Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja
The Minister of Aviation, Festus Kenyamo, has taken a firm stance against what he termed “warped” and “twisted” media reports concerning the launch of the Nigeria International Airshow, insisting that his comments were a statement of modest ambition, not an apology.
The controversy stems from headlines in major publications, including The Guardian, Leadership Newspaper and Tribune, which suggested the Minister had apologised for shortcomings at the inaugural event.
In a detailed rebuttal published on his verified X account on Wednesday morning, Kenyamo directly quoted from his official printed speech to set the record straight.
“For the avoidance of doubt, these were my exact words,” the Minister stated, repeating the key passage: “This is our first attempt. It will not be perfect. We are taking baby steps, but we are taking them with courage, conviction, and clarity of purpose. As with every great beginning, we will learn from this experience, we will improve, and we will build upon it until the Nigeria International Airshow becomes a permanent fixture on the global aviation calendar—standing shoulder to shoulder with Paris, Dubai, Farnborough, and Singapore.”
Kenyamo expressed deep disappointment with the media’s interpretation. “It is very, very disappointing for The Guardian to come up with such a warped headline,” he said. He issued a pointed request to the press: “We respectfully urge that next time, as journalists, they should learn to differentiate between a ‘modest statement’ and an ‘apology.’”
The Minister emphasised that internal feedback contradicted the narrative of a deficient launch. “However, the feedback we have all received at the Ministry and the aviation agencies is that the Airshow exceeded expectations on the first day,” he noted, highlighting a disconnect between the reported narrative and the government’s own assessment of the event’s success.
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