My people, wetin I go tell you now na correct gist from inside Murtala Muhammed Airport wey be Lagos biggest airport. Dem say na for that airport dem dey see different levels of drama everyday, and I no go lie, e mean say we dey miss plenty of comedy for that place.
Fast forward to 10 October 2024, I dey there with my fellow aviation journalists, all of us wan cover the new Neos Airline wey just land for Nigeria. E suppose land by 9:30 pm, but as usual, wahala show face, and the plane no land until about 11:30 pm. Na so I decide say I go chop small nightlife for this airport, wetin I never do before.
As everybody dey waka go their houses, I still dey feel say I fit get better gist, so I settle down for the airport. Na im I meet one junior staff for FAAN wey carry me and one of my guys, Dare, come show us some comfort, give us chair make we rest a little. Na so we begin yarn about all the dramas wey don happen for that airport.
Dem tell us story of one woman wey miss her flight with Air Maroc. This babe no fit control her wahala. She come dey shout say, “Otukpo people, I go die here!” as if na the villagers dey stop her from travelling. As she dey shout for ground, we dey laugh, but trust me, the drama no stop there oh!
When we go meet am to ask wetin happen, she talk say na her village people dey problem. She don hustle for two years just to get money to travel go meet her sister, but as she finally come get the dough, dem don close gate on top her head. I just tell her make she calm down, say dem go reschedule her flight. She dey vex say dem threaten to beat her, but I assure her say everything go alright as we carry am go meet the airline officials.
The airport no be place wey go lack entertainment. E dey hot, as soon as passengers land, dem go meet military officers wey no dey take nonsense. Anytime dem see people dey argue, wahala go burst. And for Terminal 2, you go fit see as new passengers dey fall for the hand of touts wey go deceive them for money-solving tricks.
As you dey enter, luggage dey go through scanning, and some Customs people go still insist say dem wan check manually, and some dey still collect money from innocent travelers. Story don reach where one Customs officer even dey ask man for money on clothes and perfumes wey be personal use. Na so e don dey cost some people wahala wey no be them plan.
FAAN don try plenty strategies to tackle this wahala, but e be like say corruption no wan gree go. Dem try involve National Security Adviser, but e no clear yet. Some Senator even shout say all this carrying and begging for airport na national embarrassment. FAAN come promise say dem go clean up their act with new measures, wey dem call “Operation Air Clean” just to make sure say airport dey more conducive.
The FAAN boss talk say dem go start magistrate courts for every airport if dem no fit change. Dem dey plan to help genuine travellers make airport sweet, but for now, wahala still dey crowd the place. Na so my pipo dey stem the drama inside Murtala Muhammed Airport.
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