Unity In Conflict: How Estranged Daniel, Abiodun Worked Together To Make Gateway Airport Happen

Ogun State on Monday achieved a major infrastructure milestone as commercial flight operations commenced at the Gateway International Airport, Ilishan-Remo — a project conceived nearly two decades ago under former Governor Gbenga Daniel but completed by Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The first commercial flight, operated by ValueJet, took off from the new runway to Abuja on October 7, marking the formal opening of the airport for scheduled passenger and cargo services.

The event was attended by top government officials, aviation executives, and traditional rulers, with Governor Abiodun describing it as “a dream long deferred but finally realized.”

The project’s roots trace back to 2007, when then-Governor Gbenga Daniel initiated plans for an agro-cargo airport to boost agricultural exports and industrial logistics.

The proposed site in Ilishan-Remo received preliminary approvals from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and early site works were carried out.

However, after Daniel left office in 2011, his successor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, shifted focus to other priorities, leaving the project unattended for the next eight years. During that period, the airport plan effectively stalled, and the site remained undeveloped.

Governor Dapo Abiodun revived the project in 2021, rebranding it as the Gateway Agro-Cargo Airport and integrating it into a broader “aerotropolis” plan designed to link agriculture, logistics, and industrial development. Construction resumed at full scale, with the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure overseeing the project.

By February 2023, a ValueJet test flight successfully landed on the newly completed runway, paving the way for regulatory approvals. The airport’s facilities — including its control tower, terminal building, and cargo processing zones — were completed over the next two years.

At the inauguration, Abiodun recalled facing skepticism when he announced the airport’s revival in 2021. “Some said it was just Photoshop, that it could never be done. Today, Ogun has its own international airport — built to global standards,” he said.

But the ceremony also highlighted a notable absence: former Governor Gbenga Daniel, who first conceived the project, was not present at the event. His absence, coming amid visible tension between both men, drew public attention.

In September, Senator Daniel publicly urged Governor Abiodun to embrace “cooperation, not hostility,” after accusing him of undermining projects linked to previous administrations.

The quarrel between both men has intensified in recent months, worsened by claims that Governor Abiodun is plotting to unseat Daniel and take over the Ogun East Senatorial seat in 2027 after his term ends. Daniel, now a serving senator, has accused the governor of hostility and attempts to erase his legacy.

Despite the political strain, analysts say the Gateway International Airport represents an important continuity in governance — linking the vision of one administration to the execution of another.

The project, now operational, is expected to boost trade, tourism, and agricultural exports in Ogun, given its proximity to Lagos and access to major transport corridors.

For residents of Ilishan-Remo, the commencement of flights signals new economic opportunities. For the state, it is a statement of progress — one built on the foundation of an idea conceived by Daniel, under Amosun, and completed by Abiodun.

Though politics may have kept both men apart at the inauguration, the runway they helped make possible now stands as a shared legacy — a reminder that even in conflict, unity can still take flight.