Boss Of The Week
Celebrating an Entrepreneurial Colossus, Allen Onyema, at 58
By Eric Elezuo
When you are many things wrapped up in one bundle, it is difficult, almost impossible for the world not to give you attention. This situation encapsulates one man, completely different from the rest in the global professionalism, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. From the solitary law profession to becoming an aviation whizkid to the reputable philanthropist known across the globe, Allen Ifechukwu Onyemaraeme, simply referred to Allen Onyema. has come a long in his 58 years of worthy sojourn on planet earth. Here is a man who found the proverbial green pastures out of a dint of hard work from where he was, breaking barriers and creating new horizons. He is the indefatigable founder of one of world’s best privately owned airline, Air Peace.
Air Peace, without mincing words, has grown to become the largest indigenous airline in the whole of West and Central Africa with competitive fares on both passenger and charter services. It is worthy to note that licence for the operations was delayed for two whole years. Onyema, unarguably has the Midas touch by every standard.
A native of Mbosi in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state, Allen Onyema, was born to Michael and Helen Onyema in Benin City in the then Midwest region, in present day Edo State, on March 28, 1964 as the first of nine children of his parents.
He obtained his Higher School Certificate at the age of 20 in 1984, at Government College, Ughelli, having had stints with various institutions of learning including including St. Anthony’s Secondary School, Azia and Urhobo College, Effurun.
In the same 1984, Allen Onyema was admitted into the University of Ibadan to study Law. He practically allowed the school to pass through him as well as he combined academic works with social activism to engender national peace. In 1987 however, he graduated and was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989.
While others were making their ways out of the country in search of better life, Onyema moved to Lagos with a strong determination to find his own greener pastures there, and if he couldn’t find it, will create his own greener pastures there, for others to subsequently find.
Like the biblical person, who has respect and is faithful with little beginnings, Onyema began life as a squatter in Oshodi, a suburb of Lagos notorious for squalor attributes. He explained in one of the many interviews he had granted that he used ‘trek from Marina to Iddo to join the overcrowded trains back from his daily trips to Lagos Island in search of a chamber to practice his law profession’.
In 1990, out of sheer zeal and focus, he secured a place with Nwizugbo & Co. Chambers. It was not long, before he stamped his feet in the scheme of things, having won a case that had been labelled ‘a bad case’. From that point, there was no stopping the young lawyer, as he continued to establish his authority in the field. His rise was astronomical, and 1992, he had become the Head of Chambers. He also performed two actions in the same year that changed the course of his profession.
As a man who has his hands in many pies, he resigned his job at the chamber to concentrate on his real estate business, and at the same time floated his own law chamber, Onyema and Co. This real estate business was more lucrative as he reasoned, and justifiably so by every standard. The deals sharpened his entrepreneurial skills, and it was not long for him to choose between an arbitrator and an entrepreneur. It is worthy of note that deciding was very easy as he told Late Ubong King in an interview, and reported by Nairametrics:
“When I was squatting in Oshodi, I had these garage boys that were my friends and one happened to belong to a family that had this large expanse of land in Alagbado. He took me there, showed me their properties and I helped them to bring some buyers. A week later, after I got the employment, the entire family sent for me, and gave me about 400 plots of land in Alagbado to sell on their behalf at N5000 per plot.”
Though he was not promised a commission, he was given the privilege of a mark up, and so for someone on a monthly salary of N500, every plot of land sold at 100 per cent markup fetched him his 10-months’ salary. He didn’t need any ghost to tell him where his riches lie. He was not just selling to others, he was buying for himself as well.
With the fast rise of the real estate business, he consequently established Allen Onyema & Company to handle his real estate concerns. He confessed that “I was making a lot of money, but I was also working really hard.”
He didn’t stop at that, the wave of business acumen was flowing around, and he took advantage and also established floated Continental Business Links Limited, an import trade outfit to play the middleman role between traders in Nigeria who wished to import goods, and foreign manufacturers looking to get their goods into the Nigerian market.
He followed it up with the establishment of started Every Tide limited, an imports and trade business that imported electronics and sold in wholesale containers to traders.
In 2013, Onyema took the boldest step of his entrepreneurial calling. That was when he started the ambitious Air Peace, with the sole intent of creating jobs as against making profits. He had said in many fora that a friend told him that one commercial Boeing 737 could give jobs to a thousand persons and he decided that commercial aviation was a much profitable venture than leaving his money to seat idle in the banks. Consequently, he purchased the first three Domier jets. He realised rather too late that they could only be used for charters and even though they could fetch him a lot of money, only a few staff were needed. That wasn’t his original magnanimous intention. He wanted to give employment to a large number of citizens, not to make profit. Then he acquired seven Boeing 737 planes for commercial aviation. It was epochal as that was the time ever that a Nigerian airline would be starting with more than 2 airplanes.
