LAGOS – The current attack on Dr. Allen Onyema, Chairman, Air Peace by some foreign authorities, was not just a blatant affront on an individual, but also on the entire Nigerian aviation sector, Mr. Chike Stanley, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Helicopter Services Limited has said.
Stanley in an interview with Daily Independent in Lagos, said that the current situation called for an urgent action from all stakeholders in the country.
Stanley, stated that Onyema, stands as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished and hardworking entrepreneurs, stressing that his airline had not only redefined the aviation landscape, but also provided immense relief to millions of Nigerians.
He explained that with relentless determination and a vision to democratise air travel, Onyema had grown Air Peace into a dominant force, one that competes directly with global airlines.
He regretted that despite his contributions to the country’s aviation sector,Onyema had been repeatedly subjected to scrutiny, victimisation, and disparagement from foreign authorities and the western media.
Stanley explained that at a time when the cost of air travel was skyrocketing, it was Air Peace that stepped in to stabilise the market.
He recalled that Nigerians had been at the mercy of astronomical airfares, as foreign carriers continued to monopolise major routes, emphasising that the ripple effect was devastating, limiting the capacity of the average citizen to fly and stifling the growth of the nation’s aviation industry.
However, Air Peace, under the leadership of Onyema, Stanley pointed out, disrupted this narrative.
He added: “By offering competitive pricing and expanding its domestic, regional and international reach, Air Peace provided Nigerians with an affordable and reliable alternative. The significance of this cannot be overstated—Air Peace became a symbol of healthy competition, lifting the industry and curbing exploitative practices by foreign carriers.
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“The success of Air Peace’s international routes, including the historic commencement of flights to London Gatwick, is a testament to its pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) arrangements. The landmark push by Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to secure favourable BASA routes would not have had the same impact without the involvement of Air Peace.
“The airline’s presence oninternational routes, especially with major destinations like London—challenged long-standing monopolies and helped reduce fares that had been skyrocketing. This development not only empowered the Nigerian consumer, but also marked a significant victory for local airlines in a fiercely competitive global market.”
Stanley declared that Onyema’s Air Peace was paving the way for other Nigerian airlines to capitalise on more BASA routes, unlocking a new era of international connectivity and competition.
He further insisted that his contribution had been nothing short of revolutionary, a fact he said that should be celebrated rather than subjected to unwarranted attacks.
He alleged that the repeated victimisation of Onyema by the United States authorities and the western press appeared increasingly orchestrated, raising suspicions that it was part of a larger agenda to destabilise Nigeria’s aviation sector.
According to him, it was no coincidence that as Air Peace rises and disrupts the status quo, Onyema would face intensified scrutiny, maintaining that this situation should raise alarms for all Nigerians, especially those within the aviation industry.
Stanley added that this was not just Onyema’s fight, rather a contest for the survival and autonomy of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
He added that at a time when the nation was striving to assert its place on the global stage, the attack on Air Peace, the closest entity Nigeria has to a national flag carrier, was an attack onthe industry’s collective future.
He maintained that Onyema’s plight was a battle for the soul of Nigerian aviation, predicting that its fallout would affect not just Air Peace, but hundreds of its employees and the broader economy.
