar, visited Governor Abiola Ajimobi. He promised more deployment of airmen to the state for security purposes. Assistant Editor SEUN AKIOYE reports
The meeting between the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar began and ended like a meeting between friends. They laughed, shookhands and made promises of mutual benefits.
It was Air Marshal Abubakar’s first visit to Oyo State where the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has a detachment; and as the governor would put it, the “first CAS to visit Oyo State, even as he called him the “son of the soil.”
The meeting, which held at the Presidential Lodge of the Oyo State government, had all the trappings of warmth and friendliness while the two men appreciated each other and expressed the willingness not only to work together for the development of the state, but also to find mutually acceptable recipes for it.
The Air Chief expressed great appreciation to the governor for the assistance the NAF unit has been receiving from the state government.
“I want to thank the government and the people of Oyo State for all the support we have been getting for our unit here in Ibadan.
“Ibadan, to me, is like a second home. I was here in 2008 at the University of Ibadan after my War College Programme in Abuja. At that time, I used to nurse the ambition to come and settle down fully in Ibadan after I leave the service because the town is peaceful and foodstuffs very cheap. I am still nursing that ambition,” he said.
This was good news to the governor and his several aides who were present at the meeting, as the CAS also promised to help Oyo State in the area of security by strengthening the detachment and deploying more airmen and women.
“We have a detachment here, we want to expand it, and we are looking at the secondary school here too. I have directed the commander that we must do everything possible to make sure that Oyo State is secured because without security, there could be no development.
“Since we have increased the number of people coming into the service, I want to assure you that once the first batch passes out in January, we are going to send more airmen and airwomen to Oyo State,” he further said.
While appreciating Air Marshal Abubakar for the visit, Governor Ajimobi restated that his administration will continue to accord security top priority for development.
“We regard security as the foundation for our development,” he said. The governor also promised to sign the title deeds to the land acquired by the NAF as soon as possible.
“Regarding the title deeds to your land, I see no problem in signing the documents at all. We will do that,” he assured.
But the Air Chief’s main focus was an inspection tour of the Air Force Comprehensive Secondary School in Lagelu, Ibadan. The school, which was established to cater for the academic well-being of children of the personnel, is fraught with some challenges which the CAS is determined to solve.
As the Air Chief moved from one section of the school to another, he would point out a fault on a building, suggest corrections in a structure or instruct that certain things should be put in place.
The school has challenges concerning electricity, water and classroom infrastructure. The CAS instructed the commander of the unit that everything possible should be done to ensure the challenges are surmounted.
“The kitchen looks nice and neat, but the issue of water is very important. Even if it means drilling another borehole, please just make sure you do it,” he said.
Highpoint of the inspection was a visit to the school’s dining hall where the CAS had lunch with the students. The CAS insisted on sitting with the children and eating the same food and using the same kind of plates they used. He addressed the students afterwards.
“I am here to find out some of the challenges you are experiencing with regard to electricity, water and so on. I want to assure you that we will address all these challenges so that you can study in an environment conducive to teaching and learning. But I want you to promise me that you will always put in your best in your academic work, do you promise that?” he asked. There was a resounding yes from the students.
Concerning the visit, the CAS said: “I have not been to Ibadan since I came on board as the Chief of Air Staff because of certain challenges we are trying to address in other parts of the country. But now that we have some breathing space, I decided to come here and see our units here in Ibadan, particularly the secondary school. The commandant and commander of the unit are doing well. We notice a number of challenges and I promised we are going to address them.”
