The Akwa Ibom state government has renamed the Ibom International Airport: Victor Attah International Airport.
Mr Attah, widely revered as the “father of modern Akwa Ibom”, conceived and began the airport when he was governor from 1999 to 2007.
Construction work of the aiport began in 2006 but was completed by Godswill Akpabio, the third democratically elected governor of the state, in 2009.
The airport was officially inaugurated on September 23, 2009, and the first scheduled passenger service commenced on December 2, 2009, when Arik Air offered flights to Abuja and Lagos.
The airport, built and owned by the state government, is one of the busiest in Nigeria’s South-south region.
Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly at its plenary on Monday, November 19 passed a resolution calling on Governor Udom Emmanuel to name the airport or Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden after ex-governor Victor Attah who turned 80 on Tuesday, November 20.
“By the special resolution from the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, I now rename Akwa Ibom International Airport to Victor Attah International Airport,” the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, said on Saturday, during a state banquet organised in Uyo to honour Mr Attah on his 80 birthday
The people kept shouting and clapping, joyfully, as Mr Udom and Mr Attah hugged each other passionately.
“Because you have honoured me tonight, in future somebody will also honour you,” Mr Attah told the governor.
