Allen Onyema and The Air Peace London Route
I have been perplexed by the discuss surrounding Air Peace’ inaugural flight to London Gatwick Airport. It is amazing and laudable that a Nigerian of Igbo descent was able to achieve such where the entire nation of Nigeria, with all its financial and human resources have failed. This feat is an affirmation that the government should limit itself to simply providing an enabling environment for local entrepreneurs to thrive.
However, the Nigerian obtuseness never ceases to amaze me. Rather than celebrate this awesome achievement by Mr. Allen Onyema, and help with some of the challenges experienced by Air Peace, during their inaugural flight, Nigerians immersed themselves with the distraction and childish banter surrounding the outfit the airline hosts and hostesses wore. What was most disappointing was how the entire nation, instead of celebrating this awesome achievement, shamelessly retreated to our tribal corners to either criticize or defend Mr. Onyema’s choice of outfit for his employees. This is a testament to Nigeria and Nigerians' focus on the wrong things.
For starters, Mr. Onyema has every right to provide whatsoever outfit he deems fit for his employees. They are his employees, and it is his private business. Air Peace is not a Nigerian government airline, but a private enterprise, just like any other. He has no more responsibility to fly the Nigerian flag than Dangote using “green-white-green” as the preferred colors for his cement bags. However, some haters and tribalists found it reasonable to raise this matter all in an effort to minimize his achievement! What was lost in this Isi Agu discuss was how many jobs were created by Mr. Onyema and Air Peace as part of this achievement. Additionally, we lost sight of Air Peace’ impact introducing competitive airfares to this route, all to the benefit of everyday Nigerians regardless of tribe, religion or orientation. Mr. Onyema with just that one action have upset the pricing structure for Lagos to London flights, something that is worth celebrating to the highest level. However, none of these mattered to some people! What mattered to them was that an Igbo man is attempting to impose the Igbo culture on them, negating the other positives of his achievement. This shows how small minded some of us are and how some will stop at nothing to derail or minimize these achievements of Mr. Allen Onyema and Air Peace.
Now, upon launching this scheme by Air Peace, there already exist sabotage on both sides of their route. First, other airlines are now deeply discounting their fares either to compete with Air Peace’ prices, or a veiled plot to drive Air Peace out of the market. Additionally, Nigerian Airport Authority, not wanting to be outdone are trying to frustrate Air Peace by assigning the worst gates for boarding and deboarding of passengers. The question that I would like to ask is why! Why would Air Peace, after elevating our status in the world with this flight route, come back home to Nigeria and be subjected to the same poor treatment as was meted out to it in London? European airlines plying the same routes and using the same airports are allocated the best gates by virtue of their being local. Only in Nigeria would our own indigenous airline be treated shabbily by allocating the worst gate for their use. This is simply self-hate at its peak!
As for the Igbos who are excitedly proud of their son’s achievements. My question is why and how did we allow ourselves to be dragged into this discussion of outfits? Mr. Onyema himself informed us that his efforts are being sabotaged by the London Airport authorities and even treated worse by the Nigerian Airport authority. Instead of focusing on these substantive issues, we, like suckers, allowed ourselves to be dragged into this Isi Agu discussion like fools. We should all be outraged at these allegations. But no, our focus was on whether he represented the Igbos well with the Isi Agu outfit.
Lately, competing airlines are all trying to slash their prices in response to Air Peace’ entry into this Lagos – London route all to the benefit of the average Nigerian. Understandably, airlines slashing their prices on any given routes is not necessarily to get rid of competition, it is actually competition ensuring that the users get the benefit of competitive pricing. Therefore, instead of making up conspiracy theories regarding this matter, let discuss how to support Air Peace by ensuring that their flights are full for each and every trip to London. The bottom line is that regardless of what these other airlines do, provided Air Peace sells out their seats, they will be fine. So, enough with the conspiracy theories. Enough with the name calling, Lets find ways to support Air Peace by using their services for our trips to London. The entire Nigerian community in London should be grateful to Air Peace for introducing lower airfares for their route and make sure to support the airline that made it possible.
