I Wanted To Fly Military Airplanes But Ended Up In Aviation — Omoigberale – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

Chief Sylvester Omoigberale is the Managing Director and Chief Government Officer of Cavok Aviation Companies Restricted, an organisation enjoying a pivotal function on the Muritala Muhammed Worldwide Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. On this chat with TIM OKOJIE AVE, he spoke on how he discovered himself within the aviation trade and the challenges plaguing the trade, amongst different points. Besides:

As a key participant within the aviation trade, how, would you say, air constitution service enterprise has fared in Nigeria – the nice, the unhealthy and the ugly?

The air constitution enterprise has seen a rise in demand, however with some regulatory challenges. Because the MD/Chief Government of Cavok Aviation Companies Ltd, I’m straight concerned within the operations of our flight actions due to my background/experiences as an Air Site visitors Controller, Operations Supervisor, Station Supervisor, and Normal Supervisor in a number of avia­tion organizations. We render flight help companies to respected world airways comparable to worldwide cargo airways, Air Medical Evacuation, VIP constitution, Troop Motion for United Nations, Plane Ferrying, Aerial Surveying, amongst others. Though the enterprise shouldn’t be with out hiccups, we’re pushing on.

You’ve got been within the aviation trade for about 32 years. As an insider, are you able to de­scribe the challenges within the trade?

I got here into the aviation as an Air Site visitors Management Officer Cadet, pre­cisely in March 1993, after instructing Geography in Igueben Grammar College, Edo State. For about 32 years now, I’ve transversed the varied aviation organizations and below­taken coaching in several colleges for numerous aviation programs, comparable to Air Site visitors Management Companies, Air Ticket­ing and Reservations, Plane Han­dling Operations Course, Harmful Items Laws, Cargo Dealing with, and so forth. The challenges within the aviation trade in Nigeria are fairly enor­mous. They stem from strict regula­tions by the regulatory company, flight delays and cancellations by the air­strains, touting by unauthorized per­sons and a few airport employees, flouting of laws by airways and a few aviation companies, climate, air inci­dents/accidents, lack of coaching of employees by some companies, security and safety breaches, and so forth. The aviation trade is a extremely regulated in­dustry. Despite the excessive diploma of enforcement, compliance has been very troublesome due to our basic angle to wish to break the foundations. What prompted you to enter the aviation trade and who’s your function mannequin?

I don’t assume I actually had a task mannequin earlier than I got here into the aviation trade, quite I had an curiosity to hitch the Airforce in order that I might fly army airplanes. This was what prompted me to check Geography on the College of Benin. After my NYSC in Kano State in 1991, I used to be instructing Geography at Authorities Secondary College, Kazaure, after I noticed an advert by the Federal Civ­il Aviation Authority in a nationwide day by day for Air Site visitors Management Officers Cadets. I didn’t waste time to ship in my utility. Little did I do know that it had nothing to do with the Airforce. Nonetheless, I used to be recruited in 1993 and despatched to the Nigerian School of Aviation Know-how, Zaria, in 1994, after a quick spell working on the Port Harcourt Airport management tower. The coaching on the aviation school additional stimulated my curiosity and I emerged as the most effective graduating stu­dent in Communication Procedures and second greatest graduating pupil within the AC-34 class of 1995. In all, I can say confidently there has not been any remorse.

As a Trustee and former Secretary Normal of the Affiliation of Overseas Airways Rep­resentatives in Nigeria (AFARN), are you able to inform us in regards to the function of your group within the aviation trade in Nigeria?

Earlier than the creation of NCAA in 1999 by an act of parliament, plane dealing with/flight help companies was primarily carried out by each Tom, Dick and Harry on the nation’s airports. Touting dominated the enterprise as a result of it had no guiding guidelines and laws. The actions of those touts weren’t with none penalties to each foreigners and the nation. The approaching of NCAA as a regulatory physique was an important reduction, since they needed to exist on a number of re­quirements comparable to identified bodily workplace handle, contact individuals and telephones/e-mail addresses, and so forth. throughout accreditation. Affiliation of Overseas Airways Representatives in Nigeria was registered with the Cor­porate Affairs Fee, Abuja on July 9, 2007. Our core purpose was to make sure that we had an umbrella physique made up of all accredited Plane Dealing with Brokers representing var­ ious airways in a single register, in order that we might interface with the main airport companies comparable to NCAA, NAMA, FAAN, FMA, Airforce, and so forth., checkmate the excesses of a few of our colleagues and manage confer­ences to enlighten most of the people and different aviation fanatics about our actions in facilitating flight op­erations significantly for non-sched­ule operators on the airports. As a BOT member and first Secretary Normal of AFARN, I had a hercu­lean job attempting to convey the above modifications to previous. As at immediately, AFARN has been taken over by charlatans who weren’t there when the associa­tion was based and are utilizing it for private aggrandizements.

