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Opinion: My Unrivaled Experience Flying Value Jet-Seun Oloketuyi

Published

3 years ago

October 6, 2022

Editor

By Seun Oloketuyi

For many reasons, I don’t enjoy flying. Most importantly, it puts you at the mercy of another person whom you know nothing about, and just like drivers, there are good and bad ones. With flying, you can never tell which you have, and you do not have the option of deplaning at your pleasure.

When it was time to begin the planning for the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards 2020, the Ekiti edition, it was the peak of the beginning of the kidnapping season, and many people did not want to travel through the densely populated express towns that littered the road from Lagos to Ekiti.

It was at this point I began to consider flight options from Lagos to Akure. The shorter drive between Akure to Ado-Ekiti would be bearable if we could fly. This realisation brought with it another problem.

Our budget for that edition was very small, and we had a dearth of sponsors, especially because we were just coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic economic shutdown.

Also, even though we had a lot of quality actors and filmmakers on board the project whom we needed to get to Ekiti, we were still a small party, and many would be supporting airlines did not consider our number significant.

As a final effort, I reached out to Mr Kunle Soname, Chairman, ValueJet, and I requested a meeting. He granted my request immediately and I drove down to Ikenne with all hopes to pitch my need.

My hope was not dashed. Not only did Mr Soname solve my logistics problem by immediately putting me in touch with the right people to make an aircraft available on my needed date, he staked his name on the awards by giving us access use an aircraft and crew to shoot a skit with the hosts, Tana Adelana and Debo Macaroni.

When the skit was released about a month or two to the awards, it gave Best of Nollywood newer credibility and access to even more industry support.

On our departure date, the excitement was palpable as many were excited to be flying with ValueJet. That excitement bled into my subconscious and my fears of flying automatically eased.

From the point of boarding, something felt pleasantly strange about the airline.

While the cabin crew ushered passengers on board, I noticed every one of them, including the captain, had a whole new level of warmth and decorum. I had initially thought it was simply because we had big industry names on the trip, but I noticed the patience and deliberate effort not just to please but to get everyone settled in well and in time.

Then I got comfy in my seat, and my criticism antenna quickly springing up. I began to pay deliberate attention to everything about the airplane and the quality of service to prove my bias that the excellent customer service we enjoyed at boarding was a fluke.

A few minutes later, we were all settled in and right on schedule, the plane taxied for a takeoff and the following 40minutes became an impressionable experience in my years of local travel in Nigeria.

First, the hostesses continued to maintain that high level of professionalism throughout the flight devoid of the ‘owambe’ atmosphere that most local airlines create. You could feel their genuine resolve to be of help and make the flight enjoyable.

I particularly remember a female member of my staff, an intern, who struck up a conversation with one of the hostess before takeoff. The young girl had never flown before and wondered why the hostess had to stand close to her seat at the back. I had expected a standoffish response from the mixed-race hostess, but instead, she bent to whisper in her ears words I could not catch. The less than a minute interaction left my staff grinning from ear to ear throughout the flight.

I realised that this was not a desperate attempt to look good to some spotted ‘big men’ on board. Every single passenger was treated with the highest level of respect. Strangely also, the in-flight announcements and address of the captain were rather less monotonous and audible. It had some modest sense of humour and clarity, not a display by an overzealous hostess trying too hard to pull a British-American-Nigerian accent.

I took time to evaluate the comfort of the seat, how less cramped up they are; the freshness of the headrest covers, which is a departure from those of some airlines that sometimes smell like they need a change. This mid-size aircraft somehow had good enough legroom and my six-foot-self had a truly comfy ride.

Then, refreshment came, and it was an improvement to the handouts of pastries and school-children snacks that I have come to terms with on local flights.

The aircraft itself looked exceptionally clean and smelled even better. I am certain it is not above 15 years and bears resemblance to the class of Europe’s EasyJet.

The entire flight was seamless. Take-off, mid-air turbulence handling, landing, and all, only point to the fact that we must have been piloted by experienced professionals.

At no point did I remember that I did not like flying.

Shortly after we landed, I started making further enquiries about the airline. I figured they were new and I garnered some more pleasant information about their business model, which makes reason for the level of excellence that we were served with on that flight.

I stumbled on a report that the airline was founded in 2018, in the middle of the aviation crisis, which saw some major airlines closing up. It was started as a virtual airline brokering flights through other airlines. I immediately spotted the ace factor, which is the fact that the business is founded on the resolve to solve the industry’s core challenges, not some big-budget illicit-money cleanup business kind of thing.

