When Frederick Douglass penned, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will,” he might be thinking about “One Nigeria”! It is often said that names do not make reality; substance does. In Nigeria, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, stands as living proof of this paradox — an “international airport” without international flights, a supposed gateway that leads nowhere beyond the federation’s borders. It is a title without substance, a promise without fulfillment — a glaring metaphor for the systematic marginalization of the Southeast by successive federal governments that preach unity but practice exclusion, discrimination and oppression.

To call Enugu Airport “international” is to mock the very essence of the word. A true international airport connects nations, facilitates global movement, stimulates trade, and projects a nation’s image to the world. Lagos, Abuja, and Kano airports meet this criterion. Enugu does not.

What exists in Enugu is a glorified domestic terminal struggling to justify a name conferred upon it by political expediency rather than infrastructural readiness or administrative sincerity. In the dictionary of Nigerian politics, international is sometimes an empty adjective — bestowed for propaganda, not performance; for appeasement, not empowerment. Enugu Airport, in its stunted reality, captures this deception perfectly, and is a mockery of its name.

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A History of Hope and Betrayal, The Akanu Ibiam International Airport was upgraded to “international status” in 2013 under President Goodluck Jonathan, after decades of agitation by the people of the Southeast. It was meant to open the region to the world — facilitating direct foreign travel and promoting commerce, tourism, and investment. For once, the Southeast was to enjoy what others had long taken for granted: direct international connectivity. But like many good things in Nigeria, that dream was short-lived.Jonathan lacked the will and courage to achieve anything for the Southeast Nigeria.

Soon after Ethiopian Airlines began operations to and from Enugu, politics crept in. The route, though successful, was suspended under flimsy pretexts of safety and renovation. The airport was closed for rehabilitation, which lasted far longer than necessary. When it eventually reopened, the “international” designation remained only in name. No international flights returned. No serious effort was made to restore them.The federal government’s rhetoric about “upgrading infrastructure” and “ensuring safety” could not hide the underlying truth — the absence of political will to sustain an international gateway in the Southeast.

The airport’s fate mirrors that of a region that contributes immensely to Nigeria’s economy yet remains at the periphery of federal attention.The Unequal Sky: Lagos, Abuja, and Kano. A simple comparison among Nigeria’s major airports exposes the inequity.Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, is the nation’s busiest and best connected — a hub of global air traffic hosting virtually all major international carriers. Lagos is not just an airport; it is Nigeria’s primary gateway and symbol of global presence.

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, though younger, boasts modern facilities and multiple direct international routes — befitting its location in the capital. It enjoys constant federal attention and robust funding.

Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, despite serving a region with relatively less economic activity than the Southeast, maintains steady international operations, especially to the Middle East, driven by religious pilgrimage and consistent government support to Islam.

Now compare these with Enugu — a region with millions of industrious citizens and one of the largest diasporas in the world. Despite its potential as a commercial hub, its “international airport” remains eerily quiet, devoid of wide-bodied jets and bustling terminals.This is no accident. It is the product of deliberate neglect — a continuation of systemic marginalization that deprives the Southeast of infrastructural parity. Nigerian inhumanity to her citizens based on perpetuation of ethnic hatred, which often turns into conspiratorial morbidity.

Once a cradle of innovation and enterprise, the region is forced into dependency, relying on Lagos, Abuja, or Port Harcourt for global access.The Cost of Disconnection- Every flight diverted from Enugu to Lagos or Abuja is not just an inconvenience — it is an economic, emotional, and psychological cost designed to impoverish the Southeast. The absence of direct international flights discourages investors, limits trade, and stifles tourism. It sends a subtle but powerful message: you are disconnected.Diaspora citizens returning home for holidays must endure extra costs and stress, often landing in distant cities and taking long, dangerous journeys to reach their hometowns. Abhorably unfair.

