By Rapheal

Copyright thesun

The Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Airline, Chief Allen Onyema, can unarguably be regarded as the man with the Midas touch in the nation’s fast growing and capital intensive aviation sector. Like the most famous King Midas in Greek mythology who is popularly remembered for his ability to turn everything he touched into pure gold, Onyema has been able to do so in the aviation industry since the inception of Air Peace Airline within a small space of time.

In the Greek mythology, that uncanny ability of King Midas to turn everything he touches into gold came to be called the golden touch or the Midas touch. Without being immodest, Chief Allen Onyema probably has that ability of King Midas in everything he touched as a businessman. The success story of Air Peace Airline can be traced to Onyema’s ability and tenacity to turn things around, to turn dreams into reality and to prioritize safety over other considerations.

Air Peace, the Nigeria’s foremost airline and the biggest carrier in West Africa, was launched on October 24, 2014, with seven aircraft made up of three new Dornier 328 and four Boeing 737-500 SP Jets. This is in line with starting small in any business venture. At inception, Barrister Allen Onyema envisioned a carrier that would be on top of the nation’s aviation industry within a short space of time. And within a decade of flight operations, the airline has surpassed its target with its current position as the biggest airline in West and Central Africa, with a fleet size of 51 aircraft and still counting.

No doubt, the airline’s expansion programme has been strategic and executed according to needs. The carrier got its International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate in 2016 and was admitted as a member of IATA shortly after. It began business with a fleet of 3 Dornier 328 aircraft for charter services and 4 Boeing 737-500 aircraft with a capacity of 114 seats for both passenger and cargo services. Over the years and as air travel grew, it added more aircraft to meet the demand.

His major goal in establishing the airline was to provide employment for Nigerian youths and stimulate the economy. He also has passion for philanthropy. In fact, his philanthropic spirit inspired his desire to establish a business that will offer job opportunities to many Nigerians. He was not particularly motivated by profit as it is normally the case with most business ventures. According to Onyema, ‘airline business creates massive job opportunities for people. I went into it with the mindset of helping others…I’ve always believed in leaving legacies, in touching lives, and this is my motivation.’

The growth of the airline has been phenomenal, connecting almost all parts of the country and the West African coast. Buoyed by public demand to extend its services to many unserved and underserved domestic and regional routes, Air Peace procured six 50-seater Embraer 145 jets in 2018 to drive its ‘No-City-Left-Behind’ project under its subsidiary, Air Peace Hopper.

It has also made remarkable inroad into international routes. Additions to its route network include direct flights Guangzhou-China, London, Johannesburg, Mumbai, Jeddah, and Tel Aviv. Between 2018 and 2019, the carrier acquired one Boeing 777-200ER and two Boeing 777-300 aircraft for its long-haul services. The feat also placed Air Peace in a position to hand Nigeria its first type certification on the Boeing 777.

On July 5, 2019, the carrier successfully launched its inaugural international route to Dubai via Sharjah, marking a significant milestone in its expansion strategy. Since that initial flight, the airline has rapidly broadened its international presence, introducing a range of new destinations. This strategic growth reflects the carrier’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and meeting the diverse travel needs of its customers.

The airlines expansion has created direct and indirect jobs for within and outside Nigerians. The airline has provided free evacuation flights for stranded Nigerians abroad and has been used to deliver COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. As a great patriot, Allen Onyema has used his business to foster unity, create jobs and reward Nigerian sports heroes with free air travel for life. Onyema has used Air Peace aircraft to bring Nigerians home from crisis zones for free during xenophobic attacks in South Africa in 2019 and the war in Sudan in 2023. His philanthropy is guided by a commitment to nation-building and societal welfare. Onyema has also funded peace advocacy initiatives and has donated so much for programmes aimed at fostering national unity and peace.

Recently, the management of Air Peace announced the plan to create 1,000 jobs for fresh graduates through its 2025/2026 Graduate Trainee programme in a bid to reciprocate the Federal Government’s suspension of the 4 per cent Free on Board (FOB) levy on imports. Onyema used the occasion to commend President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edu, for listening to the concerns of industry stakeholders and taking bold steps to save millions of jobs in the country.

Onyema says that ‘the Graduate Trainee Programme is designed to equip young Nigerians with the skills, exposure and mentorship required to thrive in aviation and allied industries, while also building a pipeline of competent professionals who will drive growth in the sector.’ Air Peace through this gesture is aligning with the federal government’s job sustainability policy. It is also empowering the youths and at the same time reaffirming its leadership role in nation-building, human capital development and the transformation of the aviation sector.

However, the game changer is the plan to build the Air Peace maintenance hanger at the Murtala Muhammed International (MMIA), Lagos. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the airline’s Maintenance, Repair and Overall (MRO) facility, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN) said it would save Nigeria foreign exchange and capital flight for aircraft maintenance. The facility would save Nigeria billions of naira spent in maintenance. Air Peace alone spends about N180million annually for aircraft maintenance.

The lawyer, businessman, peacemaker, philanthropist and conflict resolution expert, Allen Onyema, deserves commendation and a pat on the back for his giant strides in the nation’s aviation sector.