By:Abdullahi Inuwa
In a painful reminder of how dreams can be stalled by hardship, a once-promising aviation student has traded the cockpit for the streets.
Abdullahi Abubakar, a brilliant and determined young Nigerian, who enrolled as a student pilot in 2018, is today struggling to survive as an okada (commercial motorcycle) rider—his aviation dream grounded by lack of funds.
Abdullahi was admitted into the prestigious International Aviation College, Ilorin, where his journey into aviation began with high hopes. The Kebbi State Government intervened early, sponsoring part of his training with ₦2 million, which enabled him to complete one full year of the Private Pilot License (PPL) programme.
During his time at the college, Abdullahi distinguished himself. He successfully completed multiple flight training sessions, passed his Ground School Examinations with impressive results, and also excelled in the examinations conducted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
But just as his dream was taking shape, it was abruptly halted.
At the crucial Circuit and Landing stage, the funds provided by the state government were exhausted. Unable to raise the remaining ₦1.8 million required to complete his training, Abdullahi was forced to suspend his studies and return home in search of support.
Since 2019, he has repeatedly applied for a scholarship through the Kebbi State Scholarship Board, but years later, no response has come. With bills to pay and no means of survival, the aspiring pilot turned to okada riding—a sharp contrast to the skies he once trained to conquer.
Concerned citizens and advocates are now appealing to the Kebbi State Government and influential stakeholders to intervene urgently. They argue that abandoning the programme would waste the ₦2 million already invested and deny the state the chance to produce a skilled, homegrown pilot.
Abdullahi Abubakar, an indigene of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, holds License Number 7468(A) and remains resolute that his journey is not over.
For many, his story is not just about one man—it is a symbol of countless Nigerian youths whose talents risk being lost, not for lack of ability, but for lack of opportunity.
The skies still await—if help comes in time.