The carrier’s business model seeks to make aviation accessible to all Nigerian citizens through competitive pricing, according to local media. ValueJet comes on the heels of a dire situation with the outrageous flight cost, where one-way flight from Lagos to Abuja costs around $227, almost twice the average monthly salary in the country.

One of ValueJet’s management staff, Temitope Ajijola captures their essence in an interview, “ValueJet’s vision is ambitious. We see a world where everybody can fly. Our aim is to add value from the very first flight once we are set for business operations. Currently, only about 5% of Nigeria’s population can afford a flight ticket, according to available statistics, and ValueJet is looking to increase this number significantly through creative fare pricing.”

Adding the exceptional quality of service that I enjoyed on my flight with ValueJet to the laudable mission to build a formidable low-cost carrier, I realise that we are about to witness the explosive growth of a Nigerian aviation company that will easily become passengers’ favourite. The value of this kind of brand is that success will no longer be measured in monetary terms, but in the numbers of happy, loyal customers, and the entire economy will be better for it.

This singular experience made it a tradition for me to always look out for Valuejet whenever I’m doing my local runs by air.

Their dedication to passengers speaks of an organisation that is less focused on the bottom-line business objective of profit maximisation and is driven towards providing excellent value that in turn makes them the preferred team.

Seun Oloketuyi is Executive Producer
Best of Nollywood Awards

Related Topics:Best of Nollywood BON Ekiti Kunle Soname Seun Oloketuyi ValueJet

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Tinubu, Atiku, Obi Felicitate with Muslim Ummah, Nigerians at Eid-el-Fitr

Published

1 hour ago

March 21, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The three frontline political leaders in Nigeria; President Bola Tinubu, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr Peter Obi, have in separate messages call for the strengthening of security, sustenance of the spirit of goodwill imbibed during Ramadan as well as kindness among Nigerians as the Muslim Ummah celebrate the 2026 Eid-el-Fitr.

The messages are in response to the successful completion of the 30-day fasting – a period of dedication, sacrifice, spiritual renewal and stocktaking – which end birth the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.

Leading the avalanche of messages, President Tinubu, through a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, reiterated the need to lead a pious life seasoned by empathy and unity among humankind.

He noted that though the Ramadan season is over, but the lessons of piety, selflessness, perseverance, kindness and compassion, which the period is known, must consistently be the watchword of every Nigerian.

The message is captured in details below:

As Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated the Muslim faithful in Nigeria, urging renewed commitment to the nation and humanity.

President Tinubu enjoined Nigerian Muslims to rededicate themselves to the noble teachings of the holy month, which emphasize piety, empathy, and unity among humanity.

“We have a lot to draw from the noble lessons of Ramadan, especially at a time like this. We must continue to abide by the virtues of piety, selflessness, perseverance, kindness and compassion beyond this period,” he said.

President Tinubu urged all Muslim faithful to extend a hand of kindness to the needy of all faiths, to further show unity and camaraderie.

The President also tasked Muslim leaders to use the occasion to offer prayers for peace and prosperity to prevail in the country.

In the same vein, former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar congratulated the Muslim faithful in Nigerian and across the world on the successful completion of the mandatory Ramadan fasting, and the celebration of the Eid-el-Fitr.

A press statement signed by the media office of the former Vice President, admonished Muslims to remain steadfast in piety by maintaining peace and in charitable causes.

According to Atiku, the completion of the obligatory fasting in the noble month of Ramadan should lead to more commitment to the injunctions of Almighty Allah.

“The completion of the Ramadan fasting is a call to duty that ensures we sustain the good deeds that the noble month requires of us.

“We must ensure that the lessons of the month are not lost on us and that the celebration of today is a reminder to the people, especially Muslims, to follow in the tradition of the noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in seeking closeness to God through worship and maintaining peace,” Atiku said.

He further called on the government to take it more seriously, stressing that “the protection of the lives and property of citizens is a divine decree and the sole responsibility of every government.”

Atiku similarly enjoins the privileged in the society to keep providing charity to the less privileged as this would go a long way in ensuring that the rising tide of economic downturn does not weigh too heavily on the poor.

“A greater number of people are being crushed by the economic downturn and global events in the past three weeks have further exacerbated the situation. It is incumbent on the wealthy to be more compassionate by taking up the responsibility of charity to help cushion the effect of the burden on the poor,” Atiku said.

