How many of us still remember the famous airline company, Okada Air? How many of you knows exactly what happened to the famous Airline company?
So sad how some of our big business empires crumbles, hardly pass the test of time due to several factors, including fluctuating and harsh government policies, lack of government support, bad management, family tussle over who to inherit what and what, and a whole lot others.
Well, Okada Air used to be the “Go To Airline” in the country and beyond, just like the Air Peace of today. It is Nigeria’s first privately owned airline in the country. Founded in 1983 by Sir (Chief) Gabriel Igbinedion (the Esama of Benin Kingdom).
The Airline company began it charter operations some time in September of 1983, with it’s trademark logo as the Queen Idia mask. Meanwhile, the Okada Air operational jurisdictions centered mainly around nine (9) local airports in Nigeria.
These Airports include 1) Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, 2) Akanu Ibiam international airport Enugu, 3) Mallam Aminu Kano international airport Kano, 4) Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, 5) Port Harcourt international airport, 6) Yola Airport, 7) Yakubu Gowon Airport Jos, 8) Benin Airport, 9) Kaduna Airport.
Reaching the status of one of the biggest Airline company in Africa at some, it began flying internationally in the year 1992. Using the Boeing 747-100 at a point, there began their ad-hoc charter flights across the world, including flying across the Pacific ocean.
It was the main carrier of those embarking on pilgrims from the country to the Holy Land. Unfortunately, even though Okada Air expanded its operational capacity, it eventually went out of business in 1997, marking its disestablishment since it was founded in 1983.
Though no clear reason was given for the unfortunate situation of the business, but the company attempted a comeback years later but wasn’t successful.
This was allegedly as a result of a fatal air crash involving one of the airlines in the country in, which prompted the Federal Government to ban the use of aircraft BAC 1-11 by Airline companies in the country.
And with Okada Air having most of its aircrafts in that category, about 20 BAC 1-11, it made it impossible for the Airline to return to business as planned.
Some of its well known aircrafts include the following, BAC one-eleven-200, BAC one-eleven-300, BAC one-eleven-400, BAC one-eleven-500, Boeing 727-200, Boeing 707-300, Boeing 747-100, Douglas DC 8-62, SUD Aviation Caravelle, Dornier 228-100, and others.
With this revelation, it is obvious that what killed this beautiful business is bad management, lack of business dynamism and vision for the future. This has continued to be the fate of many businesses in Nigeria and Africa in general.
Setting up a business and running it successfully is not just the task involved, sustainability of any business is a bigger task. Unfortunately, many of these businesses do not good plans for the future, there just live for the moment.
(Photo of the abandoned aircrafts belonging to Okada Air at the Benin Airport as captured in 2006; One Boeing 727 and 17 BAC 1-11)
And once the market begins to change, then the business begin to suffocate and unable to cope with the dynamism. Before you know it, this business is already folding up and eventually goes comatose.
It is not just about Okada Air, there are many other businesses out there in same or similar condition. Even inside that Aviation industry, there are many other airlines which has suffered same fate as Okada Air.
