The Chief Executive Officer, Air Peace, Allen Onyema has appealed to Nigerians not to lose hope in the nation, as he preached unity in a short video on-board Boeing 777 aircraft Flight 7120 operated from Lagos to Abuja on Wednesday.
Onyema urged Nigerians not to lose hope in a unified nation insisting that the country is stronger as one despite calls from certain quarters to fragment the country.
He said, “With the natural and human resources abound in the country, Nigeria would make a great nation and would be the envy of the world. The current challenges could be the key that would unlock the full potential of the country to rise to its greatness if the citizens work together to make Nigeria better, and the country’s size is a huge advantage for her.
READ: Airfares across Nigeria increases by 100%
“Nigeria is for all of us. The bigger Nigeria is the best thing ever that can happen to Nigeria. We don’t need to balkanize this country; we don’t know what we have got having this country called Nigeria. Our diversity should be our strength and not our Albatross. The diversity we have is the best thing that can ever happen to this nation. Let us make it work; let us stop engaging in blame games. Let us stop engaging in the stigmatization of ethnicities, let us work as Nigerians.”
He told the passengers that the United States is a conglomeration of people from diverse nationalities who worked together to build a great nation.
“America is the melting pot of all ethnicities in the world. You have Igbo-America, Fulani-America, Yoruba-America, and Anglo-American from England, from Russia also and all over the world. Yet when they get the passport, they profess America.
READ: Air Peace Founder, Onyema denies alleged $20 million bank fraud
“However, in my country with all our capacity the first thing we profess is our ethnicity, I am an Igbo, Yoruba, I am Hausa. Can we stop this? This country can be better than it is. It is not the fault of the government, it is not your fault; it is the collective effort of all of us that can make it work not just government alone.
“I want you to have hope in your nation; do not lose hope. Don’t feel that the worst has come to happen. We have passed through this stage before, let our diversity be our strength and this country will remain great,” Onyema added.
What you should know
In September 2019, Air Peace had offered its services to rescue embattled Nigerians affected by xenophobic attacks at no cost, according to Nairametrics.
In a statement made available by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chairman and Chief Executive officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema was quoted to have said the airline will release its aircraft to bring Nigerians home.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform the public that following the recent unfortunate xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, including Nigerians in South Africa, the Proprietor of Air Peace Airlines, Chief Allen Onyema, has volunteered to send an aircraft from Friday 6th September 2019 to evacuate Nigerians who wish to return to Nigeria free of charge,” the statement read.
May God bless him, In Shaa Allaah, this country will soar high in peace. We need leaders like him who will let us know that we are better as one and not divided. Fly high Nigeria, fly high Air Peace