You wonder why Nigeria is not working? Well, I will tell you why. Two totally different legal matters that did not follow the norm of the Nigeria judiciary. First was the arrest, trial and sentence of the social media influencer Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju (aka Bobrisky). This crossdresser was accused of mutilating the naira on March 2024, arrested, tried and sentenced to six months in jail on April 12, 2024. What an amazing feat! However, what was his crime? He did not steal or embezzle any government funds. He did not kidnap any school children for ransom. He did not terrorize worshippers or kill farmers in their farms. He was simply showing gratitude by spraying his own money during an event, an action that every reader of this article has done at one time or the order. However, our hapless Nigerian government and EFCC found it advisable, in light of all the security challenges facing the country today, to expend resources to arrest this young man, conduct a trial and sentenced him to jail within months. Again, instead of challenging the inherent inequities within our security apparatus, we are worried about whether he will be incarcerated in a male or female prison. Once again, we continue to be occupied and concerned with the wrong things.
Another issue, take the matter of Chioma Okoli, another social media influencer who posted her review of a tomato puree product and its sugar content. This young lady was subsequently arrested, and is about to be tried and sentenced for exercising her right to free speech. What country will speedily conduct trials and sentence people for such minor offenses, meanwhile, politicians embezzling billion of naira continue to walk free everyday with no consequences? What civilized nation would work to rehabilitate terrorists, kidnappers and armed robbers, but will put poor folks in jail for spraying money – something that everyone does in the same country?
This goes to show that our priorities are warped while we continue to worry about the wrong things. Could you imagine what would happen if EFCC could speedily dispense justice to all former politicians who embezzled money and are currently in their (EFCC) dragnet? Could you imagine what would happen to the security situation in Nigeria if they (EFCC) would speedily investigate, arrest, conduct trials and sentence all of these people perpetuating kidnapping in Nigeria? Could you imagine what would happen if they (EFCC) put in the same resources towards investigating charges of budget padding, while bringing all perpetrators to trial and effectively and speedily sentence them if found culpable? Nah, not Nigeria! For us, it is totally okay to harass and jail normal folks who go about their daily businesses and hurt no one. Meanwhile, the true culprits and destroyers of our nation economy, namely our political elite, whose actions are the reasons we are a mess today walk around free. A country with so many resources, promise and hope, but unable to actualize our potentials. Such is the state of Nigeria.
By the way, have you heard the news of the Nigerian Human Affairs Minister (or the poverty minister), Betta Edu, who diverted over 24 million naira to private accounts throughout the country? My concern is not what she did, but how easily she was able to accomplish this diversion within months of being appointed. Does Nigeria not have an Office of Auditor General? Who in this country is tasked with guarding our money? Meanwhile, could EFCC apply the same expertise that netted Bobrisky and Ms. Okoli’s to help them quickly dispense of this case? To date, Emefiele is just about to walk free since he has just been granted bail. But notably, EFCC has not been able to conclude its investigations which started as soon as the Tinubu administration took over. Today, they are still investigating and that is the dilemma that every Nigerian has to endure.
To circle back to where I started, Nigerians especially the Igbos must be careful not to be distracted at every turn. We must be focused on those items that will move both the country and the Igbo nation forward – and not be distracted by minor stuff such as Isi Agu outfits. We need to call out our security personnel whenever they abuse or fail us, which happen very often. We really need to learn to focus on the right stuff always.
Note: I would like to correct this one misconception and misrepresentation among Igbos in general. Please note that the Lion is called Odum, and the Tiger called Agu in Igbo language. So, when you say Isi Agu, you are referring to the head of a Tiger. However, what we call Isi Agu, is actually Isi Odum which is the Lion. Now if you want to wear Isi Agu, make sure the print on the clothing is the head of a Tiger and not that of a Lion.
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