‘No amount is too small for Imo Airport!' The collection of funds began in 1983, and I can still recall that well known fact. In those days, some individuals contributed as little as N100, while others gave up to N100,000, each giving according to their means back in the 1980s. The Peoples Club of Nigeria gave the sum of 5 Million Naira. That was a very huge amount at that time. Wow. The idea for the project came under the administration of Sam Mbakwe, who governed Imo State at that time. The Airport was originally called Imo State Airport, and later it was renamed to "Sam Mbakwe" What made it special was that this was the first airport in Africa built entirely through the joint donations of its own people. Nothing like that had ever happened before on the continent.