Follow Us on Google
It was a night of tributes and testimonies at the prestigious Transcorp Event Centre in Abuja on Tuesday as prominent Nigerians gathered to celebrate popular aviator and politician, Comrade Isaac Balami, on his 43rd birthday.
The event, which attracted more than 4,000 guests, brought together politicians, family members, friends, business associates, mentees and well-wishers of the celebrant.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; former National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata; a representative of Seyi Tinubu; captains of industry and other government officials.
The celebration also featured performances by popular musicians and comedians, who entertained the large gathering.
Speaking at the event, Akpata, who chaired the occasion, described Balami as a man whose extensive network of friends, associates and partners reflected his remarkable journey and accomplishments.
Akpata said he was particularly impressed by Balami’s account of his humble beginnings and the challenges he overcame to establish himself in the aviation industry.
He said, “Despite his humble beginning, the young man established himself in the aviation industry, a sector we all know for excellence. That tells you who Isaac is.
“Not only has he established himself in that sector, he also established a university. That tells you who Isaac is. With people like Isaac, we don’t need to worry too much about our country. Even in politics, he is giving it his all.
“I urge all of us to continue to pray for Isaac.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, attributed the massive turnout and traffic congestion around the venue to Balami’s popularity and his connection with the people.
She described him as “a man of the people, for the people and by the people,” expressing confidence that Nigerians would see more of his contributions in the years ahead.
“Balami is a man of the people, for the people and by the people, and it’s only a matter of time before we see more of him. Balami just turned 42, and I’m sure we will all wonder at the level he has reached at this age,” she said.
The minister urged Nigerians and Balami’s well-wishers to continue praying for him and giving him the support needed to sustain his contributions to nation-building.
Balami’s father, Chief Balami, also paid tribute to his son, recounting his journey from humble beginnings to prominence and urging Nigerians to continue to pray for him.
The celebration later featured a panel discussion moderated by veteran journalist Cyril Stober and Seun Okimbaloye.
The discussion focused on mentorship, with the panellists sharing different perspectives on the subject and drawing a distinction between political godfatherism and genuine mentorship.
Balami also spoke during the session, explaining the rationale behind the selection of 42 personalities to serve as inductors into the Fellowship of Mentors.
He recounted his own journey from humble beginnings, including his experience working as a soakaway evacuator, before eventually rising to become an aviator, entrepreneur, politician and mentor to others.
His remarks drew applause from the audience as he emphasised the importance of mentorship and the need to create opportunities for others to succeed.
