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Sitaare Meet Sitaare As The Stars Of Sitaare Zameen Par Visit Vantara

Following the release of Sitaare Zameen Par, the movie’s star cast recently headed to Jamnagar, Gujarat to pay a visit to and meet the lovely stars of the forest at Vantara, which is celebrated for being a safe haven for animals as it is the world’s animal rehabilitation and rescue centre. Watch Now : https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL1elZDyPLN/ Vantara, which was inaugurated earlier this year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been known for its national and international efforts in animal rescue, rehabilitation and protection. As of 2025, Vantara has housed over 1.5 lakh animals, belonging to over 2000 species. The centre also actively engages in activities and initiatives that are geared towards a better, greener earth – which the cast of Vantara took part in during their visit! The cast kicked things off with Vantara Bingo, and on their way to the next dedication they stopped to play ball. While they were playing with the ball, it bounced off into the wilderness and the next thing you knew, Manikal – a young elephant not only found their ball, but decided that it was his turn to play.  Seeing Manikal dribble the ball around was the cutest thing ever, after which everyone did a team huddle and moved on to the next adventure!  The team even got the chance to take part in a special moment when they met Kaveri, a mother leopard, and her newborn cubs who had just received their names! The cast then stepped into the kitchen and with great joy, giggles and wide smiles – helped in preparing special laddus for the elephants at Vanatara. Then they headed out in open air again and with muddy hands and happy faces, planted and watered saplings alongside the team at Vantara. Each sapling planted by the cast members even got the members name attached to it, to commemorate this beautiful memory. They spent the rest of their time meeting the lively stars of Vanatara, including lions, tigers, leopards and many more!
Watch Now : https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL1elZDyPLN/

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I Almost Collapsed While Attempting Longest Sewing Marathon For Over Four Days Guinness World Record Holder

Fashion designer and current Guinness World Record holder for the longest sewing marathon, Oluwaseun Kuforiji, narrates to AJIBADE OMAPE the circumstances surrounding his success and the establishment of his fashion brand in the United Kingdom What was growing up like for you, and what were your early years like? I was born and raised in Abeokuta on the 16th of September, 1991. I come from a family of five children, and I’m the third child, but the first son. I attended Baptist Boys High School in Abeokuta. I proceeded to Lagos, where I went to a fashion institution owned by the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Ikorodu. I had my first degree in Fashion Design before proceeding to Tai Solarin University of Education, where I studied Accounting concurrently. I was running a fashion vocational course as well. After five years of study, I graduated with two degrees: a BSc in Accounting and a fashion design degree, both completed by 2015. I was doing my fashion business to support myself while studying for my degree. My second degree is not a BSc; it’s a vocational course that I was running alongside my BSc. I never knew my fashion business was going to become a household brand. I have won countless awards with my fashion skills. I was also an executive member of the Student Union Government. I contested for the position of Social Director, and I won. I am the Guinness World Record holder for the longest sewing marathon. I’m the founder of the fashion brand KOIL Creations. KOIL Creations has branches in both Nigeria and the UK. Tell us about your journey into the world of fashion design. In the early 2000s, I was fortunate to live with a guardian who was a fashion designer. I was 13 or 14, and that was where the idea of fashion design started. I started developing fashion skills by learning simple tasks like threading a needle and fixing buttons for him. By the time I was in SS1, I was 15, and I started buying fabrics, sewing uniforms, and selling them in school to make extra money to support myself then, and that was where the passion began. After secondary school, while I was applying to enter the university, I did the JAMB exam three times. All those times, I couldn’t gain admission, I decided to go to a fashion school and further my skills and ideas. That was when I went to Ikorodu, to the Lagos State Ministry for Women’s Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Centre, and that was where I learned fashion design. I was there when I gained admission to TASUED, and that was how it started. While in TASUED, I started making clothes for my classmates and lecturers, and before I got to 200-Level, I was already a big name. You talked about supporting yourself. Was it to get extra money on the side, or were you the one who sponsored yourself through school? I used the word “support” because there was a sole provider; I was just supporting. When I was with my guardians, they did their best to educate me and provide for my needs. Growing up where you don’t have your parents with you, there are limits to what you ask from your guardian because it’s not their obligation to take care of you. We were just fortunate to be with them. So, rather than going to them for extra, I would earn it myself. What inspired you to attempt the Guinness World Record for the longest sewing marathon? I moved out of Nigeria to establish my brand in the UK. To have an international business presence in another country is not easy. Even in