By Chinelo Obogo
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has said his nomination by the management of The Sun Publishing Limited as Exceptional Philanthropist, has not only given him hope but will also motivate him to do more.
Speaking when he received a delegation from The Sun, led by the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Onuoha Ukeh, the Air Peace boss said that in an era where fake news is rampant, The Sun has continued to blaze the trail in standing for the truth, saying he was happy to be honoured by a medium known for its integrity.
Onyema said it was important that the media celebrates people when they do good, to encourage others to do the same, emphasising that this is where The Sun is exceptional.
The Air Peace boss revealed that he receives all manner of awards every day and outrightly rejects many of them because of credibility question, but that it is not the same case with The Sun awards.
He said “I thank The Sun for appreciating what one has done selflessly. The award is not just for me alone but it’s a call for every other person to behave selflessly. It is not every time that someone feels appreciated. There are so many rumours being peddled out there just to bring someone down but here you are, one of the most powerful media organisations in Nigeria, coming here to notify me of this award after carrying out a thorough research. This has made my day.
“You have given me hope that it will be well and one should always continue doing good deeds. What The Sun Newspaper has done is to challenge me to do more and by the grace of God, I will continue doing good. “
Onyema further explained: “The highlight of my life is not even bringing back Nigerians from South Africa during the xenophobic attacks. My biggest achievement is how I was able to help restore peace to the Niger Delta. I put my life on the line for this country to ensure that peace was restored in the Niger Delta with my own funds.
“At the peak of militancy in the Niger Delta, I applied to the University of Rhodes Island Center for Non-Violence and Peace Studies in the US and asked them to bring the entire faculty to Nigeria to come and teach us but they told me that it was very expensive. I told them not to worry about the cost. When we finished from there, I went into the creeks because I was now equipped with knowledge and could confront violent people. It was a dangerous assignment and I didn’t see my wife and kids for one year. I got the first 10 people and trained them and at a time, I started getting them in hundreds. Not long afterwards, Akwa Ibom State government under Obong Victor Attah sent for me to ask how I was doing it because everyone in the Niger Delta was talking about it. I told him that I am an expert in non-violent conflict management and he said he wanted me to train 100 militants.
“So, people bought into what I was doing until President Umar Yar’Adua took over and told Timi Alaibe to get me to help in training others. Alaibe told the president that some of the militants I trained and transformed had been employed in NDDC. So, my programme was very effective. At the time I came in to save this country, crude oil production had nosedived, but as the militancy was abating, the production increased.”
Earlier in his speech, The Sun MD said Onyema was chosen for the Exceptional Philanthropist award because of his achievements in helping restore peace in the Niger Delta, rescuing stranded Nigerians from South Africa during the xenophobic attacks, among others.
Listing what the Air Peace boss had done in philanthropy, Ukeh said: “As an undergraduate in the University of Ibadan, you developed reputation for diplomacy and conflict resolution when you lead a group of students to travel to Zaria to help quell a religious and ethnic riot that claimed lives. Upon your return from Zaria, you helped spearhead the formation of Eminent Friends’ Group, which was formed with the objectives of promoting ethnic harmony.
“At the peak of the crisis in the Niger Delta, with the bombing of oil pipelines by militants in the creeks which affected the economy negatively, you played a very major role in restoring peace in that region. In 2005, you initiated the First Nigeria Forever Project, an initiative for the promotion of broad nationalism as opposed to ethnic nationalism and subsequently won for Nigeria the hosting right for Global Conference on Nonviolence and Peace in 2007.
“In 2019, when Nigerians suffered xenophobic attacks, you offered to fly your planes to South Africa and evacuate Nigerians who were willing to return at no cost. It cost you over N280million of your personal funds, fuelling the planes and paying for all the logistics so that over 500 Nigerians who were trapped in South Africa could be evacuated.”
The Sun Awards ceremony holds on October 16, 2021 at the Expo Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Others who will receive awards are: Governor Nyesome Wike of Rivers State and Mallam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (Man of the Year); Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and Yahaya Bello of Kogi State (Governor of the Year); Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State (Political Icon); and Comrade Philip Shaibu, Deputy Governor of Edo State (Sports Personality).
Others are Dr. Adedeji Adeleke (Exceptional Philanthropist); Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd), chairman, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, Brig Gen Ibrahim Shuaibu, Director General of the National Youths Service Corps; and Mr. Chinedum Orji, Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly (Public Service); Engr Nnamdi Ezigbo, chairman, SLOT Systems Limited and Dr. ABC Ojiakor, chairman, SEPLAT Petroleum Company Ltd (Entrepreneur of the Year); Alhaji Mustapha Ado, chairman, Ammasco International Ltd and Chief Ebuka Onunkwo, Chairman, Seahorse Lubricant Industries Limited (Industrialist of the Year).
Also to be honoured are First Lady of Ondo State, Chief Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu (Most Supportive First Lady,); Chief Obinna Iyiegbu (Obi Cubana), chairman of Cubana Group (Hospitality Icon) and Kanayo O. Kanaya, star actor and producer ( Nollywood Icon).
Other award winners are Mr. Moses Ekpo, Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Olabode George, Prof George Obiozor, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and Amb Babagana Kingibe (Lifetime Achievement); Chief Frank Okafor, chairman of Marco Polo Group Limited and Prince Chris Igwe, chairman, Mainland Oil Limited (Investor of the Year).