Besides being a sound entrepreneurial giant, Onyema comes also as socially sound as the best. While in UI, his appetite for peace made him lead a group of nine other students to Zaria to quell a raging religious and ethnic riot that claimed lives. This singular act and the reception that followed his enthusiasm grew and led to the formation of a group known then as Eminent Friends’ Group – a group formed with the objectives of promoting ethnic harmony amongst Nigeria’s diverse ethnic nationalities and fighting the incidence of violence of all forms
When he left the university in 1987, he ensured that the group was replicated in all the states of the federation. In 2005, he initiated, organised and held the “1st Nigeria forever project” aimed at promoting broad nationalism as against ethnic nationalism.
The flourishing entrepreneur is not new to awards as they follow him like an avalanche. In April 2007, he became the second African ever to be appointed to the Executive Board of The Global Non-violence Conference Series Inc. USA, alongside notable world leaders like Hon. Dr. Andrew Young and Suarez Ramos. As a member of this board, he won for Nigeria, the hosting rights for Global Conference on Nonviolence and Peace in Abuja from December 3-5, 2007. His contribution to the socio-economic development has just began. He is also the chairman of the Foundation For Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria, (FEHN).
As a budding socialite and successful business, he has not completely escaped the unfounded criticisms of naysayers and fifth columnists. He and Air Peace have also come under senseless attacks in spite of the excellent services being rendered to the flying public. It is on record that the airline operates some of the heathiest, mostly brand new supersonic planes that have combined to earn the brand the Number One Position in the West and Central Africa Regions, barely seven years of its operation. He however, haas made it known that his primary objective is to continue to dish out the best of services to the flying public, create jobs for the teeming Nigerian youths, and not to answer to every unsubstantiated accusation by those who do not have the interest of the country at heart.
It is against this backdrop that the Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, in a message through his media aide, Joe Anatune, described Onyema as an exceptional businessman and a rare philanthropist who has made giant strides in the Nigerian Aviation industry through dint of hardwork and uncompromising business ethos.
It is worthy of note that seven years after the Air Peace became operational, the airline has thousands of people on its employment across the world, a greater majority of them are young Nigerian men and women who are pilots, engineers, technicians, lawyers, journalists, medical doctors, air hostess and cleaners, among many other professionals. The group launched its first international routes in 2017 to Accra in Ghana and commenced flights to Sharjah United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2019.
As one of the wonders of the world, the brand by 2018, had the largest market share in the domestic airline market in Nigeria, took delivery of jumbo jets- Boeing 777 planes and still counting. The long strides of the airline to date is nothing but mind-blowing. In addition to all the supersonic aircraft already acquired, Onyema has the intention of taking delivery of another set of 12 brand new Embraer 195 C2 making it 17, with the aim of acquiring a total of 30 of the supersonic planes to fly passengers across the world before the end of 2022. He is such an enigma, a well crafted legacy to mankind. He will be remembered for playing significant roles in the realization of the Anambra Airport.
Only a few days ago, the company received its fourth International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification, which signifies that the carrier was successful in the globally recognised and rigorous safety audit.
“Air Peace is unwaveringly committed to observing the highest standards of safety in its operations and the consecutive success in the IOSA audits is a testament to this commitment. For us, safety comes first for both our passengers and staff. We cannot compromise on this,” he organisation maintained..
Apart from providing jobs for thousands of people in Nigeria and others from across the world, especially countries where it operates, Onyema and Air Peace management is neck deep into philanthropy as well as intervening for Nigeria, in times of emergency among other needs.
In 2019, during the outbreak of xenophobia in South Africa, Air Peace took up the challenge to evacuate Nigerians at no cost.
In September 2021, Allen Onyema challenged the Super Eagles to beat Cape Verde and get N20 million as well as flew the team to Mindelo where the game took place. The team won the game, and Onyema handed over N20 million largesse.
Most recently, Air Peace was one of the three Airlines that the Federal Government engaged recently to bring Nigerians who were stranded in Ukraine due to the raging war between that country and Russia back home, a task that was successfully executed.
Onyema’s economic benefits to the Nigerian nation are larger than one can imagine. He is into scholarship to as as many that that comes across him, and has writen his name in gold as one of Nigerian’s most influential businessman, whose selfless interest stands out among the rest.
A distinguished family man, Onyema has been married to his heartthrob, Alice Ojochide Onyema, since 1993, and both are blessed with wonderful children.
By Eric Elezuo
It was a gathering of distinguished egg heads, prolific intellectuals and ardent academics at the Adeline Hall of the Lead City University, Ibadan, when notable and celebrated Chairman of Council and Pro-Chancellor of the Institution, Professor Jide Owoeye, marked his entry into the septugenarian circle.
