Ignorance is not bliss Kobojunkie.Couple of flights in and out of Owerri each month?God have mercy!

No need for God to have mercy on you there. I am willing to say I should have used numbers instead there rather than the word 'couple' since I  am speaking to people like you and comparing flights out of the many airports to that out of international airports like MMIA, PHC, and Abuja.  My Mistake !

OK  . . back to the issue . .  we have the major airports in the country handling thousands of flights each month and then we have 4 additional Eastern airports that handle about  2000 flights a month alltogether. Now, back to the question, why is there a need for an extra airport? Even more, why is there a need for another MMIA-capacity(5 Million a year) airport in the eastern block when PHC there seems to handle most of the traffic that way still?

Are we finally going to get answers or just more knitpicking?

Kobojunkie:

Anambra States population as of 2006 was at about 5 million

The key words in my post being "densely populated".

Kobojunkie:

Please, instead of jumping around the place here. We are discussing the need or none of an additional airport in the Eastern belt, let us please focus on just that here.

I'm jumping around the place for mentioning a well-known fact? Yes, it pertains to the issue. The airports in the north do not generate any revenues either, since that's what you're concerned with. So, why do they still exist?

Imo state, according to the same census, has a population of about 4 million people yet Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri continues to struggle to reach half of its capacity, let along generate enough revenue to handle maintenance and upgrades.

Why would it "generate revenue" when most of these airports could barely pass for one? Low quality and underdeveloped so-called airports. Yes, there are TWO airports in the East but how many Igbo people actually use them? If I was to go to Nigeria now, It would be Lagos airport and travel by car to Anambra.

Kobojunkie:

Akwa Ibom and the rest are Eastern States. If you look at the Map of Nigeria, you would see that those states fall within the Eastern belt, Eastern side of the Niger Or we can say, the former Bight of Biafra. Rivers state people are considered Ibos. If we want to drill down to technicality, we can try to do that on another thread but WE ALL KNOW, even internationals know that people from the eastern part of Nigerian are usually considered the Ibos and the North, the Hausas, and then the west are the Yorubas.

Good for you. The fact that you even say 'Ibo' puts you on the same level as Bk/babe, the so-called African American/Colombian who has more headache over Nigeria's affairs(specifically Igbo) than its citizens.

Building an airport may not be the biggest problem but the existing ones are of very poor quality. Whether building a new one in ANOTHER Eastern state that currently doesn't have one or renovating the existing ones. Obviously no one patronizes these airports that much. I know I've never used any of these so-called airports in the East.

Whats happening here? All these arguments about airport. let me reread, and learn the source of all the brouhaha

Aren't the Calabar, Enugu, and Owerri airports classified as "domestic"? Also, can P.H. airport actually be considered a full-fledged international airport? Seems rather domestic to me. Anyway, for me, my whole problem is having to land in Lagos and then drive to Igboland. Why can't I just simply land in Igboland (just saying)?

ChinenyeN:

Aren't the Calabar, Enugu, and Owerri airports classified as "domestic"? Also, can P.H. airport actually be considered a full-fledged international airport? Seems rather domestic to me. Anyway, for me, my whole problem is having to land in Lagos and then drive to Igboland. Why can't I just simply land in Igboland (just saying)?

Exactly. Domestic, like people would actually patronize those just to travel within the country.

chiogo:

Exactly. Domestic, like people would actually patronize those just to travel within the country.

Child, shouldnt you be enjoying your vaca in Naija?
I swear, if I was in Nigeria, Ekiti sef mno go rest from my enjoyment

FL Gators:

Child, shouldnt you be enjoying your vaca in Naija?
I swear, if I was in Nigeria, Ekiti sef mno go rest from my enjoyment

I'm not in Naija on vacay. Where did you get that from?

chiogo:

The key word in my post being "densely populated".

OK . . .  but how many Anambranians currently travel from any of the surrounding airports enough to justify the need for an airport in Anambra. Does dense populated automagically mean more people will travel via air? Note: Lagos maybe densely populated but you also need to remember that a huge number of the people out there cannot afford to travel by air. So you still have to explain how population translates to purchasing of tickets and flying.  Again, Imo state has a population of about 4 million, about 1 million less than Anambra state, yet, if you look at the report in my other ports, about 300 thousand people used the airport (I am guessing on flights into and out of the airport) in all of 2009.

chiogo:

I'm jumping around the place for mentioning a well-known fact? Yes, it pertains to the issue. The airports in the north do not generate any revenues either, since that's what you're concerned with. So, why do they still exist?

Like I said, we are NOT discussing the North, or the West. This discussion is on the Eastern States and the need or none of an additional Airport. When we change the topic to discussing the north, let me know. For now, I am on Eastern states).

chiogo:

Why would it "generate revenue" when most of these airports could barely pass for one? Low quality and underdeveloped so-called airports. Yes, there are TWO airports in the East but how many Igbo people actually use them? If I was to go to Nigeria now, It would be Lagos airport and travel by car to Anambra.

