…Urges President Tinubu to consider airline as partner for National carrier
The King of Six nations in Mekong River, HRH Eze Amb. Uzochukwu Jerome Ezeneche (Eze Nwatagwuoshimiri) has commended the MD/CEO Air Peace Airline, Chief Allen Onyema on his acts of love and patriotism to Nigerians which has seen him in recent times deploying his airlines to different part of the world to rescue Nigerians from trouble spots.
In a statement signed from his Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, HRH Ezeneche recalled that during the lockdown occasioned by Covid-19, Chief Onyema deployed his Boeing 777 to countries like China, India, Thailand, Malaysia , UK and South Africa to bring Nigerians home.
In the interview granted, Arise TV recently, Chief Onyema lamented that despite his efforts to help Nigerians, the immediate past Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika wasn’t fair to him in his assessment as the minister allegedly described his airline as lacking the capacity to operate as a national carrier and that all his rescue missions were mere stunts.
In his words, Chief Oyema, while referring to the former aviation minister, said, “You said Air Peace doesn’t have capacity, but during lockdown, the airline brought in Nigerians stranded across the world.
Air Peace in 2020 went to China on three occasions, that is 14/15 hours nonstop operation. We deployed our 777 to bring Nigerians to their fatherland, proudly, yet Air Peace does not have the capacity. Air Peace went to India 12 times, bringing Nigerians stranded to their home. Many Nigerians don’t even have money to pay Ethiopia Airlines to return them home. I deployed my jets. Air Peace went there to see that they were airlifted free of charge. The returnees later published words of appreciation to my organisation in Newspapers. We did 12 sorties to India, yet Air Peace doesn’t have the capacity. The Air Peace also went to Thailand and brought Nigerians stranded their back home. It also went to Malasia, Indonisia, South Africa, and UK. In England, after the first trip, the UK stopped us from the operation, and we had to pay and hire another plane to bring them home.
“During the xhenophobic attack in South Africa, I also deployed our plane there to bring our people home.
Recently, Nigerians were also stranded in Sudan as a result of the civil unrest there, Air Peace was also on the ground to airlift them from Egypt they have fled to by road.
I did this because of my love for my country, Nigeria.
When it comes to a time when FG was looking for partners to kickstart the Air Nigeria project. the then Aviation Minister quickly claimed that we lack the capacity and that all our international flights to rescue Nigerians from trouble spots were mere stunts. this is not encouraging at all, he said.”
HRH Amb. Ezeneche thus called on President Bola Tinubu to please partner Chief Onyema so that they can rub minds on how the country can set up a formidable national carrier that could do the nation proud. “It doesn’t really matter the tribe Chief Onyema comes from, in the spirit of one Nigeria, let all hands be on the deck to move the nation and the aviation sector forward.”the Royal Father said.