Air Peace Airline has concluded plans to open the Ibadan route via direct flights connecting the city to Abuja, Kano and Owerri as part of its no-city-left-behind initiative.
The Chairman of the airline, Allen Onyema, disclosed this at the University of Ibadan’s Alumni Association Luncheon and Awards, held in Ibadan, saying the new routes would soon have flights connecting the largest city to other parts of the country by air.
Apparently in recognition of its excellence in the local air travel industry, Air Peace at the event also bagged the Corporate Award of Excellence in the delivery of safe and comfortable flights.
Appreciating the award from the institution, Onyema said: “Very soon, we shall start flying Abuja-Ibadan-Abuja daily, Kano-Ibadan-Kano and Owerri-Ibadan-Owerri three times a week.”
Delivering a lecture at the forum, titled “Nigeria and the Rise and Rise of Ethnic Nationalism,” he noted that the bane of Nigeria’s problem was her inability to live beyond the prisms of ethnicity.
He said the country’s multi-ethnicity was supposed to be its strength, but it had become an albatross.
The UI alumnus, who bemoaned how Nigerians whip up ethnic sentiments in salient national discourses, remarked that “we must make a resolve to start harnessing the powers that lie in our ethnic composition and leverage them for the development of the country.”
While receiving the awards, Onyema thanked the Alumni Association for honouring him and his airline, Air Peace.
“My joy knows no bounds today. I appreciate this academia because it contributed to making me who I am today. I love my country and will continue to live a life of selflessness”.
He urged his fellow alumni to toe the same path by giving back to the university and the larger society.
Onyema revealed that, as part of giving back to the university and the city of Ibadan which shaped him, Air Peace would commence flights into Ibadan from Kano, Owerri and Abuja.
“This is part of our no-city-left-behind initiative and our plan to interconnect various cities of Nigeria, giving our esteemed customers more seamless connections,” he said.
The airline last month announced the commencement of Kano-Owerri-Kano flights.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Idowu Abel, described Onyema as a detribalised Nigerian, who had shown strong commitment to the advancement of the nation through his various humanitarian initiatives and socio-economic interventions, like the creation of massive jobs, peace missions and philanthropy.
The President of the Alumni Association, Prof. Elsie Adewoye, expressed gratitude to Onyema for accepting to be part of the homecoming and serving as the guest lecturer.
In a related, Arik Air has announced the resumption of flight services to Asaba Airport in Delta.
Arik Air Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu said in a statement in Lagos that starting from December 18, the airline would be operating daily flights from Lagos to Asaba.
Ilegbodu said that the resumption of flights to Asaba was coming at a time when people were looking for seamless travel during the Yuletide.
“Arik Air’s return to Asaba is nostalgic as the airline was the first to commence commercial flights to Asaba when the airport was inaugurated in 2011.
“Similarly, Arik Air, in the spirit of the Yuletide season, will be increasing its frequency from Lagos to Owerri to thrice daily.
“The additional flight will operate at 7:00 a.m. daily in addition to the 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. departures,” he said.
Speaking on the latest development, Ilegbodu said: “The resumption of flights to Asaba is a promise kept as we had assured our esteemed customers that we would be back on the route before the Christmas festivities.
“We once again assure our customers of a high operating safety standard and excellent customer service during the Yuletide and beyond.”