The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed attendance for the launch of a book, ‘100 Years of Civil Aviation In Nigeria: History, Issues and Prospects’, taking place in Lagos on Friday, May 23, 2025.
The author of the book and aviation editor with New Telegraph Newspaper, Wole Shadare, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday.
He named personalities to join the minister at the event, which include the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Chris Najomo; Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Engr. Umar Farouk; former Director-General, NCAA, Dr Harold Demuren; Chairman of Resort Group, Dr Wale Babalakin; former President, Aviation Safety Round Table (ART), Dr Gabriel Olowo; former Nigerian Ambassador to Togo, Debo Adesina; among others.”
Shadare said the personalities had given their commitment to grace the book launch, which will be held at Golfview Hotel, 12 Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo Road, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
He described the 25-chapter book as a “compendium of facts and figures on the aviation journey” that will aid scholars and researchers who desire to know how aviation has evolved over the past 100 years in Nigeria.
According to him, Demuren, who wrote the foreword, said the book contains valuable information on the industry that aviation professionals, airline operators, service providers, practitioners, decision makers, students and researchers would find useful.
Demuren added that “The story of Nigeria’s aviation industry has been put in the correct perspective by the author, using his rich and varied experience and uninhibited access to relevant source materials, historical and contemporary areas of Nigeria’s aviation history.
“The book does not only deal with history but also takes a passionate look at contemporary issues in Nigeria regarding the regulation of the aviation industry and management of agencies, the contentious bilateral air services agreements Nigeria has signed with other countries, local and international aero-politics, as well as the controversial politics of a national carrier.”
Shadare stated that the book is the first major updated work that gives an account of the aviation industry from 1925 to 2025.
He further disclosed that the book will be reviewed by Prof. Anthony Kila, a Jean Monnet professor of strategy and development, political economist, strategist, public intellectual and director at the Commonwealth Institute for Advanced and Professional Studies, Lagos.
The chairman of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Babalakin, will chair the book launch, which will feature the maiden edition of the Aviation Metric Colloquium, an annual event that will bring together decision-makers to propose solutions to many issues affecting the aviation industry.
The first edition, which will be held under the theme ‘Issues in the growth and development of aviation in Nigeria: A critical perspective’, is expected to critique happenings in the aviation industry and how to tackle the many problems plaguing it.
