MMA is a disgrace to Nigeria, the designer is a traitor – Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin writes VP Osinbajo

Oredola Adeola|

 Movie and Documentary producer, Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin Dudu, has exposed the level of rot at the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos in an open letter written to Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President.

In the letter, the Documentary photographer, disclosed that the arrival system in Muritala Muhammed airport is a disgrace to Nigeria. He particularly noted that Nigeria has no aviation Minister, adding that whosoever designed the arrival system in MMA is a traitor.

Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin

He said, “Sir I’m directing my comments to you because I’m aware you toured that airport before the elections. They showed you the glittering lounges . However when you arrive in Nigeria or you go to receive someone arriving, it’s a horror story. It’s a total disgrace. Let me explain.

“I had cause to go and welcome someone coming in from the US. We parked in the designated car park. Then the obstacles started. The path you have to trek to get to the front of the arrival hall is crazy. You have to dodge and weave in between honking cars lined up on the ramp to the departure gate. When you finally get to the the arrival gate , you now behold a disgraceful sight.

“Nigerians waiting to receive people, standing like refugees or illegal immigrants waiting at Red Cross camp. You can’t enter the lounge to wait as it’s done all over the world , yet no chairs or decent cover to stay under to shield from sun or rain. The little provided can only sit around 20 people. We were at least 130 people waiting to receive people.

“ Nigeria can not provide chairs and canopy. We were left standing for over two hours . No electronic board to monitor arriving flights except a cracking loudspeaker . And of course the aggressive cane wielding mopol making sure we stay in our lane. You could see many people sitting on bare floor on the blocked road.

“Finally your guest comes out and your relief will be short lived. You meander through scores of ever present touts and taxi drivers and push push push your trolley along a never ending gangway.

" Finally you burst out at pick up point, and behold the path does not lead to the car park where your car is . It leads to the other side of the airport and you are looking at the designated car park in a distance separated by the traffic and ramp going up to departure lounge. Haba! I’ve not seen it in any airport in the world. The struggle ensues .

“Tired hands and legs who have traveled long hours over the Atlantic are short on temper. Suit cases loaded heavily on trolleys become missiles. You see many people struggling with trolleys and at the same time trying not to lose their children in the crowd. A lot of curses, apologies, arguments as the case demands. 3 times I was hit in the legs and me too apologized twice to people I nearly removed their tendons Small space for scores of heavily laden Nigerians and visitors to battle to leave the airport.

“The first question in my mind, as I stood there sweating, what happens if one parks his car at the ticketed car park and travels out. When you come back and retrieve your load how do you get to your car. Leave your luggages by the road and run to pick your car around a mile away or what?

“My son sprinted across to go and pick the car while the drama continued where I was holding on to the trolley and hustling , in the crowd. The ever present koboko wielding police are busy making brisk business. The que of cars driving up to pick people is endless. It’s total chaos. If you signal to the police that you’ll play ball they will allow your car when it comes, to park right in the middle of the narrow one lane road to pick and load your stuff.

"The que will be on stand still as shouting and screaming rises in crescendo . My back nearly gave way from so much standing and hazels. Nigerians amongst us were openly deriding and cursing the Nation and it’s leaders. The foreigners could not talk, but the looks on their faces was louder than words.

“It took my son 1 hour 45 minutes to collect the car at the park, meander through the traffic and get to where we are standing. Nigeria could not provide chair or cover canopy. Cars were bumping into each other as they hustle for cramped space with trolleys and demoralized children and bewildered old people.

“The aviation Minister and the FAA manager in charge of MMA are traitors. The comments of people, rubbished by this system, is very sad on the image of this administration. In my 42 years of flying and arriving at airports I’ve never seen one where you cannot roll your luggages to the ticketed car park, load your stuff into your vehicle and drive off from the airport.

“I left the airport demeaned, and dispirited at the lack of sensitivity , we display in simple things in this country,” he wrote.

Proffering solution to the ugly situation at the airport , he gave two achievable solutions to the chaos.

According to him, “If you insist you don’t want people to enter arrival lounge and wait decently for their visitors, then provide permanent cover and enough chairs at the entrance of arrival gate , so people don’t suffer so much while waiting to hug their visitors. An electronic board should also be installed so people can read the status of the flight they are waiting for.

“ If you insist the path from the arrival gate should not lead to the car park , as it is in sane societies, then provide SHUTTLE services to link the park to the arrival gate.

He therefore noted that the aforementioned issue needs Federal Government’s urgent attention, adding that the issue soils the image of Nigeria. He said, “ Arrival point into any Nation is symbolic and speaks to the reputation of its leaders. Our leaders travel all over the world.