Nigeria, it’s not easy to do business. I came to the UK in 2022 as a student at the University of Lincoln, where I studied International Business for my second master’s. The idea was to gain more knowledge on how to do business internationally. During my dissertation, which was on the sustainability of African fashion in the United Kingdom, I was able to bridge the gap between my fashion business and doing business abroad. Through my academic research, I was dedicated to gaining more knowledge on how to do business internationally, and that was when I established my fashion business in the UK. After that, I needed to be recognised globally, so it prompted me to decide to set a Guinness World Record. It wasn’t an easy task; it looked impossible when I started the application, but with determination and resilience, I was able to focus, and now, I’m the Guinness World Record holder. What personal or national significance does this record hold for you as a Nigerian and a fashion designer? The aim was to put my name on the global stage, and I did. It gave me the international recognition I wanted, and it helped me because I wanted to be a mentor. I’ve been trying to mentor and empower young fashion entrepreneurs. This achievement has opened my eyes to many opportunities. Many people have been coming to me for mentorship, which is part of my ambition. Also, it helped promote my business. Everyone wants to patronise a Guinness World Record holder. It has given me recognition and also the opportunity to speak at so many events. I was fortunate to speak at the graduation ceremony of the University of Lincoln, where I returned as an alumnus speaker. This achievement has helped my career, and it has helped me personally. All of this would not have happened without the accomplishment of the Guinness World Record. I’ve been doing this for two decades, and I felt it was time to move to the next level. What were your biggest challenges during the sewing marathon, and how did you overcome them? Applying to the Guinness World Record was not as smooth as I expected. Second is the fact that I reside in the UK, and I had to shuffle between Nigeria and the UK because the event was held in Nigeria. My team started the preparation while I was in the UK, and not being around to support the preparation was tough. I was not there to monitor and oversee the activities, but we were able to put things together. I faced financial challenges. There were financial constraints along the way because we needed many things. Many people initially never saw this dream coming true, so they never saw a reason to support it. I had some people messaging me and telling me I could not do it. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, there were a lot of challenges. When I got to Nigeria, just two days before the start of the event, there were still some things that needed to be done. When we started the event, we had technical issues, starting with power. If you are in Nigeria, you don’t expect to have 24-hour electricity. So, we had to work on solar power, solar batteries, and generators. Sometimes, switching from one power source to another caused little hiccups. But with the commitment of the entire team, we overcame all the challenges. Before the event started, my biggest challenge was getting my team to work as a team. There were a lot of people on the team with different ideas, and that was my biggest challenge. But as time went on, everyone realised that it was not about self-gain, but about coming together to work as a team. It took us several trials before we could achieve that unity among the team. At the 60th hour, I started having some mental and emotional challenges. Something was telling me there was no way I could complete the record. The passion that I had for my business made me start the challenge, but after a while, my passion left, and I was on my own. I was mentally and emotionally stressed; I was physically weak, but what kept me going was the determination to achieve the goal. I wanted to set a 120-hour record but ended up doing 107 hours. I didn’t make up my challenge. I got myself to 107, and I just had to stop because everything was recorded live, and if I had collapsed on stage without ending it, all my efforts would have been in vain according to the rules. At that point, I was on the verge of collapsing, but my doctors checked me and advised me to stop. However, I achieved the aim of setting a new record. After the event, there was another major challenge. It took us several weeks to get all our evidence and videos together. All the videos for 107 hours had to be uploaded without a glitch or break. At some point, we had some missing videos because we had a lot of cameras and several phones. At one point, we could not find some videos, and we had to rely on a CCTV camera just to get some parts. The CCTV camera was a Plan B, and it saved the day because if there was a missing clip for as little as five seconds, the attempt would have been disqualified. It took us three weeks to complete the videos and send them to Guinness World Records. Guinness World Records has strict guidelines. How did you ensure compliance throughout the event? As a learned person, after reading the guidelines, I contacted my colleagues to go through them and break down all those guidelines. We created a team and designated duties for everyone. We appointed competent people who are good at what they do. There were some things that I didn’t know about, so I had to assign those responsibilities to experts in those fields to make it easier for us. The guidelines were tedious, but of course, with the right people in the right roles, it made it look like a piece of cake for them, and that was how we were able to overcome all those barriers that arose as a result of the difficult