Nigeria’s Air Peace airline has been commended for fighting its way to the top spot as the biggest airline in West and Central Africa despite the daunting challenges of doing business in the aviation sector.
Former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba made the commendation in Lagos during the 2018 Zik Prize in Leadership, where Air Peace Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Allen Onyema was honoured with the Zik Prize in Entrepreneurial Leadership.
Osoba described Onyema as an exceptional entrepreneur who had transformed the airline business with the establishment of Air Peace, expressing optimism that the carrier would make Nigeria proud with its soon-to-start long-haul flights to Sharjah, Dubai, Johannesburg, London, Houston, Guangzhou and Mumbai.
The former governor who was the chairman of the 2018 Zik Prize in Leadership ceremony, said: “Those who are being honoured 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.”
Earlier, organisers of the awards, the Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre (PPRAC) led by its advisory board, Professor Jubril Aminu, while giving insight into why the Air Peace boss was selected for the Zik Prize in Entrepreneurial Leadership, stated: “As a testament to his industry and hard work, Onyema has in record time of four years built Air Peace Limited into 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”.
Meantime, the airline has scored another feat by inaugurating a team of eminent Nigerians as members of the airline’s board of directors.
Among those appointed on the airline’s board include renowned lawyer, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), former Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu and former acting Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr Benedict Adeyileka.
The newly inaugurated board members and other new directors of the airline have assured of their readiness to work with the carrier’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Allen Onyema and Vice Chairman, Mrs. Alice Onyema to deliver on the airline’s vision to transform air travel and project a positive image for Nigeria in the global aviation community.
Other members of the new directors include; the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Topnotch Integrated Concepts Limited, Ekaete Bassey Okoro, Coordinator of the North East Recovery and Stability Programme (NERSP), Mr Mohammed Danjuma, the carrier’s Chief Operating Officer, Mrs Oluwatoyin Olajide and Chief of Administration and Finance, Mrs Ejiro Eghagha.
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