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Allen Onyema: World Class Entrepreneur Bags NPOM

Published

4 years ago

May 14, 2022

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Talk about a man, who has an unwavering interest in his country, you definitely mean the big man at Air Peace, the lawyer turned accomplished entrepreneur, and the one whom President Muhammadu Buhari saw fit to bestow the prestigious award of Nigeria’s National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM). He is the Chairman/CEO of Air Peace, Barrister Allen Onyema.

In recognition of his giant strides in the entrepreneurial fronts of the nation, and internationally, leveraging on massive job creation and overall economic and philanthropic gestures, Buhari conferred the award on the grass to grace colossus, at the 19th National Productivity Day ceremony held in Abuja last Thursday, May 12, 2022.

Onyema, whose myriads of achievements is a case study in economic impact woven in humility, thanked Buhari and the Labour Ministry under the leadership of Senator Chris Ngige, reiterating his commitment to the Nigerian project, and pledging to continue to use his entrepreneurship to impact Nigeria’s economy and carry out more social impact initiatives.

“Nigeria is our country, and we all must do all we can to take her to greater heights,” he said with a sense of patriotism.

Onyema’s award was a positive step by government to recognise and institutionalise productivity consciousness and excellence in service among workers and organisations in Nigeria towards redirecting their efforts to the growth and development of our economy. This, the Air Peace man has from day one been engaged in. It was his, and other like minds passion for national interest that made the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) shelve the planned boycott of airline operations earlier in the week as a result of exorbitant price of aviation fuel.

It is therefore not a surprise that his diligence, high performance, high productivity and research achievements; ability to encourage and foster the spirit of healthy competition amongst workers, firms and companies in Nigeria, propelled to the enviable height he is standing on today, and paved his way to receiving the prestigious award.

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 wizkid 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 written 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.

We congratulate you on this fresh landmark achievement, knowing it is a stepping stone to more notable barrier breaking impacts.

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GbajaGate: I’ve Done No Wrong, Govt Playing to Shut Me Up – Adeyemi Matthew Speaks from Hiding

Published

2 hours ago

July 2, 2026

Eric

Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the man alleged to have forged government appointment letters and falsely paraded himself as the Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and Presidential Economic Advisory Council, has denied the allegations against him, claiming the Presidency is attempting to silence him.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES from an undisclosed location on Thursday, Adeyemi insisted he had done nothing wrong and described the government’s actions as a “defence mechanism.”

“You know the government we have. They are just playing a defence mechanism to shut me up. My organisation was set up in 2024,” he said.

Adeyemi declined to disclose his whereabouts, saying he had gone into hiding because his life was under threat.

“They are now after my life. I have gone into hiding. I’m underground,” he said.

When asked whether he had fled the country, he declined to respond directly.

“I will not be able to disclose any information now. I don’t consider myself safe,” he added.

The embattled suspect also declined to provide his alleged appointment letter or any document to support his claim that he was legitimately appointed, saying his lawyers had advised him not to discuss the matter publicly.

“I just decided to speak to you out of respect. My lawyers are working on something. Whatever they say, I will let you know,” he said.

The Presidency has accused Adeyemi of forging appointment letters and other official documents while falsely presenting himself as Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, agencies it insists do not exist.

Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said Adeyemi and two others have been charged before the Federal High Court on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and related offences.

According to the Presidency, concerns first emerged after the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission reported that another body appeared to be performing functions similar to its statutory responsibilities.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, subsequently petitioned the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force, alleging that forged appointment letters bearing fake signatures, official seals and reference numbers had been used to create the impression that the suspects were presidential appointees.

The Presidency said investigations revealed that Adeyemi and his associates allegedly operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, held meetings with Nigerian and foreign officials and sought diplomatic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for visa applications.

According to the Presidency, police arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025, after which searches conducted at his office and residence allegedly yielded forged government documents.

Investigators also alleged that financial intelligence uncovered 34 bank accounts linked to Adeyemi, including accounts allegedly opened in the names of purported government agencies.