Also lending his voice the congratulatory messages, Labour Party’s former presidential candidate, and former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, urged Nigerian Muslims to imbibe the spirit of Ramadan going forward even as the 30-day fast has officially ended.

“I join you with heartfelt joy as we celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the blessed festival that marks the successful completion of the sacred month of Ramadan.

“This occasion is a profound reminder of the power of faith, discipline, selflessness, and unwavering devotion to Almighty Allah.

“Throughout Ramadan, you have fasted, prayed, given charity, and drawn closer to God, embodying values that inspire not only the Muslim ummah but every person of goodwill. These lessons of compassion, humility, patience, and solidarity must not end with the month; may they continue to guide our hearts, our actions, and our shared life as Nigerians.”

Many other prominent Nigerians and institutions have also identified with the Muslims in celebration, drumming the lesson of service, patriotism, piety and above unity of purpose to the hearing and learning of all and sundry.

The Eid-el-Fitr is the grand finale of the Muslim 30-day fasting period, popularly known in Islam as Ramadan. It is a yearly spiritual exercise.

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TEF Entrepreneurship: Tony Elumelu Foundation Sets March 22 to Announce 2026 Cohort

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Eric

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs will announce the 12th cohort of the flagship TEF Entrepreneurship Programme on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

In 2026, the Foundation will empower a total of 3,200 entrepreneurs across all its entrepreneurship programmes:
1,751 entrepreneurs through Heirs Holdings Group: Heirs Energies, Transcorp Power, Transcorp Hotels, and United Capital; 1,049 entrepreneurs in partnership with the European Commission, OACPS, BMZ and GIZ; 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with Sèmè City Development Agency; 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with DEG, the German Development Agency; 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with the IKEA Foundation, UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and the Dutch Government; and 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with UNDP and the Rwandan Ministry of Youth and Arts.

Applications to the flagship programme were received from over 265,000 young Africans, representing all 54 African countries, underscoring Africa’s vibrant entrepreneurial sector and the funding challenge for entrepreneurs. The new cohort will join the TEF Alumni community of more than 24,000 entrepreneurs.

The selection process is conducted by Ernst & Young, ensuring an independent and rigorous assessment of applicants.

Each selected Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur will receive $5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, access to world-class business management training on TEFConnect, one-on-one mentorship, and entry into a powerful network of investors, partners, and other entrepreneurs.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has empowered over 2.5 million young Africans with access to business management training on our proprietary digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed over US$100 million in seed capital to more than 24,000 selected entrepreneurs. Collectively, these entrepreneurs have generated $4.2 billion in revenue and created more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs. Through our support for African entrepreneurs, TEF has lifted 2.1 million Africans above the poverty line, and positively impacted more than 4 million African households, with 46% of supported entrepreneurs being African women.

Ahead of the upcoming announcement, Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, reiterates his unwavering belief in the potential of Africa’s entrepreneurs:

“The future of Africa will be built by Africans who create businesses, generate jobs and solve the challenges of our continent. At the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we believe that empowering entrepreneurs is the most sustainable path to Africa’s economic transformation.

I look forward to announcing and congratulating the 2026 cohort of Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs and look forward to witnessing the impact they will create across our continent.”

The general public is invited to join, virtually.

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Eid-El-Fitr: Glo Felicitates with Muslims, Urges National Unity, Compassion

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Eric

High premium Technology Company, Globacom, has felicitated with Muslims across Nigeria as they celebrate Eid-el-Fitr festival which marks the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

In a goodwill message released in Lagos, the company commended the resilience and devotion shown by the faithful during the 30 days of spiritual reflection, sacrifice, and abstinence.

Globacom emphasized the importance of love, sacrifice, and community, encouraging Nigerians to embody these values.

The company explained that the end of Ramadan should serve as a springboard for continued personal growth, urging Nigerians to “use Eid-El-Fitri as a moment to reflect on their spiritual journey, promote the spirit of being one’s brother’s keeper, regardless of faith or background, and make sacrifices towards building a more prosperous and peaceful nation for all”.

Globacom enjoined its millions of subscribers to utilize the network’s innovative and affordable data and voice offerings to enhance their festive experience. It reaffirmed its commitment to providing seamless connectivity and ensuring that family and friends can stay in touch, share moments of joy, and exchange Sallah greetings throughout the holidays and beyond.