guidelines set by the Guinness World Records. I also played my part, too. Kudos to my entire team—from the media units (they were so fantastic), to the sewing units who helped with threading needles. They were not allowed to touch my fabrics, as that would have disqualified the whole attempt. My team understood their assignments and delivered, which made it so easy for us. How has your background shaped your approach to work and ambition? While growing up, it wasn’t easy for me, so I had to go hard or go home. I had to set some standards for myself. It was either I succeeded or I failed. That was the only option I had. That kept me motivated and wanting to do extraordinary things to support my career and myself. I’ve got about five degrees, and two of them are master’s degrees—one local, one international. I was not just building my fashion business, but building a career for myself. At that point in my life, I started lecturing before I decided to move out of the country. My background—growing up without ease and having to strive to support myself—contributed to my doggedness and ability to do things with little or no support. That contributed to my career path and to the success I am achieving now. You set a record of 120 hours for yourself but unfortunately didn’t meet it due to health constraints. Are you planning to beat your record and meet your target of 120 hours? At the moment, I don’t think there’s a point in wanting to break my record; it’s too early to even think about it. The one I just broke—how well have I used the recognition it has brought me? Why would I want to try another one so soon? I’ve seen people break their own records, which is okay. But at this point, it’s too early for me to say I want to break mine. I can let someone else try. Probably after that, I may decide to break that person’s record to reclaim the title. Even if I want to retain my record, let somebody attempt it. But for now, let me still be drinking water on my achievements. Was there any time within those four and a half days that you wanted to give up on this attempt? My passion had left me at the 60th hour. I would have given up then, towards the end of the third day, when it was already getting more difficult. My fingers were numb, and at that point, I had to start pricking myself with a needle to feel sensation in my fingers. There were several times I felt like stopping. At the 97th hour, the timer stopped moving.

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Revenue Reforms: Nigerians Pay More For Less As Economic Policies Fuel Hardship (2)

In the wake of sweeping economic reforms aimed at rescuing Nigeria’s battered finances, millions of citizens now find themselves paying more—often far more—only to receive less in return, writes SAMI TUNJI, in the final part of this report Capital expenditure as a proportion of total government revenue also crashed spectacularly, from 96 per cent in 2023 to just 53 per cent in 2024. In simple terms, even though the government was collecting far more money, it was investing far less in the sectors most critical to national development and citizen welfare. Instead, a larger chunk of the revenue was absorbed by recurrent spending — salaries, pensions, administrative costs and, more worryingly, debt servicing. Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio remained alarmingly high, with Fitch Ratings projecting that debt servicing could gulp as much as 62 per cent of federally retained revenue by the end of 2024. This fiscal trend raised deep concerns among economists, civil society groups, and even international lenders, who warned that Nigeria risked mortgaging its future growth if it continued prioritising overheads and debt repayments over productive investment. The consequences are already visible. Across Nigeria, commuters complain of poor road infrastructure. Power supply remains epileptic, with national grid collapses reported multiple times in 2024 alone. Health facilities are deteriorating, pushing more Nigerians into medical poverty. Meanwhile, unemployment, especially among youth, persists, with the National Bureau of Statistics estimating a jobless rate of about 5.0 per cent officially — although independent economists say the real figure could be much higher when underemployment is factored in. It appears that Nigerians are paying more, the government is collecting more, yet the lived experiences of the majority are deteriorating. In its defence, government officials have argued that short-term fiscal consolidation is necessary to put the economy back on a sustainable path. Still, for millions of Nigerians facing daily hardship, promises about future projects are cold comfort. Experts sound the alarm Across the expert commentaries, one theme stands out clearly: while Nigeria’s revenue reforms were necessary in principle, their design and implementation have so far failed to prioritise the human cost. Without immediate corrective measures to ease the burden on households and businesses, there is a real risk that the government’s quest for revenue will deepen inequality, erode social cohesion, and ultimately undermine the very stability it seeks to build. Dr Aliyu Ilias, a development economist based in Abuja, said the government’s aggressive revenue drive has strained both individuals and the broader economy. “There are different ways of generating revenue,” he noted, “but when you look at it closely, especially with the subsidy removal and the increase in electricity tariffs, it’s clear the government is aggressively collecting more from the people without cushioning the impact.” He argued that the government should have managed its revenue drive with more sensitivity, noting that FIRS even celebrated an increase in revenue collections after the national budget was significantly