A former Minister of Education has prayed that the planned national carrier, Nigeria Air, failed, drawing criticisms on social media.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Hadi Sirika, had at the Farnborough Air fair on Wednesday unveiled the name and logo of the national carrier. He said the carrier, when fully operational, would move Nigeria from an unserious player in the global aviation industry to a dominant force.
However, Ezekwesili, who also served as the Minister of Mines and Steel under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, has described the project as a waste of Nigeria’s resources.
The former minister, who never shy from expressing her opinion, said that for the “sake of the country” the project “must fail”.
She wrote on Twitter,
I actually believed that at some point the FG would have “advised itself” & known that the so-called “National Carrier project” IS A WASTE.
Sadly not so as they are determined on what is CLEARLY A WRONG PRIORITY. It SHALL FAIL. For the sake of the country, it MUST FAIL. ????
I actually believed that at some point the FG would have “advised itself” & known that the so called “National Carrier project” IS A WASTE.
Sadly not so as they are determined on what is CLEARLY A WRONG PRIORITY. It SHALL FAIL. For the sake of the country, it MUST FAIL. ????— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) March 28, 2018
However, Nigerians, who reacted to her tweet, described the ex-minister as unpatriotic. Others said she made an error of judgement and should do a recant.
One Charles Egwu-Ogbonna (@Charles_Egwuatu) said the minister should have kicked against the planned national carrier before it was unveiled.
He said,
Somehow Auntie , you are now saying things you ought to have said before way after. I think their is something toxic about this twitter. It is never too late to say I MADE AN ERROR ! All these dressings isn’t needed quite frankly. Emotions + Twitter = disaster.
— Charles Egwu-Ogbonna (@Charles_Egwuatu) July 19, 2018
Another Twitter user, MohdLawal/@mlaa74 suggested that the minister was against the Muhammadu Buhari-led admistration because she needed a job.
Choi frustration no good at all. Anyway now I see why our education sector was a total mess under her.
— MohdLawal (@mlaa74) July 19, 2018
Olasoji Opeyemi, who described himself as a software mechanic and blogger on Twitter, described the minister’s tweet as sad, saying “if that airline fails, then its every Nigerian shame and not this present government”.
@obyezeks Excuse me ma, your statement concerning the #NigeriaAir is very sad. If that airline fails, then its every Nigerian shame and not this present government.Buhari will leave when God says so but that airline can carry your future generations.Your wish for Nigeria is OP.
— Olasoji Opeyemi (@Extra_ola) July 19, 2018