For businesspeople, this inefficiency reduces competitiveness. For the regional economy, it translates into lost revenue and stagnation.Infrastructure is more than concrete and steel; it is a declaration of belonging. When a region’s infrastructure is persistently neglected and underdeveloped, the message is unmistakable — that it matters less. Federalism Without Fairness. Successive Nigerian governments, regardless of rhetoric or party, have failed the Southeast in infrastructural justice. The pattern is historical, structural, and moral. The same imbalance that denies the region roads, railways, and industries manifests in aviation.Are there Governors in the Southeast, one cannot feel their impact on the economy of that region. Lagos thrives because it is the commercial nerve center. Abuja prospers because it is the seat of power. Kano endures through northern solidarity and historical privilege. Enugu suffers because of political neglect — a lingering relic of post-war marginalization disguised as administrative convenience. True federalism demands equity — that every region be given equal access to opportunity. But in Nigeria, federalism has become a façade for centralized control, where resources are distributed by politics rather than fairness.Politics of Neglect and the Burden of Silence- What sustains Enugu’s neglect is not just federal indifference but regional disunity. The Southeast political elite have too often failed to speak with one voice. Divided by party loyalties and personal ambition, they allow collective neglect to persist.Where Lagos leaders fight fiercely for Lagos, and Kano leaders defend Kano, Enugu’s representatives often settle for promises and press releases, weak mental realities The result: a region perpetually waiting for what others receive as a right. Silence becomes complicity; resignation becomes acceptance. But no region advances by accepting injustice. The Southeast must move beyond lamentation — demanding equity through united, strategic action. It’s Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The Symbolism of Airspace Airports are not just transport facilities — they are symbols of pride, connectivity, and inclusion. For any region, a functional international airport signifies both dignity and development.When a traveler lands in Lagos, Abuja, or Kano, they feel the pulse of a connected nation. When they land in Enugu, they feel the void of exclusion. The difference is not geography — it is governance, deliberate exclusion by Leader. Airspace becomes a metaphor for freedom. The more open your skies, the freer your people. The more restricted your access, the more confined your destiny. To keep Enugu’s skies silent while others roar is to fence off a region from progress. What Must Be Done – Restoring Enugu Airport’s true international status is achievable — if there is sincerity of purpose devoid of nepotism, and primitive tribal politics the following can be done:

1. Reinstate and expand international routes. Airlines such as Ethiopian, Qatar, Turkish, and Emirates should be encouraged — through incentives — to operate from Enugu.

2. Upgrade infrastructure. Runway, terminal, and navigation systems must meet global standards through sustained investment, not cosmetic refurbishments.

3. Decentralize aviation governance. Allow state governments and private investors more participation in route development and airport management.

4. Promote regional economic integration. Enugu should serve as an aviation hub for the Southeast, linking trade zones in Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, and Imo.

5. Rebuild political unity. Southeast leaders must speak with one voice — beyond party lines — for shared development goals. Only coordinated action can restore the Southeast’s rightful place in Nigeria’s aviation map and national conscience. A Call for National ReflectionThe continued exclusion of Enugu Airport from international operations raises moral questions about Nigeria’s unity. How can citizens feel equal when their access to the world is curtailed? How can a nation claim greatness when some regions fly while others crawl? The irony is painful: Nigeria calls itself the “Giant of Africa,” yet within its own borders, it practices selective growth, the scorpion of her citizens?

True greatness begins with fairness at home. Neglecting Enugu Airport is not just poor policy — it is justice with wings clipped. A nation that limits one region’s flight limits its own. Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Enugu should complement, not compete. Only then, can Nigeria be truly united in the sky.

In conclusion, the sky must be free for all! An airport is more than a terminal; it is a promise — a covenant between government and citizens that their dreams can take flight. The silence of Enugu’s tarmac is the echo of unkept promises and the weight of inequality. Restoring international flights to Enugu is not just a matter of logistics; it is a test of justice. It is a chance to restore faith in federal fairness and national inclusion. It provides strong motivation for agitations for separation by Southeasterners. Enugu Airport must rise again — not just as glass and steel, but as a beacon of equality. For in the sky, no region should be grounded. Ida B. Wells penned, “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” It’s time Enugu International Airport was made a full-fledged fuctioning international airport.

Livy-Elcon Emereonye writes from Lagos, Nigeria