Victor Ezeja“Life hasn’t been all rosy but the grace of God has been on my side, enabling me to achieve what I have achieved while making positive impacts on humanity,” says Chairman of Air Peace, Barrister Allen Onyema, who celebrated his 59th birthday on, Tuesday, 28th March.
It was a colourful event as friends and well-wishers gathered to join Onyema in thanking God for adding another year to his life.
In an interview, Onyema, who has been described as the “numero uno of Nigeria’s aviation,” said he is thankful to God for the grace He has given him and the kind of heart he has that has enabled him to do the things he has done and continues doing for the advancement of society.
“I am thankful to God almighty for the kind of heart he has given me. I am so grateful to God for having come this far. I hope and pray that by his grace I will live long enough to worship Him with my great-grandchildren,” said Onyema in a joyful mood during his birthday celebration.
He said he has encountered challenges but was never deterred as he believed that God allows one to “pass through some patches in order to bring out the best in you.”
“I am proud of what God has bestowed on me, and I am very, very appreciative and thankful to Him for making me who I am today. Though it has not been easy, but with God on his side, it at the end of the day becomes Uhuru,” he added.
Born on 28th March 1964, in Benin to the family of Michael and Helen Onyema, the Air Peace boss hails from a town called Mbosi, in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Onyema, who is a lawyer by training, has been said to have endeared himself to the heart of many Nigerians for his patriotic and philanthropic acts. He has also been engaged in peacebuilding initiatives since 2004 – a range of advocacy programmes aimed at engaging Nigerians on the need for peaceful coexistence.
On his 59th birthday, many Nigerians took turns to felicitate him for his contributions to national development.
The Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo in his birthday message to Onyema, described him as an illustrious son of Anambra State who has contributed immensely to the growth of the Aviation sector and the nation’s economy generally.
The governor commended the Air Peace chairman’s steadfastness, hard work and unyielding commitment to the nation and his community.
Also, President General Global Peace Movement International, UK, Dr. Mike, while congratulating Onyema for adding another year to his age, described him as a key player in Nigeria’s aviation sector and an ambassador of “peace” who continues to show consistent faith and belief in the country.
Uyi in a statement on Wednesday said that “He is proud of the development record, the pan-African vision and commitment of the airline’s leadership, particularly its chairman, Chief Allen Onyema”.
He said that Allen Onyema’s crusade for peace and reconciliation began in Northern Nigeria, and eventually gained momentum in the Niger Delta at a time when the unrest in the Niger Delta had reached a peak and Nigeria’s oil production had declined from 2.5 million barrels per day down to a paltry 700,000 barrels per day.
As an entrepreneur, he has created many jobs for people both in Nigeria and other parts of the world where he has business concerns.
His airline, Air Peace, which was birthed about nine years ago, has risen to become a leading airline in not just Nigeria but the entire sub-Saharan Africa with about 40 aircraft fleet size, operating domestic, regional and international routes. One of the latest in his quest for international route expansion is the commencement of flight operations to Mumbai, India on 31st March 2023 (tomorrow).
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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