Okey Ndibe Writes: Germany, Nigeria’s 37th state N150 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012 *VOL.7 NO. 2484
Suntai, passion and power
DIMGBA IGWE
SIDEVIEW
08055001932 dimgbaigwe2011@gmail.com
Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai and three of his top officials broke. It turned out that the governor who was an aviation freak, was the pilot. In addition to his busy schedule as an executive governor, he also saddles himself with flying himself in a private jet owned by the state. It’s not because he couldn’t find a pilot to hire, it’s rather that he is passionate about flying and had moved mountains to satiate this passion. Everyone should pursue his life’s passion and Suntai’s passion is flying. His story is a dramatic human interest story. As a child his life’s passion was to be a pilot. But his dream did not come to fruition until August, 2010 when he successfully flew solo after a flying course at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT) Zaria, Kaduna State. As part of the initiation rites into flying, Suntai went on his knees and a full bucket of water was poured over him. Welcome to the skies! But behind that initiation rite was perhaps an inspirational human interest story which Suntai shared with the media as reported by The Guardian of October 26, 2012. He said: “Personally, right from the onset in my life, I chose aviation as a career and pursuing it, I was able to obtain admission to Mbrevidaila Aeronautical University in Florida, but coming from a very poor background, I could not sponsor myself in the school so I started seeking scholarship, but I couldn’t obtain a scholarship. So that was how I ended up in the pharmacy profession. However, aviation has continued to bite me in my blood. And when I learnt that I could even fly at my age, (having become a governor!) I decided to come over here to see the rector and inform him about my ambition and he enrolled me. And after some few training, today, I was able to undergo this solo flight. “So, in my blood I have it as a passion, so this passion translates to my belief in encouraging students who want to be pilots to be sponsored to train. Currently, I have
uring the last dispensation, Mike Awoyinfa and I visited the governor of a state on appointment. But two days later, we had neither seen the governor nor received a word from him. Even his embarrassed commissioner for information, who visited us regularly at the hotel to update us on the governor’s whereabouts, was not able to reach him. Sure, I was angry at such levity. But the commissioner merely pacified us with admonition for patience. “You know, governors are gods in their states,” he said. Well, the theory of a governor as a god is one that I find interesting. But, in that case, you are not just talking about the governor but much of every important public office holder, from the presidency down to the local government chairman, from the leadership of the legislature down to the councilors! Even when the public office holder has his wits about him and does not wish to act like a god, the people make them one! Only on Sunday, PUNCH wrote an incisive editorial, castigating some female ministers, who joined presidency officials and a clan of other hustlers to dance and fawn over the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, when she returned in a presidential jet from two months of a mysterious private trip abroad. We live in a highly insecure society with high poverty level. Survival is such a critical issue and man must chop, as the saying goes. Our national resources are concentrated in the state and government is by far the biggest spender. Most of the time, success comes at the pleasure of public officials and even normally reasonable men lose their senses trying to ingratiate themselves with those that control and dispense public wealth. It is the frenzy of the efforts to be in the good books of public office holders that make many unwitting participants in the apotheosis of public servants. So in the end, public officials are gods and among the principal gods are the president and the state governors. Last Thursday, the sad news of the tragic air crash involving the governor of Gov. Suntai
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about two students that we sponsored to this college. And I also recall that I sent somebody to South Africa to train as a pilot. So it is a passion and personally I have the interest to encourage students to come into the aviation college.” Well, may God give us governors with passion! In pursuit of this private passion, Suntai is reported to have spent N9 billion to upgrade Jalingo’s airport with limited success so far. (Perhaps, he needs a tip or two from the ingenious Igbo engineers in Biafra who turned Uli highway into one of Africa’s busiest airports during the civil war, keeping it functional every night, despite persistent bombing by the federal troops!) Additionally, the state government acquired a private jet and a helicopter with which the governor used to hone his flying skills and conduct his official travels until the near fatality of last week. If you think I disapprove of the extent to which the governor translated his private passion into a public policy, far be it from me. Oh no, I don’t want to go into speculative argument as to whether an airport is the state’s major priority or not, for now. That’s for Tarabans to debate. I wish there were many Suntais in the country. In that case, those who are passionate about driving would build great roads; those who suffer from diverse diseases would build first class medical facilities not only for their use but for the generality; those who are passionate about learning would build good schools, those who love properties would build housing estates, etc. In any case, even if I have any caution for the governor and his passion, it would be insensitive to do so now for a man who is battling for his life. Like millions of Nigerians including the president, my earnest prayer is that God heals Suntai and his officials and grant them speedy recovery. There would be time in future to consider whether a governor is not too busy to grapple with the intricacies of flying himself! It is too early in the day to speculate whether the crash was due to technical malfunction or human error. Without expert report which takes time to investigate, any speculation would be prejudicial and premature. If human factor is part of the problem, then Suntai’s busy schedule as a governor and flying experience will be called into question. Continue on Page 63
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AWC
Falcons cage Lionesses By MONICA IHEAKAM
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igeria’s Super Falcons yesterday, started their defense of the African Women Championship trophy on a good note by pipping the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon 2–1 in their Group B opener in, Equatorial Guinea.
The encounter in the water logged Nkoantoma Stadium in Bata was fraught with near misses from the Nigerians who are the defending champions of the competition. Falcons got the lead with a stoppage time goal in the first half from Onyinyechi Ohadugha, whose volley from outside the 18yard after a corner that was headed out caught the Cameroonian goalkeeper napping. The Cameroonians, however, got their opportunity in the 51st minute, when one of their players was brought down in the box and Patience Mani made no mistake in giving her side the much needed goal to level up with Super Falcons. The Cameroonians mounted pressure on return of the second half, loosing a begging chance in the 66th minute after Falcons’ goal keeper, Precious Dede, rushed out to intercept the ball but was beaten by the Cameroonian, who equally frittered away the chance by ballooning the ball over the bar. Apparently hoping for a draw, the Cameroonians resorted to antics and falling at any little contact feigning injury in a delay tactics that slowed down the game that was watched by a sparse crowd dominated by Nigerian fans. Relief came to Falcons who struggled to up their game in the 88th minute, when Sunnana SK of Sweden player and 4 times Africa best player, Perpetua Nkwocha netted in a crossed ball to stun the Cameroonians. It is on record that Super Falcons have never lost an AWC to Cameroon. In 2004, Nigeria thrashed the Lionesses 5–0, met them again in the semifinals of the 2010 edition and came away with a 5–1 victory. Falcons who are topping Group B will face lowly rated Ethiopia in their second game on Thursday.
Zambia ‘ll fall – Ndongo
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ormer Enugu Rangers’ man, Jesus Ndongo, has predicted that African champions, Zambia will be dethroned at next year’s AFCON in South Africa.
Ndong told supersport from his base in Madrid, Spain that he believes the Chipolopolo “will do well” but defending their title will be out of their reach. However, the Equatorial Guinean did not mention which nation will be crowned African champions next year, though he tipped Nigeria believing their chances are based on their performance with each game.” No, Zambia won’t win the Nations Cup but they will do well,” said Ndong in a blunt and straightforward tone. But the former Stella and Mogas 90 attacking midfielder said the Zambians would win Group C ahead of Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.
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