04/09/2026
A few days ago, this lady, being helped onto a plane for her flight, celebrated and thanked the airport workers who took on the extra responsibility of ensuring she got on the plane. She also supports the current President and his party. There is a reason you'll find this piece interesting.
I admired the resilience of the young lady to travel around the country and conduct her activities. However, I could not stop thinking how the availability of a jet bridge at the airport would have made her life and, indeed, the lives of these workers at the airport easier.
A jet bridge, also known as a passenger boarding bridge (PBB) or air bridge is a movable and elevated connector that bridges an airport terminal gate to an airplane. In Abuja and Lagos, I have seen it used only on the international wings of the airports.
One jet bridge costs around $500,000 and goes up from there based on quality and prior usage. The government could have spared some money to buy one jet bridge for the local wing of the airport so people who have a need can use it to board without necessarily putting people at risk.
This young lady has had the ear of the ruling party for a while and seeing the stress she goes through at the airport, I am hoping the politicians on whose mandate she has decided to stand will consider her and make her airport trips less stressful.
Our people sometimes do not connect bad governance to people they know. For instance, many will prefer to pocket $10,000 than hold leaders accountable to buy a jet bridge that will save lives and make travel a more enjoyable experience for people like this lady.
As she is supporting the ruling party and standing on their mandate, I hope they will consider her and buy a jet bridge for the local wing of the airport.
It is not life that we are living in Nigeria.