The Presidency further claimed that Adeyemi used forged documents to open an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria in the name of the alleged agency, although investigators found that no public funds were paid into the account.

Onanuga also dismissed allegations that Gbajabiamila demanded money from Adeyemi, saying the accusations surfaced only after the suspect was granted police bail.

The case is scheduled to come up before the Federal High Court on July 27.

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Court Dismisses Abejide’s Suit, Upholds Mark-led Leadership of ADC

Published

5 hours ago

July 2, 2026

Eric

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday affirmed Sen. David Mark’s leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Justice Musa Liman, in a judgment, also dismissed the suit filed by Rep Leke Abejide challenging Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as national chairman and national secretary of the party for lacking merit.

Justice Liman upheld the preliminary objections filed by ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark and Aregbesola which challenged Abejide’s suit.

The judge held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to dabble in the internal affairs of ADC, as the suit was non-justiciable.

He also held that Abejide lacked the legal right to have instituted the suit, having failed to show to the court that his rights had been violated in any way as a result of the emergence of Mark-led leadership.

He equally held that Abejide, who is a member of the House of Representatives, failed to explore the party’s internal mechanism for dispute resolution.

Justice Liman also resolved the three issues in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.

On whether Mark, the former Senate president and Aregbesola, who was the former Governor of Osun, emerged as leaders of the party in compliance with the enabling laws, the judge resolved this against Abejide, the plaintiff in the suit.

He held that the handing over of the leadership of the party by Nwosu to Mark did not violate the provisions of the party’s constitution.

The judge agreed that the disputed July 2, 2025, meeting of the party was a stakeholder meeting which preceded the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on July 29, 2025, which produced Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders and was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Justice Liman, therefore, declared that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as leaders of ADC was valid and in accordance with the constitution, the Electoral Act, 2026 and the party’s law.

The judge consequently awarded a fine of N2 million each in favour of all the defendants which shall be paid by Abejide.

He also awarded a N10 million fine against Abejide’s lawyer in compliance with the Electoral Act, 2026.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abejide had instituted the suit to stop the Mark-led leadership of ADC.

In the originating summons, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, filed on Feb. 15 by Idris, the lawmaker sued ADC, Ralph Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola and INEC as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

NAN reports that Nwosu was the former national chairman of ADC who stepped down for Mark, the ex-Senate president.

Abejide, among the eight reliefs, sought an order nullifying Nwosu’s handover or transfer of ADC’s leadership to Mark and Aregbesola as interim national chairman and interim national secretary respectively on July 2, 2025, at Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, for being illegal, unlawful, null and void.

He sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as leaders of the party “as their purported appointment, selection or election was unlawful, illegal, null and void.”

He also sought perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognising Mark and Aregbesola as ADC’s interim national chairman and interim national secretary.

He alleged that their appointment, selection or election did not meet the requirements of Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022, among other prayers.

NAN

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Alleged N27.4bn Scandal: Presidency Exonerates Gbajabiamila, Says Adeyemi Matthew is a ‘Con Artist’

Published

8 hours ago

July 2, 2026

Eric

The Presidency has volunteered details on how a certain Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, allegedly built an elaborate web of forged documents, fake government appointments and fictitious agencies to deceive public officials and present himself as a senior presidential appointee under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The Presidency, in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Adeyemi as “a con artist” who allegedly used forged appointment letters bearing the name of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to create and operate a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, later referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

According to the statement, the alleged scam was uncovered after officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council raised concerns that another purported government agency appeared to be operating alongside it.

The Office of the Chief of Staff subsequently alerted security agencies, accusing unnamed individuals of forging official appointment letters purportedly issued from his office.

“The attention of this office has been drawn to the activities of certain individuals and groups engaged in the forgery of official appointment letters purportedly issued from my office,” Gbajabiamila said in a petition dated October 17.

“The fake documents, bearing falsified signatures, reference/folio numbers, and seals, have been used to claim leadership appointments to non-existent entities, with particular reference to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.”