What exactly is low quality here?  Take Owerri for instance. People still fly in and out of that airport each year. Businesses use it; it seems to work for the few. What exactly do you need these airports to have for you to fly?

I do not travelled by car to the east; I dread the thought of such a journey. It is easier to fly to Calabar, and then drive to the next destination. Many of our Expatriates use these same airports to go to the east, and when leaving. I am not sure how many ibos use the airports, and I am glad you asked that question. How many Ibos really want to travel by air? What exactly do ibos want of airports when all they really need is board the plane to take them where they need to go?

Another reason the airports are probably not used as much as they should is probably that the state is not doing enough to get airlines to offer the people specials and INFORMATION on where they can go and when. I believe that is one of the main problems down there. I remember driving all the way out from Owerri to Calabar to board a plane to Lagos, and not realizing there was an airport right in Owerri, that would have cut my journey by half, if only that information were made available to me somehow. I was visiting and there was no information centre or desk to even help.

chiogo:

Good for you. The fact that you even say 'Ibo' puts you on the same level as Bk/babe, the so-called African American/Colombian who has more headache over Nigeria's affairs(specifically Igbo) than its citizens.

Can we please stick to discussing the issue? I hate sidetracking

chiogo:
Building an airport may not be the biggest problem but the existing ones are of very poor quality. Whether building a new one in ANOTHER Eastern state that currently doesn't have one or renovating the existing ones. Obviously no one patronizes these airports that much. I know I've never used any of these so-called airports in the East.

Fine . . . I am glad you at least admit there is likely not a need for a new airport in the Eastern bloc since the current ones out there are not even used much, and we are now back to the Nigerian problem. Akanu Ibiam is supposed to be undergoing renovation as we speak. The people paid for Sam Mbakwe, and I venture to say the state is probably responsible for handling any renovation work necessary. I am not sure how much it is costing the people.  

All airports manned by the federal government are experiencing the level of decay. Therefore, when it comes to infrastructural decay, it is not about the Ibos but Nigeria as a whole. MMIA is itself in dire need of renovations and it currently handles most of the traffic in and out, and around of Nigeria.

nawa for dis chiogo gal wetin dey do her sef?

theres an international airport in PH right one in calabar right, withother domestic airports? all in  the EAST - according to some biafrans lol its considered the "East". They are all the same Now.

so whats the big deal. Theres and interional airport serving the West, north and East, or is an igbokwenu person not govenor of river state?

Nawa for dis greediness ohhh. . . . .

SEFAGO:

Whats happening here? All these arguments about airport. let me reread, and learn the source of all the brouhaha

plz provide a summary for us after u have re-read. i'm curious as well

chiogo:

Exactly. Domestic, like people would actually patronize those just to travel within the country.

Remember I asked you earlier what makes an airport an international airport? Well it turns out that any airport can have the word INTERNATIONAL tagged on to it. Nothing stops an Airport like Sam Mbakwe from growing to the point where it has enough passengers to fly directly from Owerri to London. Once it can do it, I think people will start to see it as a, for lack of a better word, 'TRUE' international airport.

The Airport in Calabar and the Akwa ibom airports handle only a few international operations now. But if that number grows, who knows, We could fly non-stop someday directly to Calabar. Till then, Flights with stopovers is not a bad idea.

chiogo:

I'm not in Naija on vacay. Where did you get that from?  

Ohh I read it yest jare. My bad.

now I have finished my finals Im here to say YES THERE ARE AIRPORTS ALL AROUND NIGERIA PEOPLE JUST DONT USE THEM. dont know why but they dont!

now whos fault is that - that you drive from Lagos to enugu, where there are domestic airports lol

Kobojunkie:

Remember I asked you earlier what makes an airport an international airport? Well it turns out that any airport can have the word INTERNATIONAL tagged on to it. Nothing stops an Airport like Sam Mbakwe from growing to the point where it has enough passengers to fly directly from Owerri to London. Once it can do it, I think people will start to see it as a, for lack of a better word, 'TRUE' international airport.

The Airport in Calabar and the Akwa ibom airports handle only a few international operations now. But if that number grows, who knows, We could fly non-stop someday directly to Calabar. Till then, Flights with stopovers is not a bad idea.

Oh really? Any airport can have the word INTERNATIONAL tagged to it? Hmm, interesting but I don't think so.
Again, you're still mentioning Calabar and Akwa Ibom, obviously you and I are not on the same page. Even if we agree that these are Eastern states(which they're not), a person whose destination is Anambra would still have to drive for some hours to get there. See ChinenyeN's post.

For Anambrarians, there is Asaba International(which again will start domestic and maybe move up to international as time goes on), Sam MBakwe in Owerri, and Akanu Ibiam in Enugu.