increased, raising questions about the government’s actual fiscal discipline. According to Ilias, the immediate effect of these aggressive revenue moves has been the erosion of purchasing power. “Before now, Nigerians could boast of relatively stable living standards. But today, survival has become an everyday struggle. Fuel subsidy removal alone has drastically increased transport costs, which have rippled into food prices and general living expenses,” he said. He warned that the government’s singular focus on collecting more taxes without addressing inflation or supporting businesses would lead to long-term damage to the economy, with rising nutritional deficiencies as families cut back on food spending just to survive. Crucially, Ilias emphasised that while the government might succeed in funding infrastructure projects from its newfound revenues, it risks alienating the populace. “People are paying more, suffering more, and yet not seeing direct improvements in their lives,” he said. “There must be a human face to these reforms. Promises of change must be backed with action—whether in the delivery of affordable energy alternatives like CNG, or in ensuring food availability.” Adding his voice to the debate, Professor Adeola Adenikinju, President of the Nigerian Economic Society, stressed that while revenue growth is important, reforms must go hand in hand with economic expansion and business-friendly policies. He argued that a narrow focus on boosting government coffers without considering real sector growth risks deepening Nigeria’s structural weaknesses. “The business industry must be able to adapt, yes, but government policies must support that adaptation,” he said. “It’s not just about growing revenue — it’s about creating an enabling environment where businesses can thrive, where employment can grow, and where individuals can increase their real incomes.” Adenikinju called for a coordinated strategy that not only enhances fiscal efficiency but also nurtures an environment of economic resilience. “Without a focus on productivity, human capital development, and infrastructure, revenue gains will be short-lived,” he warned. Dr. Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, offered perhaps the sharpest critique. He argued that while macroeconomic stability is critical, the social consequences of the reforms have been devastating and need urgent attention. “The social outcomes of the current reforms have been extremely, very devastating,” he said. “It is not enough to focus solely on orthodox economic goals like deregulation, inflation targeting, and balance of payment stability.” Yusuf warned against an overreliance on textbook economic prescriptions, noting that Nigeria’s unique socio-economic realities require creative policy-making. “What works in Europe or the United States may not work here. We need tailored interventions,” he said. He proposed that the government must directly intervene in critical sectors impacting daily life, such as agriculture, energy, transportation, and healthcare, even if it means subsidising these areas strategically. Specifically, Yusuf advocated for the establishment of heavily subsidised public transportation systems, such as public buses and trains, to offset the transportation shocks caused by fuel price deregulation. “You can’t have an environment where the cost of transportation is left entirely to the private sector after petrol subsidies are removed,” he said. “Public sector-driven transportation systems must provide affordable alternatives for the poor.” He also called for smart agricultural subsidies to address the food inflation crisis and for investments in public health and education systems to ensure that essential services remain accessible despite economic pressures. “The aim,” he said, “should be to balance economic objectives with social protection. Otherwise, these reforms will continue to leave too many Nigerians behind.” Yusuf echoed concerns raised by others, noting that although government revenues have improved, the benefits have not been translated into visible support for citizens. “If reforms are to be successful, revenue gains must be used to subsidise food, transport, health, education, and energy costs for the masses,” he said. “Otherwise, what we will have is a lopsided recovery—one where macroeconomic indicators improve on paper, but everyday life for the majority worsens.” For Adewale Abimbola, a Lagos-based economist, there is an acknowledgement that the reforms were, in some respects, inevitable. “To be fair, the reforms were necessary to put Nigeria on the path of stability,” he said. “When this administration came on board, a lot of things were abnormal—the unchecked use of Ways and Means, the fuel subsidy controversy, and so on. Correcting these distortions was necessary.” However, Abimbola pointed out that the sequencing of the reforms left much to be desired. “If social intervention programmes had been properly implemented alongside these reforms, the effects on poverty would have been less severe,” he said. While he acknowledged some early wins, such as a slight improvement in Nigeria’s external reserve position and hints of easing inflation, he noted that for most Nigerians, the reforms remain an abstract concept divorced from everyday reality. “Let’s hope these pains translate to sustainable gains,” he said, voicing a cautious optimism tempered by the struggles of millions. As the Tinubu administration moves deeper into its term, the next phase of its economic programme must be about balance: balancing fiscal discipline with social welfare, balancing revenue expansion with economic growth, and balancing macroeconomic targets with human dignity. Without this shift, Nigeria’s path to economic self-sufficiency may continue to leave too many of its citizens behind.

