Allen Onyema: A case of gathering by giving

Air Peace boss, Chief Allen Onyema, took most people by surprise when he volunteered his Airline for the evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks on black Africans resident in the country. His act of charity has since continued to gather for him favourable reviews, accolades, and much more, PAUL OKAH writes.

The renewed xenophobic attacks on blacks in South Africa in August this year, affected a large population Nigerians eking a living in the country. Shops and other businesses belonging to Nigerians were looted and destroyed even as many Nigerians were either killed or beaten to stupor.

With the development, many Nigerians demanded from sanctions to be meted out on South Africa and retributive measures taken as tempers flared. The federal government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also seemed to be foot dragging while the arson continued in South Africa.

Air Peace intervenes

Worried by the development, on September 4, 2019, the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema, provided an aircraft to evacuate Nigerians who wished to return home on account of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

The spokesperson of the ministry of foreign affairs, Mr. Ferdinand Nwonye, in a statement, had advised interested Nigerians to liaise with the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg for further necessary arrangement to return home.

“The proprietor of Air Peace Airlines, Chief Allen Onyema, has volunteered to send an aircraft from September 6, 2019, to evacuate Nigerians who wish to return to Nigeria free of charge. The general public is hereby advised to inform their relatives in South Africa to take advantage of this laudable gesture,” he said.

The all-expense-paid flight reportedly cost as much as N280 million and Allen Onyema bore all that cost, even as the billionaire businessman was at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport to welcome the returnees. He walked right inside the aircraft to welcome them as soon as the plane touched down.

As expected, the returning Nigerians applauded the man, who literally saved their lives, after which they began to sing the national anthem. Onyema is said to have broken down in tears.

He said: “I put together over N280 million in other to bring these people back. Air Peace decided to bring them free of charge. Nobody paid us a dime. We decided to do it for our country and for our people.

“When I stepped inside the aircraft to welcome them, they mobbed me and started singing the Nigerian national anthem. There was nobody there singing about separation. They felt proud to be Nigerians. They rose in unison, which drew tears from me.”

Why I intervened

While speaking at the Trinity House, Victoria Island, Lagos, where he was presented with Humanitarian Service Award, Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said he decided to airlift stranded Nigerians from South Africa because of his passion and vow to God.

The Air Peace boss, after receiving his award, urged the youths to develop strong faith in their country stressing that, “Although the economy might be bad, there was still plenty in the midst of lack.”

Onyema said Nigeria was a virgin land, adding that if Europe had one-tenth of the country’s resources, it would rule the world, noting that Nigeria’s greatest problem was the division among its 378 ethnic nationalities, adding that, instead of the diversity being a source of strength, it had become an albatross.

He added that 503 Nigerians had so far been brought back from South Africa, adding that his firm was awaiting the Federal Government’s instruction to evacuate more.

“This country is blessed. All you need to do is to exercise patience, trust in God and exercise your brain a little bit. I am giving you a business secret here. Find that which is very challenging. Look for challenges people don’t have solutions to and be the first person to proffer solutions to them and you are on your way to becoming a billionaire.

“So, if you may be wondering, why did I do what I did in South Africa? The truth is that it was not the first time. I have done bigger things than going to evacuate Nigerians. In 2005, at the height of the Niger Delta militancy, only 500,000 barrels were being produced for a population of over 180 million people. I told my staff that this militancy issue, I must fight it,” the business mogul said.

Furthermore, he noted that he wrote a letter to an institute in the United States to train him and 22 members of his staff on how to go about the situation, adding that despite gaining admission, the US embassy in Nigeria denied them visas.

Onyema said he wrote another letter to the institute and requested that the training be done in Nigeria. Blueprint Weekend gathered that it was eventually held in Nigeria and another set of 250 people have been trained.

“After that we went into the creeks. It was a difficult assignment to confront people that the military had not been able to handle and in a terrain that was not good. My message of peace arrested them. It was when Shell saw what we were doing that they came in.

“That was when money started coming in; something that we never bargained for. Chevron joined and everybody joined. The American embassy started visiting me in my office and I even got an award in the US. So, sometimes, you can decide to help your nation without looking for money. Money will come when it will come. You don’t need to kidnap or join a gang to make money. But one thing is important always remember God,” he said.

NUSA commends Air Peace

On September 7, 2019, the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA) commended the proprietor of Air Peace Airline, Chief Allen Onyema, for donating an aircraft to evacuate Nigerians with intention of returning home from South Africa.

In a press statement in Lagos, the union’s publicity secretary, Mr Habib Miller, said other Nigerians should emulate the kind gesture.

 He said: “The gesture is a show of patriotism. We hope other well-meaning Nigerian stakeholders will emulate it to help give succour to the victims of the attacks. Mr Onyema’s benevolence is an indication that we can be our brother’s keeper in trying times and we implore other Nigerian philanthropists and business executives to follow suit so that our returning compatriots can be reintegrated into our country conveniently.”

Reps honour Onyema

The House of Representatives on September 19, 2019, held a session in honour of Onyema, for the free air services offered by his airline to the federal government for the evacuation of Nigerians in South Africa.

Also, the low chamber of the National Assembly passed a resolution asking President Muhammadu Buhari to give a national award to Onyema in recognition of his patriotism.

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, asked the Clerk to the House, Patrick Giwa, to transmit to Buhari immediately.

The lawmakers also vowed to give the first priority to Air Peace when flying to any part of the country.

The Speaker, shortly after saying the opening prayers, asked that the Order Paper for the plenary be temporarily suspended to allow the lawmakers to receive the Air Peace boss for recognition, even as Gbajabiamila asked the Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, to move that Onyema be allowed into the chamber.