I don't know how anyone can cut River's State, Akwa Ibom, Cross river out of the Eastern Bloc of Nigeria.

ok guys, I need clarification on something. what states qualify as being igbo? what are the eastern ethnic groups beside igbo?

oyinda.:

ok guys, I need clarification on something. what states qualify as being igbo? what are the eastern ethnic groups beside igbo?

igbo states- Akwa ibom, cross river, River state, enugu, abia, imo, ANAMBRA, ebonyi.

Everyone in the EAST IS IGBO- there are no other ethnic groups

Competition for ignorance here is high.

sjeezy8:

igbo states- Akwa ibom, cross river, River state, enugu, abia, imo, ANAMBRA, ebonyi.

Everyone in the EAST IS IGBO- there are no other ethnic groups

sjeezy8:

igbo states- Akwa ibom, cross river, River state, enugu, abia, imo, ANAMBRA, ebonyi.

Everyone in the EAST IS IGBO- there are no other ethnic groups

ok thanks for the clarification. it confuses me when i hear "calabar people this" "igbo people that" then i think to myself, aren't calabar people igbo? lol
and why is ANAMBRA in caps lock? is that where you are from?

South-East = Igbo, even google knows. It's that simple. As far as I know, there are five Eastern(Igbo) states - Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi

Sure, there are some Igbos in Delta and Rivers but very low percentage. That's why they're called South-South.

Are Akwa Ibom people Igbo? Do they refer to themselves as such?

But whatever, I'm done arguing. The bottom line is that even if there exists airports in the East, most of them are NOT yet recognized as international. At the end of the day, they're useless to many Igbos esp. those outside the country.

oyinda.:

ok thanks for the clarification. it confuses me when i hear "calabar people this" "igbo people that" then i think to myself, aren't calabar people igbo? lol
and why is ANAMBRA in caps lock? is that where you are from?

YEA ANAMBRA STATE BOY 4 LIFE PROPER ONISHTA BOY- I REP IGBO KWENU WE ARE THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD.

But whatever, I'm done arguing. The bottom line is that even if there exists airports in the East, most of them are NOT yet recognized as international. At the end of the day, they're useless to many Igbos esp. those outside the country.

You dont just recognize an airport as international chiogo- you need to create facilities that can make it an international airport. International plane flights require a lot of facilities and man power that cost money. Even murtala muhammad does not have sufficient facilities b4 you make another airport in the east. Dont forget that its not just incoming flights but outgoing one- now the US has to worry about some south-east/south-south terrorist from MEND  

oyinda.:

ok thanks for the clarification. it confuses me when i hear "calabar people this" "igbo people that" then i think to myself, aren't calabar people igbo? lol
and why is ANAMBRA in caps lock? is that where you are from?

Sjeezy8 is yarning you yams  

lol

As far as I know, there are five Eastern(Igbo) states - Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi

igbo states- Akwa ibom, cross river, River state, enugu, abia, imo, ANAMBRA, ebonyi.

sjeezy8 i always thought u were half yoruba for some reason. lol maybe because u keep going on about half yoruba girls.
anyways, how come ur list doesn't match chiogo's?   her's is missing those three i put in bold.
i kinda want to solve my confusion once and for all and feel less ignorant about igbo ethnic group.

lol jk

Chiogo, please research better before you say certain things.

Igbos in Delta make up about 40% of the native population of Delta state.
Igbos in Rivers make up about 75% of the native population of Rivers state.

There are minority population of native Igbos in Edo, Cross Rivers, Akwaibom and Benue.

SS is not SS because there are no Igbos there. Its just called SS for nonsensical and malicious reasons.

Calabar people are Efik lol, though there might be some igbo people. I would be the first to admit, I am really clueless about the complex identities in Nigeria

chiogo:

But whatever, I'm done arguing. The bottom line is that even if there exists airports in the East, most of them are NOT yet recognized as international. At the end of the day, they're useless to many Igbos esp. those outside the country.

To That I ask again, can you PROVE that the States you choose to classify as eastern states can supply ENOUGH business for the airports to become full-fledged international airports? Akanu Ibiam currently has the word INTERNATIONAL tagged on to it's name. What do you think will help make it a BONAFIDE international airport for you?

Ofcourse anything pass Ore is Igbo to Sleezy and the rest of em alaye boys. Painfully ignorant. Since when did Efik-Ibibio of Akwaibom become Igbo? They are closely related and similar but still distinct people.

udezue:

Chiogo, please research better before you say certain things.

Igbos in Delta make up about 40% of the native population of Delta state.
Igbos in Rivers make up about 75% of the native population of Rivers state.

There are minority population of native Igbos in Edo, Cross Rivers, Akwaibom and Benue.

SS is not SS because there are no Igbos there. Its just called SS for nonsensical and malicious reasons.

you too do your own research  those regions and states you named dont all call themselves igbo and just because you have some igbo roots doesnt make you igbo.