Former aviation minister Femi Fani‑Kayode has defended former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the wake of the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, arguing that the airline’s demise was rooted in mismanagement that began before 1999.
Fani‑Kayode, who served as minister of aviation during the 1990s, said that the collapse of the national carrier was not a result of Obasanjo’s policies but rather a continuation of problems that had been building for years.
He pointed to the period before 1999 as a time when Nigeria Airways suffered from poor management and financial missteps that ultimately left the airline vulnerable when it was eventually liquidated.
According to the former minister, the decision to wind down the airline was a consequence of long‑standing operational and fiscal issues that could not be rectified under the subsequent administration.
The comments come amid ongoing discussions about the legacy of Nigeria Airways and the role of government oversight in its final years.
<small>Source: Punch Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>