Those who know Ife Osun state born Babawande Afolabi from birth say he is a very big dreamer who dreams so big with most of such dreams coming true. If not how could a young Nigerian man in his 30s found and run his dream airline company since over ten years the idea started morphing and now it is berthed and fully running?
Many young people of his age in Nigeria may be gnashing teeth about the many issues with Nigeria and how the rich oppress the poor with their wealth. Some may be discussing their wins and losses in Baba Ijebu or bet9ja.
But Afolabi is putting to good use his international investment financing background to pull resources and found an airline company, Green Africa Airlines which flies popular local destinations, including Lagos, Abuja, Portharcourt, Akure, Enugu, and Ilorin.
He has even embarked on another tall dream by initiating another radical drive of training and offloading into the industry, over 1,440 aviation workers including 200 captains, 140 flight dispatchers, 500 cabin crew, 100 engineers and about 500 other professionals in the next ten years.
It is sheer brilliance for a young Nigerian of the day and age to be able to invest hugely in international currency, manage men and sophisticated machines and instruments and making the most success of it. It is highly commendable to find a young Nigerian flying high in a capital intensive industry where high cost of maintenance and spare parts including aviation fueling and other forms of avionics hinder much. All these happen in a country where youths claim there seems a deliberate plot by the elders not to give them a chance.
The memorable gist from the touch down of the first Green Africa flight from Lagos to Abuja landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja on August 12, 2021 is still being told. In a brief statement on that day, Afolabi who flew in that maiden flight was thankful to all stakeholders who made the dream take off of Green Africa very possible.
Green Africa is expecting delivery of 50 aircrafts from Boeing. They are to join the fleet of three up and running crafts plying many cities in Nigeria at the moment.
Afolabi holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Illinois Wesleyan University. He also holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
It was at Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) that Afolabi got involved and developed interest in micro financing which he has ably used to touch many lives in the remote communities in Nigeria in the past few years.
Green Africa airline seems an extension of his many big dreams. Who knows what he may be dreaming of next?
Source: independent.ng