A former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, has said Air Peace Airlines has brought transformation to the airline industry in West and Central Africa.
Osoba also stated that the airline had been doing well in Nigeria despite the numerous challenges confronting airline operators in the country because of its management’s ingenuity.
The ex-governor made the remarks in Lagos during the 2018 Zik Prize in Leadership, where the Air Peace Chairman, Mr Allen Onyema, was honoured with the Zik Prize in Entrepreneurial Leadership.
A statement by the Corporate Communications Manager, Air Peace, reported Osoba to have described Onyema as an exceptional entrepreneur in the country.
He was optimistic that the carrier would make Nigeria proud with its ready to be launched flights to Sharjah, Dubai, Johannesburg, London, Houston, Guangzhou and Mumbai.
He commended the management of the airline for its doggedness, which had helped it to make it to the top spot as one of the biggest domestic carriers in the face of industry challenges in the past four years of its operations.
Osoba said, “Those who are being honoured today are eminently qualified. They earned the awards. Onyema has shown his quality. In spite of the difficulties of doing business in the aviation sector, Air Peace has become one of the biggest airlines in Africa. I fly Air Peace most of the time.”
The organisers of the awards, the Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre, explained why the Air Peace boss was selected for the Zik Prize in Entrepreneurial Leadership.
“As a testament to his industry and hard work, Onyema has, in record time of four years, built Air Peace Limited as one of the biggest airline fleet in West and Central Africa. Air Peace has distinguished itself in the aviation industry, providing jobs for thousands of Nigerians and foreigners,” the Prof. Jubril Aminu-led Advisory Board of PPRAC said.
Responding, Onyema said Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, in whose honour the prize was instituted, was a detribalised Nigerian leader, adding that the nationalistic ideals of Zik should guide the nation in its quest for peace and unity.
He said his Zik Prize in Entrepreneurial Leadership would be a challenge for him to sustain his passion for investing in pro-development projects and campaigning for nationalism without ethnic bias.
Source: Punch