The Chief of Staff disclosed that Adeyemi had allegedly established an office at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, where he reportedly hosted meetings with Nigerians and foreign nationals while presenting himself as the Director-General of the fictitious agency.

According to the petition, the group even sought diplomatic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate United States visas for its purported staff.

“The above development not only constitutes a serious criminal act but also undermines the integrity of the Presidency and the credibility of official government communication,” Gbajabiamila wrote.

“I therefore urge you to initiate a thorough investigation to identify and apprehend those involved and also to uncover the network facilitating the forgery.”

Foreign Affairs Ministry raises red flag

The statement revealed that concerns over Adeyemi’s activities had also reached the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs after he reportedly convened a meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Abuja on October 10, 2025, without the ministry’s knowledge.

In a letter dated October 15, 2025, signed by Ambassador Anderson Madubuike and addressed to the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Chief of Staff, the ministry sought clarification regarding the status of the purported agency.

“This act contravenes extant rules and regulations guiding diplomatic practices globally,” the ministry stated.

The enquiries triggered correspondence among the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff.

Responding to the enquiries, Gbajabiamila categorically denied appointing Adeyemi or recognising the agency.

“Prince Adeniyi Matthew, Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, is unknown to any office, nor do we have any dealings with the said council,” he wrote.

“My attention was drawn to a letter of this purported application, which is fake, and my office has instructed the police and other relevant security agencies to carry out investigations on the person and the entity he claims to represent.”

The Presidency stressed that the Chief of Staff could not have issued any appointment letter because appointments into government offices are the exclusive responsibility of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Police uncover alleged forgery network

Following the petition, the Police launched an investigation and arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025, at the Abuja office from where he allegedly operated the scheme.

Searches conducted at both his office and residence in Suleja reportedly yielded several documents and exhibits believed to be connected with the operation.

Investigators said Adeyemi claimed that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola assisted him in procuring the forged appointment letter.

However, police investigations established that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Abuja on October 22, 2025, five days before Adeyemi’s arrest.

According to the State House, investigators established that the agency Adeyemi claimed to head never existed, while the appointment letters and several official documents recovered during the investigation were allegedly forged.

Police also accused him of falsely presenting himself as a presidential appointee and fraudulently requesting a diplomatic note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate visa applications for himself and members of his organisation.

Investigators further alleged that Adeyemi operated no fewer than 34 bank accounts, including nine accounts opened in the names of fictitious organisations, including the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP).

The investigation also found that he allegedly succeeded in opening a Central Bank of Nigeria account by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation using forged documents.

The Presidency, however, noted that investigators confirmed no government funds were ever paid into the account.

“The act of the suspect constitutes criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Presidency to disrepute before the public and international community,” the police report stated.

Eight-count charge filed

Based on the outcome of the investigation, police filed an eight-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against Adeyemi and two alleged accomplices on November 27, 2025.

The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 27.

According to the Presidency, Adeyemi, while on police bail, recently resurfaced with fresh claims that the Chief of Staff had genuinely appointed him as Director-General of the agency.

The statement noted that the claim directly contradicted the statement he voluntarily made to investigators during the police probe.

It said the renewed allegation prompted Gbajabiamila to issue another public disclaimer on June 8, reaffirming that Adeyemi was an impostor.

Presidency urges caution

The Presidency said Adeyemi had a history of alleged fraudulent misrepresentation, recalling that in 2016 he allegedly presented himself as President-General of the World Youth Organisation, claiming it was affiliated with the United Nations before the UN reportedly disowned the organisation.

Describing the case as that of “a con artist who appears to have built a web of false claims to deceive unsuspecting government officials and the public,” the Presidency urged politicians and members of the public to avoid drawing conclusions before the ongoing criminal trial is concluded.

It further advised that, since the matter is before the court, interested parties should allow the judicial process to determine the allegations against Adeyemi and his co-defendants.