From Kayemo News
An atmosphere of unprecedented controversy has now pervades the Ekiti Cargo International Airport, as a member of the House of Representative and former Technical Adviser to the Governor on the project, Hon. (AVM Rtd.) Ojuawo Rufus Adeniyi and former All Progressives Congress, APC aspirant, Kayode Ojo are on each others jugular on who contribe what to the airport.
In a formal statement titled “Setting the Record Straight,” Hon. Ojuawo, who currently represents Ekiti South Federal Constituency I in the House of Representatives, debunked Ojo’s assertions of involvement in the project, describing them as “false, misleading, and reckless.”
The reaction follows media reports where Engr. Kayode Ojo allegedly suggested his contributions to the airport were validated by the former Technical Adviser. Hon. Ojuawo, however, clarified that while Ojo once expressed interest in building a fire station at the site and was shown a location, no actual work or donation ever took place.
Hon. Ojuawo revealed that prior to the 2022 governorship primaries, Ojo moved some blocks to the airport premises through a contractor. However, immediately after the primary election, his representatives returned to the site and removed every single block that had been brought in. The lawmaker stated categorically that not “even a bag of cement” was left behind, and he received no financial, material, or technical support from Ojo during his entire tenure as Technical Adviser.
It was further clarified that the airport fire station in question was eventually funded and completed by the Ekiti State Government in mid-2024. Hon. Ojuawo emphasized that he was issuing the disclaimer to prevent any distortion of facts, stating that Ojo’s claims of being a stakeholder in the project’s infrastructure are entirely untrue and should be disregarded by the public.
The Ekiti Cargo International Airport recently commenced commercial flight operations, a milestone that has prompted Hon. Ojuawo to ensure the record reflects that the project was executed without the alleged private contributions from Engr. Kayode Ojo.
On the other hand, Ojo’s reply titled:EKITI AGRO-ALLIED AIRPORT: HON. OJUAWO’S VILIFIED RECORDS OF STAKEHOLDERS’ INVOLVEMENT :MY CONTRIBUTIONS
It Read:
I have read the press statement issued by Hon. (AVM Rtd.) Ojuawo Rufus Adeniyi with deep concern. While I fully recognise his right to offer clarification on matters he considers necessary, it is equally important, indeed obligatory, that the public record is corrected where such clarification itself introduces inaccuracies, half truths, or material omissions capable of misleading the public.
This response is not borne out of political rivalry or personal animosity. Rather, it is guided by a commitment to honesty, transparency, and fairness, values that should underpin public discourse, particularly when issues of public infrastructure, civic responsibility, and personal contribution are involved.
First, it must be stated unequivocally that my involvement and willingness to contribute to the Ekiti Cargo International Airport project did not arise “from nowhere,” nor was it whimsical or self serving, as the press release subtly but unmistakably suggests. My engagement followed a direct and substantive discussion with the then Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, at a period when the airport project required stakeholder support the most. To further underscore the seriousness and formality of this engagement, Dr Fayemi subsequently dispatched Hon. Ojuawo Rufus Adeniyi to meet with me in Lagos to further discuss and finalise the scope of my contribution. That meeting was duly held at Legend Hotel by the ExecuJet Terminal, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
During my engagements with Dr Fayemi, I emphasised my belief in the strategic and economic importance of completing the airport project and demonstrated my understanding of the financial constraints confronting the government at the time, constraints which were the opposite of today’s surplus. I referenced the Owerri Airport as an example of a project that benefited significantly from community and stakeholder participation and expressed my willingness to make a personal contribution, not as a political statement, but as a civic duty.
My initial proposal was to support the runway construction by providing manpower and equipment, with the government supplying asphalt. However, by then, the runway contract had already been awarded. It was in the course of these constructive engagements that it was mutually resolved that my contribution would instead be directed towards the construction of the airport fire station, a critical safety facility for any operational airport.
Pursuant to this agreement, I personally contracted and funded the moulding of blocks. Contrary to the misleading impression created in Hon. Ojuawo’s press statement, these blocks were not merely brought to the site; they were moulded on site at the airport premises by the vendor, who mobilised his equipment directly to the site. It is therefore surprising, and indeed troubling, that materials moulded on site could later be described as having been “removed,” supposedly by some imaginary agents acting on my behalf, when Hon. Ojuawo himself was the person on site. I did not authorise any removal. Such a claim is not only illogical but also appears to be driven by fear of losing a second term by a retired General.
What became of the blocks after they were moulded on site is a matter that cannot, in good conscience, be attributed to me. Hon. Ojuawo, who at the time served as Technical Adviser on the project and exercised oversight over site activities, is far better positioned to explain the circumstances surrounding their disappearance. To omit this crucial context while presenting a narrative that absolves all official responsibility is both misleading and unfair.
It must also be clearly stated that contribution should not be measured solely by the eventual execution of a project component. Any individual who commits personal resources, financially and logistically, towards a public project has made a contribution, irrespective of subsequent administrative, political, or managerial developments. Even a contribution as modest as five thousand naira, when made in good faith, deserves honest acknowledgement. This is not a matter of sentiment, but of principle.
I am fully aware of the political pressures and constraints that accompany public office, particularly within the charged atmosphere of Ekiti politics. However, such pressures cannot justify the denial of acknowledged facts or the rewriting of events to fit prevailing political narratives.
My contribution, however modest it may be perceived by some, was made from my personal resources, not government funds, and was driven solely by a genuine desire to see the airport project completed. This, at the very least, is better than those alleged to have materially benefitted from the project.
Finally, it is important to place on record that Hon. Ojuawo personally invited me to the inauguration of the first commercial flight at the airport. I have always held Hon. Ojuawo Rufus Adeniyi in high esteem and with tremendous respect, particularly in recognition of his distinguished military career as a retired Air Vice Marshal, a rank equivalent to that of a Major General in the Army. It is therefore deeply distressing, not only unfortunate but frankly unbelievable, that an individual of such background, training, and service to the nation could descend to the alteration of facts simply out of fear of losing a second term in the House of Representatives. That a retired senior military officer, sworn to honour, discipline, and truth, would choose political expediency over honesty is profoundly disappointing.
This response is issued solely to ensure that the public record accurately reflects the facts. The Ekiti Cargo International Airport is a collective achievement, and acknowledging the roles, big or small, played by various stakeholders does not diminish the efforts of government. On the contrary, it reinforces a culture of shared responsibility and civic participation that our state and nation urgently require.
History, ultimately, is best served when it is told honestly.