At what level did you select to be giving again to the society that has led to your philanthropic gestures immediately?

Ans: I used to be born in a rural com­munity referred to as Ugbegun Kingdom, in Esan Central LGA of Edo State, to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Aigbokha­ibho Omoigberale (each of blessed reminiscences). I had a really humble background rising up because the son of a farmer. Though my dad had a really large dream to ship us to highschool to any degree, the assets have been merely very lean. Because of this, I had a really hectic time going by way of my educa­tion from the first by way of to the college. I went to the College of Benin with out shopping for a single textual content­ebook as a result of there was no cash. I’ve all the time had the spirit of giving again to the society in my blood. Why rising up, I undertook the clear­ing of my road pro-bono with my cousin referred to as Mr. Efe Ikheloa. Immediately, I clear that very same road with between N30,000 and N40,000. After I began my firm in 2003 with none funding help from anyone or wherever, I made a vow to God that, If He makes my enterprise to prosper, I’ll use the proceeds to help the much less privileged in my neighborhood particularly and humanity in gener­al. In 2019, I based a socio cultur­al group of my neighborhood referred to as Ugbegun Sons and Daugh­ters, the place I’m at present the BOT chairman and President. In 2020, I based an NGO named BenOmon Growth Initiative in reminiscence of my late father and his love for ed­ucation. In 2023, I based one other socio cultural group named Umenlen Growth Discussion board, the place I’m additionally the BOT chairman/ president. By way of these numerous associations, I’ve been in a position to affect my neighborhood by fee of salaries to neighborhood academics, fee of WAEC enrollment charges in Ugbegun Grammar College, re­pair of neighborhood transformers, provision of photo voltaic streel lights, sup­ply of instructional supplies to all main colleges in Ugbegun King­dom, sponsorship of inter home sports activities competitors, help throughout COVID-19, and so forth. In November 2023, my NGO donated a 6.6kva producing set to the Division of Constructing, School of Environmental Research, Ambrose Alli College, Ekpoma, Edo State. Because the Second Vice Pres­ident of Ujoelen Grammar College Outdated Boys Affiliation, Edo State, I’ve contributed immensely to the continuing building of the varsity’s perimeter fence.

Not too long ago, you have been honoured with a chief­taincy title by the Onogie of Irrua – a fore­most conventional ruler and the Okaijesan of Esanland, Edo Central Senatorial District. Are you able to inform us in regards to the chieftaincy title and why you have been chosen?

On November 30, 2023, I used to be awarded an Honorary Fellowship (FNIOB) by the Nigerian Institute of Constructing on the Shehu Yar’adua Cen­tre Abuja as a part of my philanthrop­ic works. For a similar causes, on December 28, 2024, I used to be conferred with a Excessive Chieftaincy title because the AIGBOKHAIBHO of Irrua King­dom, by the Onogie of Irrua King­dom (HRM Zaiki W.O. Momodu II) J.P and the Okaijesan of Esanland, urging me to proceed with the nice works I’m doing in Ugbegun com­munity and likewise lengthen similar to his neighborhood – Irrua Kingdom. I’m so comfortable that I’m being appreciated different kings/establishments even out­facet my neighborhood and I promised to proceed with the gestures to the glory of God.

What would you wish to be your legacy in life?

Like my father who has turn into a family title in my neighborhood as the one farmer to ever produce a number of graduates, I want to go away a legacy of an important communi­ty chief who touched a number of lives. I’m an ardent advocate of commu­nity participation in rural regener­ation and sustainable growth. I’m fortunately married with kids, amongst whom is Dr. Rex Omoigber­ale – the general greatest graduating med­ical pupil at Ambrose Alli Uni­versity, Ekpoma, in October 17, 2023 induction/oath taking investiture.