In 2013, I landed MM1 just in time to reach home to watch Nigeria vs Ivory Coast, a semi-final match of the 2013 Cup of Nations. Because I had only 15 mins before kick-off, I prayed for my luggage. If it was among the last to come out, I could miss a bit of the match. It took a while before the carousel jerked to life. Then, the bags started to roll. Sparse and tired. After about six bags, we would wait for ten minutes. Then, another set, like it was being rationed.
Last week, I passed by MM1. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry. Yet again, it was football. I had to watch an Arsenal match. The internet was slow, couldn’t watch on my mobile phone. So I decided to observe the loading process to understand the delay that has become a heritage of MM1, in hope that I could hasten it. It was unbearable. They used just one or two motorized trolleys that carried only a few bags. The offloading was sluggish.
I remember the first time I flew. In 1980, from Enugu to Kaduna. The airport was clean and comfy. Everything worked. The restaurant served cornflakes for breakfast, which I ate before boarding. Our airports have since changed. Often, they have the haggardness of railway stations. The toilets are run by louts who hang around to inflict indignity on passengers.