*Kindhearted Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Airline, Allen Onyema
Having established itself as an airline that stands up for Nigerians in challenging times, the Chairman, Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema and his team, at the weekend started another laudable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative as it distributed food items to several indigent families in different areas in Lagos as a way of cushioning the effect of the lockdown as a result of the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
The airline’s officials visited Sabo, Makoko and Ajegunle areas of Lagos where they gave out edibles, including bags of rice, cartons of noodles and loaves of bread to hundreds of people whose sources of livelihood have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. Recall it was the same Onyema and his team that deployed plans to South Africa to evacuate stranded Nigerians who were being murdered by South Africans at the peak of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.
Mr. Onyema, at the event stated that the airline is aware that the current lockdown has made it very difficult for many Nigerians to eke out a living as they are compelled by government directive to stay at home, so as to curtail the spread of COVID-19. He said the initiative to give out food items was inspired by the need to provide succor to the less privileged many of whom survive on daily earning from their work but can no longer work due to the stay at home policy.
He said, “What we have done is our own way of touching the lives of the people directly. That’s why we came to Makoko, which is populated by very indigent people. When we leave here now, we are going to Ajegunle. We are providing them bags of rice and cartons of noodles. This large turnout of people is a witness to the fact that there is hunger. We cannot leave the care for the people to government alone. The private sector must be involved in this. If you have N2 million in your house, use N200, 000 to help people around you.
“If you have N1 million, use N100, 000 to help people. We are living in extraordinary times. One way or another, let us take positives from the Coronavirus situation. Now, people have discovered that wealth is nothing because you cannot take this money to your grave. So, you must do anything you can to touch the lives of people around you. My happiness will not be complete if people around me do not benefit from my prosperity,” the outstanding CEO said.
