Name PH Airport After Dappa-Biriye – Horsfall

An elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Albert Horsfall has called for the renaming of the Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa affter Harold Dappa-Biriye International Airport.
He said that the late Dappa-Biriye personified Rivers State, pointing out that he spent his life advocating the creation of Rivers State, especially in 1957 in Lancaster House where he was a lone voice advocating the creation of the Rivers State.
Horsfall, who is also Chairman of the Rivers Elders and Leaders Council (RELEC), made this known when speaking to aviation correspondents at the Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa last Tuesday, said that Dappa-Biriye was a lone voice for creation of Rivers State, and could be immortalised through this airport renaming.
“For me, the renaming of this airport is the minimal tribute that we can give to a man like that who had, all his life time, advocated the creation of Rivers State.
“His life was Rivers State, even when he was asked to be satisfied with the Niger Delta Development Board, he said no, that Rivers State should be emancipated.
“Thank God Rivers State was created in his life time, and he lived in Rivers State after the creation by the Yakubu Gowon administration”, he said.
On the inception of the government of Rivers State, Horsfall maintained that he was deployed to the State to set up the security apparatus, when the Amnyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, then Commander Diete-Spiff was the first military administrator.
According to him, there were many challenges ranging from abandoned properties and security but thanked God that they were all settled.
He thanked God for the 50th anniversary of Rivers State, which he is one of the founding fathers.

Corlins Walter