Excitement as Professor Obiora Okonkwo Donates Modern Health Facilities to Aso Ayegunle Community

......Airline chairman pledges more development projects for Ekiti, says partnership with state is just the beginning

The Executive Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, has assured Ekiti State of more development projects and social investments, declaring that the airline’s partnership with the state government over the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport is only the beginning of greater benefits for the state and its residents.

Okonkwo gave the assurance during the commissioning and handover of a community health centre and a solar-powered borehole constructed by the airline as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme in Aso Ayegunle community, Ado-Ekiti. The projects, he said, were conceived to address needs identified by the host community and demonstrate the potential of effective collaboration between government and private investors.

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the airline’s partnership with the Ekiti State Government, Okonkwo said the company neither applied for the opportunity nor lobbied or paid a bribe to secure it. Rather, he said, the government conducted its due diligence before selecting the airline based on its fleet, operational capacity and ability to meet the state’s aviation needs.

“When we were chosen to be the first airline to partner with the state, we did not apply, we did not lobby, and we did not pay any bribe. The state did its due diligence, compared us with other airlines in Nigeria and, having examined our fleet and operations, chose us,” he said.

The airline chairman commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for creating an enabling environment for private-sector participation in the development of Ekiti State, describing the governor’s approach to public-private partnership as worthy of study. He particularly praised Oyebanji for fostering political reconciliation by bringing former governors and political leaders together, despite their previous differences.

“As a political scientist, I believe this needs to be studied. Instead of fighting his predecessors, the governor brought them together, including people who had previously been enemies of one another. That was a fundamental success in politics,” Okonkwo said.

He explained that his decision to invest further in Ekiti was strengthened by the cooperation and responsiveness he experienced from the state government. According to him, requests made to the governor received prompt attention, while approvals were granted within 48 hours, making it easier for the airline to plan its activities and deepen its relationship with the state.

Okonkwo said the airline’s management subsequently decided to hold its annual retreat in Ekiti in January, with more than 70 members of its team spending almost a week at Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort. The retreat, he said, provided an opportunity to consider how the company could contribute to the development of the host community beyond its commercial aviation operations.

He explained that, rather than imposing its own preferences, the airline consulted the state government and community representatives to identify projects that would address pressing local needs. 

The community identified access to clean water and primary healthcare as priorities, prompting the company to commit to constructing both a health centre and a solar-powered borehole.

“The foundation laying was done in February, construction of the solar powered borehole and building began on July 14 and the building was completed on September 30th. We know that some people choose what they want to do under their CSR programmes, which may not be what the community needs. We decided to ask them what they wanted. We were told that the people needed water and a community primary health centre, and we agreed to provide both,” he said.

The airline chairman expressed satisfaction with the speed at which the projects were approved and executed, noting that the foundation stone was laid before his team left the state after the initial discussions. He also disclosed that approximately 90 per cent of the labour used for the projects came from the host community, reflecting the company's commitment to ensuring that local residents benefited directly from the investment.

Okonkwo further assured the community that the airline would not abandon it after the commissioning, promising to assess the impact of the projects and consider additional interventions where necessary.

“This is not our last engagement with you. We will be able to evaluate how these projects are impacting the community. When you need more than water and this primary healthcare centre, we will be able to do more,” he said.

He also disclosed that the airline was prepared to support Ekiti’s agricultural development ambitions by facilitating the movement of agricultural produce to distant markets as the state strengthens its cargo airport operations and agricultural value chains. He said the company would work with the state as it developed systems for aggregating and exporting agricultural products.

In a separate interaction with journalists, Okonkwo reiterated that the airline was willing to commit further investments to Ekiti, describing the state as a special destination because of the governor’s commitment to private-sector partnerships and the support extended to the company.

He said the airline had continued to operate its Ekiti route despite periods when passenger numbers were below capacity, explaining that its decision was driven by confidence in the state government and the long-term prospects of the airport.

“There were times when we carried 40 passengers instead of 50, losing the revenue that could have come from those 10 seats. But because of our belief in the government and its commitment to us, we felt the sacrifice was worthwhile,” he said.

Okonkwo added that the airline’s relationship with Ekiti went beyond the immediate commercial benefits of operating flights, stressing that community support and a favourable investment environment were essential to attracting and sustaining private capital.

