Retired Nigerian Army General and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu, has narrated how he secured federal approval to build an airport in Imo State despite initial resistance from the military government at the time.
Nwachukwu made the revelation during an interview on The Legacy Series, where he recounted his efforts to address infrastructure gaps when Nigeria operated under a military administration. The programme highlights personal accounts from key figures who played roles in shaping the country’s development.
Describing the encounter, Nwachukwu said, “I asked For the approval. I said give me the approval to build an airport and I could see the smile on the face of Buhari and Idiagbon and they said ‘where would he find the money to build an airport?’ They said, ‘okay, Ike, you can have the approval.’” His remarks refer to former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Tunde Idiagbon, who led the government at the time.
According to Nwachukwu, the approval came after he insisted on taking responsibility for the project, even as federal authorities expressed doubt about funding. The exchange, he suggested, reflected skepticism within the leadership about the feasibility of such an undertaking without direct government financing.
At the time, Imo State was the only state among Nigeria’s then 19 states without an airport, underscoring the urgency behind his push for development. His account illustrates how individual initiative sometimes played a role in advancing infrastructure projects during periods of limited public resources…See More
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