Group honours Air Peace Boss, Allen Onyema, with face of Nigerian Aviation sector 

Chinazor Megbolu    |        

The Global Peace Movement International (GPMI), United Kingdom has conferred on the Chairman, Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema  the face of Nigerian aviation sector.

The group, an international anti-corruption organisation had maintained that the foremost indigenous airline boss is the new face of aviation sector in Nigeria.

The President General, GPMI, Dr. Mike Uyi in a statement in London on Friday, disclosed that Onyema is in quest to make the country soar higher in aviation.

He posited the extension of flight route outside the coast of Africa by the airliner, especially after it completed a historic 11 hours non-stop charter flight from Nigeria to the Caribbean Island Nation of Jamaica with 132 passengers on-board, has made him the face of Nigeria’s aviation sector.

According to him; “his fleet keeps increasing as he took delivery of a new 50-seater Embraer 145 jet, with two more brand new jets to be added before March this year,” he said.

Uyi, while pointing out in the statement that it is in a bid to promote the aviation giants and other Nigerians who have distinguished themselves within and outside the country that led to the GPMI opening a consultation office at Baltimore Maryland on September 28, 2020 and headed by Mr. Meshack Idehen, said Onyema is a man that has been helping thousands to come out of poverty through employment opportunities as well as philanthropic strides in Nigeria.

While stating that Onyema has always wanted to be an employer of labour, noted that he registered his presence as the country’s pride during the Xenophobic attack when he volunteered to bear the cost of repatriating hundreds of stranded citizenry in South Africa in early September 2019.

“It is worthy to note that the Air Peace boss spent a whopping N280 million to effect the evacuation of Nigerians in South Africa, who had indicated interest to return home as a result of xenophobic attacks.

“With the kind gesture rendered to hundreds of Nigerians, Onyema was regarded as a ‘National Hero’ with a large heart and was also honoured by the lower National Assembly,” Uyi said.

He further stressed that when other airlines were retrenching and throwing wage cuts at their staff as a result of Covid-19, Onyema was able to maintain his workforce and stay afloat in business.

Uyi said: “Onyema started his philanthropic activities in the University of Ibadan in early 80s when as a Student, he paid hall accommodation for five students in Tedder Hall, Kuti Hall and Sultan Bello to avoid expulsion from the halls for lack of money. He sold his honda accord to do that as a student”.

Uyi, however, called on the Nigerian Government to keep on supporting him and his businesses, even as he stated that those blackmailing him are  enemies of the country.

He also described the attacks on the Air Peace boss as being framed up to discredit his philanthropic gestures in the country and the world at large.