By Judith Ufford

It was a great day for Nigeria and indeed Africa as Dr.Bernard Olumuyiwa Aliu’s election by acclamation was confirmed on Monday, 18 November 2013. By this, he became the 5th president of the 70 year old  International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO.

The 36 States which comprise the  ICAO’s Governing Council registered their unanimous agreement during the body’s 200th Session.  In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Aliu said : “I look forward to working with my Council colleagues over the next triennium, with the support of the ICAO Air Navigation Commission and Secretariat, as we seek to address aviation’s key areas of priority.”
It was against this backdrop that a dinner was held in his honour at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja recently to celebrate the first Nigerian, indeed African to assume this high office.

Present at the event were the representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Fedral government, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Hon. Minister of Aviation, departing Council President, Roberto Kobeh González of Mexico, George Uriesi, MD-FAAN, Ms.Ene-Ita, SA to the President on Aviation Reforms, the Mexico ambassador to Nigeria, senators, House Committee members on aviation, members of the House  as well as top notch in the aviation sector.
Before his election, Dr. Aliu served for eight years as the ICAO Council’s Nigerian Representative (2005-2013). He was also Director of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s Air Transport Regulation Directorate (2000-2004), Chairman for the formulation of African Civil Aviation Policy under the African Union (2009-2011) and performed many other professional and technical roles in the service of his State’s civil aviation sector over the past three decades.

For him, “It is really a great day for Nigeria and Africa at large”.  The reason for this is not far fetched. “Since the inception of ICAO about 70 years ago, we have never had an African president. Therefore, it is a big day for Nigerians and Africans to celebrate. The glory goes to God, the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah and all the officials of the Ministry of Aviation and Ministry of Foreign Affairs who have been involved in the process.
The government gave me unprecedented support, which resulted in the success of the election. Likewise, all African states deserve to be commended because the African Civil Aviation Commission endorsed it. You can understand that this is an African glory. The Nigerian government and I have been involved in all the processes that led to the success as well as the development of the aviation sector.
For an international organisation, it is important that all sections have a sense of belonging. The election is an endorsement and a manifestation of a sense of belonging that an African was elected as the president and I am grateful to the federal government.”

President Goodluck Jonathan who was equally filled with gratitude to the Almighty God noted that the election endorses the aviation sector’s growth in African. The President also expressed gratitude and appreciation to the African Union, all member states of ICAO, AFCAC, and the United Nations members who made the election possible.
The Minister of Aviation,  Princess Stella Oduah spoke in the same vein adding that while Dr. Aliu served as Nigeria’s representative on ICAO council, he distinguished himself with exemplary performance, contributing to sustainable  development of civil aviation globally.
“It is therefore no surprise that he won the confidence of his peers and emerged as the president-elect”, she said.
She was also appreciative of the Federal government’s support to her ministry stating: “On behalf of the aviation industry, and indeed the entire people of Nigeria, I want to give credit and gratitude to Mr. President who provided tremendous support, leadership and guidance that made it possible for our own Dr. Bernard Olumuyiwa Aliu to emerge.”

The occasion also opened a vasta for the minister to intimate her audience on the giant strides in the aviation sector since she assumed office. So, besides the renovation of airports across the country, the sector has invested heavily on the provision of infrastructure.  According to her, the ministry has put in place air navigation and meteorological infrastructure.
This she said has enhanced safety significantly in the Nigerian airspace while maintaining the country’s Category 1 Staus with the FAA, USA. “Our combined efforts on Communication, Navigation and Surveillance strategy have seen the improvements and installations of various modern equipment across the nation’s airports”, she said.
Dr. Aliu follows the departing Council President, Roberto Kobeh González of Mexico, who was elected in March 2006 after Dr. Assad Kotaite retired prematurely before the end of his term. Mr. Gonzalez took up his functions in August 2006 and was re-elected for consecutive full terms of Office in 2007 and 2010.

Kobeh commented thus in response to Aliu’s election, “It has been my great pleasure to help lead ICAO and support international aviation during the last seven years. Having known and worked beside Dr. Aliu for much of this period, I am very pleased that the leadership of the Council will now be in such capable hands. Dr. Aliu’s broad diplomatic perspective and demonstrated skills at consensus-building will be essential to the success of ICAO’s continuing mission.”

Dr. Aliu becomes only the fifth President of the ICAO Council in the almost 70-year history of the specialized United Nations aviation agency, which is responsible for the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) and the over 10,000 international civil aviation standards contained in the Convention’s Annexes.
Dr. Aliu will officially take over the reins as ICAO Council President beginning 1 January 2014, for a three-year term.