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News_Naija

Flight Delays, Bird Strikes, Runway Skids: Nigerian Aviation Sectors Persistent Safety Challenges (2)

Despite a robust regulatory framework and billions spent on safety initiatives, Nigeria’s aviation sector remains plagued by recurring incidents, ageing aircraft, and weak oversight, leaving passenger safety hanging in the balance, writes PRINCESS ETUK in the final part of this report Nigeria’s aviation sector operates under a comprehensive regulatory framework designed to ensure safety, security, and efficiency in air transportation. The primary legislation governing civil aviation is the Civil Aviation Act 2022, which aligns national regulations with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. This Act establishes the legal and institutional framework for civil aviation, addressing safety and security concerns, and enhancing the operational standards of airline services in Nigeria. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority serves as the apex regulatory body, empowered by the CAA to oversee and regulate aviation safety without political interference. The NCAA’s responsibilities include certifying air operators, licensing personnel, ensuring the airworthiness of aircraft, and conducting safety oversight functions of airports and airspace. The authority operates based on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2023, a comprehensive document comprising 20 parts that cover various aspects of aviation operations, such as personnel licensing, aircraft registration, airworthiness, and operations. In addition to the NCAA, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau plays a critical role in the aviation safety framework. Established under the NSIB Act, the bureau is responsible for the investigation of air accidents and incidents, with the aim of identifying causes and recommending preventive measures. The Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2024 outline the procedures and standards for conducting these investigations, ensuring transparency and adherence to international best practices. Despite this robust regulatory framework, challenges persist in the enforcement of aviation safety regulations in Nigeria. Issues such as ageing aircraft fleets, inadequate maintenance practices, and infrastructural limitations have been identified as factors contributing to safety concerns. For instance, many Nigerian airlines operate ageing fleets, increasing the likelihood of technical failures. Implementing predictive maintenance technologies and enforcing stricter aircraft lifecycle regulations have been suggested as measures to improve safety outcomes. Furthermore, while the NCAA has the authority to enforce compliance through sanctions and procedures outlined in the Nig.CARs, the effectiveness of these enforcement mechanisms has been a subject of discussion. The NCAA’s powers include reviewing reported violations, conducting investigations and hearings, issuing subpoenas, and prosecuting offenders with the consent of the Attorney General. However, the practical implementation of these powers and the consistency in applying sanctions remain areas requiring continuous improvement to ensure compliance and enhance safety standards. In December 2024, a Fly Bird HS 125 aircraft operating a flight from Abuja to Accra experienced a critical in-flight emergency, losing both engines midair. The incident unfolded shortly after departure from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, when the crew reported an issue with engine number two while climbing through flight level 240. Approximately 25 nautical miles southwest of VOR station VONUK, the crew decided to return to Abuja. During the descent, engine number two failed at flight level 230, and upon approaching Abuja at around 5,000 feet, the crew declared a Mayday, indicating the loss of engine number one. Despite these severe challenges, the pilots managed to land safely at 18:16 UTC, with all four individuals on board, three crew members and one passenger escaping unharmed. In January 2025, a United Airlines flight from Lagos, Nigeria, to Washington, D.C., experienced a sudden and severe in-flight movement over Ivory Coast airspace, leading to injuries among passengers and crew. The Boeing 787, carrying 245 passengers, three pilots, and eight flight attendants, was forced to return to Lagos, where it landed safely. Four passengers and two flight attendants received medical attention for minor injuries and were subsequently released. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board then initiated an investigation into the incident. According to Business Times, the Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, highlighted the ongoing issue of poor communication regarding flight statuses. She noted that even FAAN itself does not always have accurate information about when flights will take off. This lack of coordination between airlines, airport staff, and passengers only exacerbates frustration during delays, as travellers are often left without clear updates. Airline operators also shared their challenges, particularly in managing passenger expectations during weather-related delays. Speaking on this issue, CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, explained that when flights are delayed due to weather conditions, airlines cannot proceed with departures. However, many passengers feel uninformed, despite the airline’s efforts to provide updates. Onyema further pointed out that the situation becomes even more complicated when flights are suddenly rescheduled after weather conditions improve. This often leads to a rush of passengers trying to board at the same time, overwhelming FAAN staff and creating additional operational difficulties. Despite these ongoing challenges, stakeholders agreed on the need for improved collaboration to address these issues. Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo suggested that airlines should adjust their schedules and keep one aircraft on standby to help mitigate delays. In 2023, Onyema detailed that Airpeace experienced 18 bird strike incidents, expressing concern that more could occur before the year’s end. Onyema criticised federal policies for undermining domestic airlines and highlighted the government’s lack of support for their growth. He cited a recent incident where a bird strike damaged the engine of a newly acquired Embraer 195 E2, costing approximately $3.2m to repair. Additionally, the aircraft was grounded for a week due to delays caused by the Nigerian Customs Service in delivering necessary parts. Onyema also noted that Air Peace lost two aircraft to bird strikes in a single day at Benin Airport, emphasising that such resources could have been better utilised elsewhere. In response to these incidents of aviation safety, Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, however, argued that the regulatory body has consistently lived up to its responsibilities. According to him, “Even the operators themselves have given a vote of confidence to the NCAA,” he noted. Citing Allen Oyema, vice-chairman of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Achimugu said: “He said in the presence of the chairman the United Airlines, he said, everything NCAA needs to do, every role it needs to play for them, NCAA has done it. Anything that the NCAA has not done is not under the purview of the NCAA. So we’ve played our part.” Achimugu stressed that bird strike prevention does not fall within the NCAA’s responsibilities but rather lies with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.  “Bird strike equipment is a purview of FAAN,” he clarified, “but even where that equipment is available, even abroad, it doesn’t stop bird strikes from happening. It just limits, it minimises.” He pointed to global examples like the tragic Jeju Air crash in South Korea that claimed 200 lives due to a bird strike, highlighting that even well-equipped countries are not immune. “Are we also saying South Korea does not have bird strike equipment? They do, but it happened. It happens still.” Achimugu concluded with a reminder of Nigeria’s relatively strong safety record: “In Nigeria, I think that we’ve been quite fortunate. Compared to a whole lot of other countries, especially from the advanced countries, we don’t have serious incidents. FAAN also has pyrotechnics that they use to fight birds.” A member of the Aviation Round Table, Olumide Ohunayo, acknowledged NCAA’s efforts under the leadership of Captain Chris Najomo but stressed the importance of continuous improvement. “He met a lot of gaps on the ground, both on the safety area, consumer protection, consumer services, even regulations and the staff welfare. All they have been addressing in order to improve safety.” However, Ohunayo pointed to lingering deficiencies, particularly in communication between security agencies. “What we can only do is mitigate and reduce incidences, communication among the agencies, the security agencies within the country, to have a single portal so that information will not be delayed.” He also highlighted urgent needs in infrastructure. “Look at the cameras at the airport, it’s inadequate, you need to add more. Some of the machines that are meant to help search passengers are down and are not serviceable,” he said. “Even for the navigational side, they needed equipment to improve navigation within the airspace and the ability to have that bird’s-eye view of the airspace, especially in Nigeria. All require appropriate funding and an accurate pursuit of priorities.” Despite these gaps, Ohunayo affirmed the overall safety record, “Our safety records are not too bad. We have all the necessary certifications. The only one we have lost is the FAA Category 1 certification of the US, but that will be restored when we are ready to operate.” Another aviation expert and CEO of Centurion Security Limited, John Ojikutu, gave a historical lens on the problem of bird strikes, which he argues has been mismanaged for decades. “It’s very unfortunate that in our age in aviation, we are still holding on to weather. It bothers me a lot,” Ojikutu began, pointing to fundamental gaps in understanding and operational philosophy. “There’s what we call Instrument Flight Rule, either you fly inside weather or you are flying into weather. And there’s what we also call VFR, you don’t have to be looking outside. Your instrument will direct you.” Reflecting on past issues around Lagos airports, Ojikutu said, “Around 2005, 2006, we had a problem of bird strikes. All those areas coming into Lagos were full of birds. So FAAN brought in machines and people who study birds and they put them there. I’m not sure that FAAN was able to keep them for more than two years.” He lamented the seeming disregard for sustainable bird control, suggesting that FAAN failed to treat the problem with long-term seriousness. “The machine went bad. I don’t know whether they sacked them or they left them. So that means they didn’t take all these things seriously.” For Ojikutu, the broader issue is one of clarity and responsibility. “There are a lot of things we need to look seriously into. Which agency should be in charge of which one? Is it the airport operator? Or the Aerodrome control operator? When I’m talking of aerodrome operator, it includes the runway, which is FAAN.” He also offered a critique of political interference and regulatory inconsistency,  “This is part of the regulator and political office holders. They just come in. They talk more of their own advantage than about safety. And that’s why for a long time, I have clamoured for an airport concession.”