He said the airline had undertaken CSR projects in other parts of the country, including providing assistance to communities affected by calamities, but described the Ekiti intervention as particularly significant because of the cooperation it had received from the state government and the opportunity to contribute to a community close to the airport.

Governor Oyebanji, while thanking the airline for the projects, assured the community that the state government would maintain the facilities and provide the necessary personnel to ensure they continued to serve residents.

Oyebanji said the arrangement under the partnership was for United Nigeria Airlines to construct the facilities while the government took responsibility for their maintenance. He assured residents that the state would honour its commitment.

“The partnership we sought with United Nigeria Airlines was for them to build and for the government to keep. They have fulfilled their own obligation, and when you come back next year, this place will be maintained. I can assure you of that,” the governor said.

He described the health centre as a valuable addition to the state's efforts to improve access to primary healthcare, noting that the government had rehabilitated, remodelled or constructed approximately 180 modern health centres across Ekiti State within the first four years of his administration.

According to him, the new facility reflects the government's commitment to ensuring that residents can access basic healthcare services regardless of the size or location of their communities. He thanked Okonkwo, the airline's management and staff for the investment, saying the project complemented the state's efforts to strengthen primary healthcare delivery.

The governor also linked the airport project to his administration's broader economic development strategy, explaining that the facility was conceived to connect Ekiti to wider markets, facilitate the transportation of agricultural produce, create employment and attract investment.

Oyebanji disclosed that the airport had received more than 10,000 passengers through commercial and private flights since the commencement of commercial flight operations on December 10, 2025. He said the government was working to strengthen agricultural aggregation and value addition around the airport to maximise its economic potential.

Earlier, the traditional ruler of Ado-Ekiti, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Aladesanmi Adejugbe III, described the realisation of the airport project as the outcome of a difficult journey, recalling the challenges and legal disputes that confronted the initiative before it eventually became a reality.

The monarch thanked Oyebanji for continuing the project and expressed gratitude that its benefits were now becoming evident to the people of Ekiti. He described the governor as fortunate to be leading the state at a time when the airport was beginning to contribute to development and economic opportunities.

Oba Adejugbe also called on prominent Ekiti indigenes and investors to emulate those contributing to the state's development by investing in the community and supporting initiatives capable of improving the lives of residents.

“I thank God that I am seeing all this. Those of us who started the struggle for the creation of the state are no longer here in many cases, so it is by the grace of God that we are witnessing these developments,” the monarch said.

He commended the efforts of the governor and other stakeholders, adding that the presence of facilities such as the Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort had helped make Ekiti an attractive destination for visitors and business interests. He urged successful indigenes, including prominent industrialists and philanthropists, to return home and contribute to the development of their communities.

The Head of Service, Mrs Ologbonjobi, said the new health centre would help address important public health challenges in Aso Ayegunle and neighbouring communities, particularly those relating to maternal and child health, immunisation and reproductive healthcare.

She noted that the facility included a delivery room and a consulting room, adding that the state government would ensure that it was adequately staffed to complement the equipment and infrastructure provided by the airline.

“What you have done today is to ensure that infant mortality in this area is reduced. You are also helping to improve immunisation and reproductive health services. This is a community where we have faced difficult challenges with immunisation, and I am confident that this facility will help address them,” she said.

Ologbonjobi thanked the airline for the intervention and commended the Oyebanji administration for its investment in healthcare facilities across the state. She expressed confidence that the new centre would improve access to essential health services and called for similar interventions in other communities.

The Baale of Aso Ayegunle, Fajuyi Olumide, expressed appreciation to United Nigeria Airlines and the state government, saying residents turned out in large numbers to demonstrate their gratitude for the projects.

“We are very happy. As you can see, our people came out en masse to show their appreciation to Professor Okonkwo and Governor Oyebanji. We say a very big thank you to them, and we are sure this facility is for humanity and will serve us well,” he said.

The commissioning and handover ceremony was attended by the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Secretary to the State Government, Professor Abubakar Adubiaro, Chief of Staff Niyi Adebayo, Chief Press Secretary Yinka Oyebode, Head of Service Mrs Ologbonjobi, traditional rulers, government officials and former Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu, alongside the management team and other representatives of United Nigeria Airlines.