The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has been honoured with the “Minister of the Decade” award at the centenary celebration of the Daily Times of Nigeria held in Abuja.
Keyamo received the recognition at the Times Heroes Award ceremony, themed “Honouring the Past and Shaping the Future,” which took place on Thursday at the ThisDay Dome, Abuja.
The Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood who disclosed this in a press release said the award plaque was presented to the minister by the Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the development of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Speaking after receiving the award, Keyamo expressed appreciation for the recognition but dedicated it to the leadership and staff of the aviation agencies under his supervision.
He said the achievements recorded in the aviation sector could not be attributed to him alone, noting that the chief executive officers and directors across the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its agencies had played significant roles in advancing the administration’s aviation reform agenda.
According to him, the progress recorded in the sector was largely driven by the dedication of professionals working behind the scenes to implement government policies and programmes.
The ceremony attracted political, business, media and cultural leaders, as well as other prominent Nigerians.
President Bola Tinubu was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
Also in attendance were the governors of Zamfara, Dauda Lawal; Niger, Mohammed Umar Bago; Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule; and Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Keyamo attended the ceremony alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mahmud Adam Kambari, and heads of aviation agencies.
They included the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Chris Najomo; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Olubunmi Kuku; Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Farouk Umar; Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Charles Anosike; Rector/Chief Executive of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Danjuma Adamu Ismaila; and Vice Chancellor of the Africa Aviation and Aerospace University, Mustapha Sheikh Abdullahi.
The recognition came against the backdrop of ongoing reforms and transformation in Nigeria’s aviation sector under Keyamo’s leadership.
The Daily Times centenary celebration also featured tributes to former leaders and legends of the newspaper, whose contributions helped establish the publication as one of Nigeria’s most influential media institutions.
Founded in 1926, the Daily Times played a major role in shaping public discourse and documenting Nigeria’s political and social development over several decades.
The newspaper was later taken over by Fidelis Anosike, Chairman of Folio Communications Limited, following years of decline and institutional challenges. Under the new ownership, efforts have been made to revive the newspaper and reposition it within Nigeria’s contemporary media landscape.
The centenary celebration was therefore marked by a blend of recognition of the newspaper’s historic contributions and honouring individuals considered to be playing significant roles in shaping Nigeria’s future.
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