The event, a multiple-in-1 classic, featured tribute session, a panel session, books presentation and reading as a well as a defined colloquium. Among topnotch individuals that graced the event were delectable heads of higher institutions of learning including the Vice Chancellor, Edo State University, Uzairue, Sheldrake O. Akindele; the Vice Chancellor, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Oyedunni S. Arulogun; Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ibrahim Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Muyiwa Popoola, who were members of the panel session that discussed critical mechanisms that enhance and safeguard the future of education in the country.
The panelists leveraged on the theme, Nigeria Higher Education and Private Sector Involvement: Navigating the Path, Confronting the Challenges, Exploring Opportunities for the Future. The lead discussant was the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Katherine, Gombe State, Umaru Pate.
Speaker after speaker, the academic giants celebrated the unequaled legacies of Prof Owoeye’s 70 years of impressive existence, especially his scholarly contributions to the standardization of not only learning, but also academic environment in Nigeria with the establishment of Lead City University in 2005.
The ceremony was punctuated with various genres of entertainment including cultural dances, touch of saxophone, talking drum display, drama presentation by students of the institution, and a host of others.
Among the books presented at the ceremony were Asia in World Politics and Knowledge in the Emerging Global Order.
The highpoint of the gathering was the cutting of the birthday cake with various presentations of full size portraits and other gifts items from colleagues, students and staff.
Othe dignitaries who graced the occasion were Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, General Secretary, Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Wale Okediran, Oyo State Commissioner of Lagos among others.
Speaking on his achievements, a long time friend from the University of Ife days, Chief Momodu, noted that Prof Owoeye has always been a man of letters, who has carved a niche for himself, adding that Nigeria and Africa are proud of him.
Distinguished in every ramifications, and an authority in International politics and relations, with bias to Asia, Owoeye has transverse all areas and degrees of the academic environment, terminating at the professorial level, and capping it all with the establishment of topnotch private university as the icing on the cake of his academic pursuit and inclination. He boasts of bachelor’s, masters and doctorate degrees in different fields of international studies.
For Owoeye, reaching the peak of his profession was when he became a professor of International Relations at OAU in the year 2000.
Born on March 1, 1956, Prof. Jide Owoeye is a teacher, and a very proud one at that, who would not miss any opportunity to introduce learning and exchange of knowledge. That practically explains why his 70th birthday celebration was tailored towards a colloquium and book presentation status.
Owoeye began his schooling at the OLMC Demonstration School, Ibadan, where he spent the period between 1962 and 1967 acquiring elementary or foundational knowledge of education.
Afterwards in 1968, he attended Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, for his school certificate, and left in 1972 before attending Government College Ibadan, for his Higher School Certificate, from 1973 to 1974.
He was admitted into the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, for his first degree.
On graduation, he was employed as Insurance Officer at Akin George & Company, Lagos, as he decided to try his hands in circular career. His stint at the firm lasted between 1979 and 1980.
Thereafter, he made a daring turn into the word of teaching, becoming Lecturer II at the Department of Government, OSCAS, Ile-Ife, from 1980 to 1982. He briefly worked as Administrative Officer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, afterwards in 1983 before landing the position of Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Then, there was no turning back from the academic world. He was made a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, from 1992 to 1993, and then, Associate Lecturer, Foreign Policy Academy, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Centre for Asian Studies.
In a 2019 interview he granted The Punch, Owoeye noted as follows as to what propelled his desire to establish his own university: “I have been in the university system for almost 37 years and 24 of those years were spent in the public university system. I was a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, and I noticed then that if one has passion for education, one should have seen some of the lapses (in the system), and some of those lapses one discovered can only be corrected if one is the head of the institution. I believe if you aspire to have a better university system, it is either you head the institution or you look for avenues to help create one where you can impact upon. That was what brought about the passion to work towards establishing a private university where the quest for excellence can actually be attained.”
Owoeye’s rich trajectory in the world of education is common knowledge, leading to his hold several high-profile positions in Obafemi Awolowo University.
Owoeye is married to his lovely wife, Emuleomo, whom he wedded in 1982, and they are blessed with three children; a son and two daughters.
Meanwhile, a special birthday soiree has been scheduled for March 1, his day of turning 70 proper, at Adeline Hall of the university. It promises to be the mother of all celebrations.
Having spent a lot of energy paying attention to education, Owoeye would love to be remembered as somebody who contributed to quality education (at the tertiary and non-tertiary levels) in this country.
Happy 70th birthday sir!
Photos: Tunde Bolarinwa
Schooled in varioius areas of human endeavour and administration, Mr Kojo Bonsu is an asset, not only to the Republic of Ghana, but the world in general. He has by every standard paid his dues to the development of his country, serving as the current Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China, and having served in many other diverse areas including sports administration and entrepreneurship.
Presently, the face of the Republic in China has taken it upon himself to recreate the investment platform of Ghana in China, mandating the media to begin as a matter of urgency, to make Ghana the subject of focus in their reporting.
