Investigations supported by records from the Nigerian Civil Aviation School has shown that Mr. Sam Phil-Ebosie holds the record of being Nigeria’s youngest commercial pilot licensee; and not Favour Odozor as reported by the media weeks ago.

20 year old Favour Odozor who graduated at the Afrika Union Aviation Academy (AUAA), Mafikeng, South Africa was reported as the youngest Nigerian pilot to get the Commercial Pilot Licence, CPL.
However, the late Sam Phil-Ebosie who passed away in 2012, graduated as a licensed commercial pilot at the age of 19 in 1970.

Sam was born 27th July 1951, after his secondary school education at Kings College Lagos was admitted into the second course at the Nigerian Civil Aviation School Zaria, graduating top of his class as a pilot in 1970.

According to investigations, “He thereafter commenced his commercial flying career with the then Nigerian Airways Ltd. Through his career, he was trained on the Fokker 27, Fokker 28, Boeing 737, Boeing 707 and DC 10. While at Nigeria Airways, he was confirmed the youngest Fokker F 27 Captain at the age of 25 years in 1977. The height of his professional flying career was when, as the youngest ever captain in the world, he flew the wide bodied aircraft at the age of 30 years in 1981”.

During his career, he was Captain for the Presidency on the Presidential Fleet who flew President Shehu Shagari, Vice President Alex Ekweme on several occasions.
Sam who later retired from Nigeria Airways in 1985, worked with other international aviation companies Saudi Airlines; PH Aviation Teterboro, New Jersey, UPS, New York and Federal Express Memphis.

He retired from commercial flying after 27 years in 1995. Upon retirement he set up his own private aviation support company called Skynote and until his death, remained a keen aviator, consulting in different areas of the aviation sector.
http://flynaija.org/phil-ebosie-holds-the-record-and-not-favour-nigerias-youngest-commercial-pilot/