The Speaker said, “I believe that we are all witnesses to what he has done for our brothers and sisters in the last couple of weeks. We watched the scenes of Nigerians on TV being reunited with their families and friends; the emotional scenes was brought about or made possible by only one man among many men; a businessman who is into business like every other businessman to make money.

“However, he sacrificed his wealth and business, and at no cost, and I dare say at a loss – deployed his aircraft to bring back our brothers and sisters who were facing danger in South Africa. This is a feat that should be commended. And we hereby commend Mr Allen Onyema and recommend you to the Federal Government for higher honour in Nigeria.”

In his opening speech, Onyema told the House that the evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa has brought respect to Nigeria across the world. He also stated that South Africa was suffering dearly for the attacks by its citizens on non-citizens. He said flights were now going to South Africa empty and while stocks in the country were falling.

The Air Peace boss said the pressure on South Africa forced the country to apologise to Nigeria and other African countries and that xenophobia will die a natural death in South African, even noting that he had been previously involved in national projects, urging other wealthy Nigerians to be philanthropic.

He said: “You have brought tears to my eyes again. I have never been so honoured in my life. That singular act has brought so much respect for Nigeria worldwide. It wouldn’t have happened if the evacuation hadn’t take place. The kind of support we have got from Nigerians through commendations and everything gladden our hearts to the extent that my pilot and cabin crew stood for 24 hours because they (South African authorities) tried to frustrate us.

“They didn’t want us to evacuate, they pleaded with the Nigerian High Commission not to do it. But they (the commission) told them that they (South African authorities) could not stop the private citizens. They delayed us for 15 hours before allowing us to do the first evacuation.

“In the last one week, this country has bonded. No more Hausa, no more Yoruba, no more Igbo. Let me use this opportunity to plead with all of you here, the representatives of our people; as long as we fight against each other, we shall not have a nation. It is only when we start fighting for each other that can we have a nation.”

Charity extended to militants

The lawmakers had given Onyema a standing ovation when called upon to address them. Among those who spoke was a House of Representatives member from Delta state, Julius Pondi, who owned up to having been a Niger Delta militant, recalling how Onyema used the NGO to train the militants in Lagos, in affiliation with the University of Rhodes Island. The lawmaker decried the fact that clerics who own private jets had failed to offer their aircraft for the rescue mission.

He said, “I came in contact with Onyema in 2005 when he was operating a non-governmental organisation, Foundation for Ethnic Harmony. Then, the struggle and agitation for the Niger Delta was at its peak. On his own, he brought out young men from the creeks to embrace peace. I was in the creeks; but I am now a law-making militant.

“I attended the first batch of it and the second was in South Africa. I was trained in South Africa along with others. When in 2010, the then President (Umaru) Yar’Adua proclaimed the amnesty, about 79 to 80 per cent of all the 30,000 militants that were granted amnesty were all trained by the same NGO.

“I want to join everybody in this House to thank Mr Onyema that ‘you have done well.’ I am a living testimony of all the good things you have done. Today, I am a ranking member of this green chamber because at some point, you were part of the formation stage in my life and I thank you for that.”

…Crew not left out

On September 19, 2019, while addressing journalists in Abuja, a member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Ajibola Muraina (PDP-Oyo), urged his colleagues to donate at least N100,000 each for the cabin crew of Air Peace Airline involved in airlifting of stranded Nigerians from South Africa.

He commended the lawmakers for taking the lead in honouring the chairman of the Airline, revealing that the pilots and cabin crew refused to collect their due allowances, offering it as their contribution to nation-building.

Muraina said Onyema’s actions and that of his staff should reawaken the milk of kindness Nigerians are known for all over the world.

He further stated that the conduct should be seen as a clarion call on all rich Nigerians to be selfless, willing and ready at all times to assist fellow countrymen.

He said: “The National Assembly has taken the lead in appreciating the return of the spirit of selflessness, being our brothers’ keepers and exhibiting milk of kindness. I suggest most humbly that my noble colleagues from the National Assembly should consider making token donations from their salaries, whatever amount they deem it starting from N100,000 each upwards, for the cabin crew of Air Peace.

“They have worked and continue to work without taking any allowance, the Nigerians that have been evacuated back to Nigeria and those that may still further be evacuated. This token may be useful for the evacuated Nigerians in whatever form, the cabin crew would also have been appreciated somehow. This may signpost a new beginning of Nigerians demonstrating milk of kindness towards each other.”

Lawmakers pledge allegiance to Air Peace

Also speaking, the Majority Leader said Onyema had prevented an imminent war between Nigeria and South Africa and urged the lawmakers to patronise Air Peace.

Ado-Doguwa said, “What he did was an exhibition of selflessness, risking his business interest to save the lives of Nigerians in the face of war; because these xenophobic attacks in South Africa are like a war.

“Onyema, you saved Nigerians from war, you saved Nigerian from embarrassment and I think what we are doing today, we are doing it on behalf of the 360 constituencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to say thank you.

“On behalf of all the members of the House of Representatives and the federal government led by President Buhari, I want to say a big thank you. I want to give him my commitment that for this reason, from today, when I have cause to fly, Air Peace will be my priority. I hope all other members here will keep that as a commitment. Air Peace will be our first priority.”

The Chairman, House Committee on Army, Abdulrazak Namdas, moved a motion that the lawmakers should recommend the Air Peace boss for national honour to encourage other Nigerians to work in the interest of the country and when the motion was put to a voice vote, the lawmakers unanimously granted the prayer.