In other words, the Ambassador has appealed to the Chinese media to use their medium to promote Ghana. A call that resonate the general mantra of the government of President John Dramani Mahama
According to Bonsu, Ghana boasts of several business opportunities, therefore if the Chinese media take keen interest in Ghanaian issues, it would help attract investors from China to Ghana.
He insisted that the door of the Ghana Embassy in China is wide open to Chinese journalists, especially those who want to positively project Ghana.
Bonsu made the remarks while hosting a press soiree in Beijing, on behalf of the Ghana Embassy, which was graced by a number of prominent media institutions in China.
The programme was mainly used to promote Ghana’s upcoming 69th independence anniversary celebrations and also highlight investent opportunities in the country.
Kojo Bonsu, who is a former Kumasi Mayor, said Ghana is the safest, friendly and best country for any investor to do business, urging Chinese businessmen to heed his advice.
“The Chinese media institutions should henceforth partner with the Ghana Embassy in promoting trade and investment opportunities in both of our sister countries for growth.
According to him, Ghana is a democratic nation, which has conducive atmosphere for businesses to flourish, stressing his desire to work and improve Ghana-China relations.
“Ghana is committed to strengthening ties with China. My country is a stable democracy, has business-friendly environment and rich cultural heritage,” Kojo Bonsu stated.
A native of Offinso, a town in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Michael Kojo (Mensa) Bonsu, thoroughbred professional, both in politics and administration, was born to a respected Offinso Queen Mother and a military officer, among eight other siblings.
He had his Ordinary Level education at the Tamale Secondary School, between 1974 and 1979, where he developed the knack, desire and dream of becoming a football administrator.
Thereafter, he was admitted into the Drayton School in London, but could not immediately assume studies because of the several businesses he was handling at the time. However, between 1985 and 1990, when Bonsu joined giant sports kit manufacturers, Adidas, he enrolled into their football Business Unit at Herzogenaurach, Germany, and in the process obtained a Diploma in Sports Business and Marketing. Presently, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations.
After completing his training in sports Business and marketing, Bonsu worked with Adidas and became their first representative in West Africa and served as an Assistant Marketing Officer. He rose to become the kit maker’s manager in Ghana and the whole of West Africa. Within which period he brokered deals between the company and the Ghana football Association specifically the Ghana football national team.
Bonsu’s dexterity in all the things he has laid his hands, including the oil sector, on earned him a citation of honour in 2015 by Managing Director of GOIL, Mr Patrick A.K. Akorli as follows; “You were the key advocate on the board when the monumental decision to rebrand GOIL was taken – the results of which have seen GOIL being propelled to the number one position (retail) among oil marketing companies in Ghana”.
He served as the Managing Director of GOIL from July 2011 to February 2012.
In addition to his legacy of achievements, Bonsu is a director of Tamale-based club Real Tamale United. He was also an executive member of Asante Kotoko.
In 2003, he launched a bid to be the Ghana Football Association’s President. He went against former president of the GFA Kwesi Nyantakyi, politician and executive member of Accra Hearts of Oak, Vincent Odotei Sowah, a former FA vice-chairman, Joseph Ade Coker and former executive council chairman, Y.A Ibrahim. He subsequently lost to Kwesi Nyantakyi in the elections in December 2005.
An ardent supporter of Asante Kotoko and Premier side Tottenham Hotspur, in 2001, he founded and published Agoo Magazine, an African lifestyle magazine.
In January 2010, Bonsu was appointed board chairman of the National Sports Authority then a council under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. He is known and respected for spearheading the re-branding of the sports council until it subsequently became a sports authority.
In 2013, President Mahama nominated him for the position of Metropolitan Chief Executive for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. He resigned in July 2016, following an issue with the Kumasi Traditional Council.
Among many other landmarks, Bonsu would be remembered building the first ever recreational facility, the Kumasi Rattray Park, and organizing the second largest event as part of the celebration of Ghana at 50, dubbed “Ghana As One Gala Night” at Ghana’s Black Star Square with International artists including The Whispers, Shalamar, Pat Thomas, AB Cresntil, Gyedu Blay Amboley, Paapa Yankson and Ola Williams.
It is also on record that in 2014, he secured a loan facility from the Deutsche Bank UAE through parliamentary approval to build the largest modern market in West Africa, the Kejetia Market, called the “Kejetia Dubai,” completed in 2017. He also built the Asawase market, Tafo market, and Atonsu-Agogo market. He renovated the Kumasi Prempeh Assembly Hall. Bonsu’s strides speak volumes.
Bonsu tried his hands at the presidency of Ghana in 2024, but could not win the ticket of his party as Mahama was the preferred choice.
Bonsu continues to exhibit great strides as a distinguished administrator, businessman and political juggernaut.
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