Allen Onyema, Air Peace chairman, has dismissed claims that he neglects the South-East, arguing that the region itself is responsible for why his airline’s multi-billion-naira Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility ended up in Lagos instead of Enugu or Anambra.
Onyema, who responded on the WhatsApp platform, Igbo Communication Professionals, explained that Air Peace had originally planned to locate the project in Enugu, following approval by the state government and millions of naira already invested.
“On the Enugu thing, please check some news stories during the government of Governor Ugwuanyi. I visited the state officially several times, held meetings with the governor and his cabinet on my intention to be given land to build this MRO that, by God’s grace, will become the biggest in Africa on completion.
“Our intentions were announced. In fairness, the governor truly wanted it. However, the usual intrigues and selfish interests from unknown others thwarted our intentions.”
He said no one agreed to release land for the project, revealing that some families laid claims to the portions meant for the project.
“Some families started claiming ownership of some lands anticipated to be given to us. The conflicts started. All my shuttles to Enugu came to nothing. I was pained.
“At the Anambra Airport, I paid for land for the MRO facility. I paid over N100m for land there. The next thing was some community and families warning me that the land at the airport belonged to them, that the state government had no right to even build the airport without their permission.”
Onyema noted that the land is still there, empty, urging the people of the region to look inwardly.
“The time has come for Igbos to look in the mirror and see who their true enemies are. When they gaze into the mirror, the real enemy will be staring back at them. Let us, as a people, undertake self-examination before we start complaining.
“We moan a lot about everything, blaming everyone, every other tribe, except ourselves. We are destroying the Igbo land ourselves while blaming others,” he said.
“How many Ndi Igbo can safely invest in Igboland now? I have not visited my hometown in three and a half years due to the dire security situation in my area.
I acquired a large expanse of land to build an international hospital and a five-star hotel resort. The dream is already gone.
“Let Igbos do self-introspection before blaming others.”
In aviation, MRO refers to all the services and processes required to keep aircraft and their components in a safe, reliable, and high-performing operating condition, encompassing routine inspections, minor repairs, component replacements, major overhauls, and even modifications. These services are crucial for ensuring compliance with stringent safety regulations and for maintaining fleet health and operational efficiency for airlines.
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