The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services of Nigeria (BASL), operators of Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA2) have pledged that they would henceforth work together.
The two organisations have battled each other over the years on issues bordering on the conditions of concessional agreement given to BASL.
The pledge came over the weekend when the Managing Director of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu, led his management team on a condolence visit to the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, Dr. Wale Babalakin on the recent demise of his father, retired Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin.
Receiving the FAAN delegation at his Lagos residence, Dr. Babalakin who was obviously delighted about the visit, said, “I was pleasantly surprised when I was told that the esteemed management of FAAN was coming to visit us. I was expecting one or two persons, but to receive the whole management of FAAN in Lagos here today, I am very touched and I am most grateful.”
He further told his visitors, “Through you, again, we repeat our gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria because my father left the service 29 years ago and yet the President sent a delegation to condole with us. The Vice President came to our home in the village. At the Fidaus, there were eight governors even though it happened within a week. So, we are grateful to Nigeria. I was stunned when I got a call from the Office of the Chief of Staff that a delegation led by Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) was coming on behalf of the Federal Government. And I said this man (my late father) left service 29 years ago. So, this sort of gratitude from the Federal Government, we can never forget it.”
Dr Babalakin added that “And now for our own partner, FAAN, to deem it fit to come and pay us condolence, it is moving, it is touching and we are extremely grateful. And the relationship you have referred to from this day will become better and we would come to understand each other in a better way, for the furtherance of the business we do and to enhance human relations. My last point is that, God bless everyone. And when it is time for us to go, because as He said, we will all go, it is a matter of time, may we find ourselves in the right place.”
Responding, Captain Yadudu said, “About us coming, of course you should know that Pa Babalakin was an elder statesman. And for us as FAAN and Bi-Courtney, and any other individual, first thing first, we are all humans and Nigerians. From there, any other thing will follow. So, we never tried to forget that and this management team tries to cultivate that. At this time, we must work with people that are working with us. The relationship is first. We are doing the same thing, we are delivering service to Nigerians, adding value to the industry, I think we should celebrate ourselves.”
Captain Yadudu thereafter prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased and urged the family to take solace in the fact that their patriarch lived an upright life.
BASL built and is managing MMA2, which is deemed the best airport terminal in terms of functionality since it became operational in 2007.
