I didn’t call Biafra, Yoruba nation agitators cowards – Onyema, Air Peace boss

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Airline, Chief Allen Onyema, has said there was never a time he called those agitating for separate nations cowards.

Onyema was reacting to a news report in a national daily (not Vanguard), titled, “Onyema Blasts Secessionists as Cowards”.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, the Air Peace boss described the report as a misrepresentation of facts by those who were bent on tarnishing his name.


Recall that a news publication had on Thursday, reported that Onyema while speaking in Lagos at the 25th League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents, LAAC, conference, described those calling for break up of Nigeria as cowards who could flee the country at the slightest opportunity.

Onyema, however, maintained that he never called members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the Yoruba nation agitators, cowards, stressing that he was only canvassing for peaceful resolution of issues in the country.

He said: “I never called IPOB or anybody cowards. What I preached in that forum was peace and for people to eschew violence. I was only encouraging people in every part of the country to eschew violence because those who do violence are cowards. The cowards are those who do armed robbery, suicide bombing, kidnapping, and banditry because they can’t brace up with their situation and tackle it peacefully.

So, I never called agitators cowards because not everybody that says I want to secede is violent. I also didn’t use the word IPOB or Yoruba nation or Arewa. Therefore, there is no way I could have called those doing agitation cowards. I didn’t. I only called for peaceful resolution of issues.

It was one newspaper that screamed a headline, ‘ONYEMA BLASTS SECESSIONISTS AS COWARDS’ that started these false stories. Their headline was different from the body of their report. Other blogs then gave their interpretation from this newspaper’s false headlines to mean IPOB.

“Why didn’t other newspaper and media houses present at that conference carry this falsehood? It is obvious that some people yet unknown are out to destroy my name because this is the third time in three weeks that I have been accused falsely of either blasting’ Kanu or IPOB.

“I am a non-violence expert and as such, I do not engage in name-calling. I don’t know what the authors of these stories stand to gain. However, one thing is certain, I will always pursue the cause of peace in this country for I believe I am doing God’s work.

“Yes, IPOB, Yoruba nation or Arewa have their reasons for doing whatever they are doing. So, we shouldn’t go into bickering or outright condemnation. All we should do is to look at why they are agitating and try to bring them to the discussion table and address the issues. And I believe the country will be better for it in the end.

“So, I’m not here to condemn IPOB, Sunday Igboho, Arewa group or to praise them. What I always preach to everybody, be it Arewa, Yoruba nation or IPOB or any group at that, is peace. It is not in my character to condemn people. All I’m preaching is let peace be given a chance and for the government to address those issues they were complaining about”, he stated.

Continuing, Onyema, who was instrumental to the dialogue with the Niger Delta militants that culminated in the federal government’s amnesty programme, added, “I am not saying there are no injustices in the country. We want a country where justice, equity and fairness reign, no doubt about that. But we can address these issues peacefully.

“I will like to be an instrument of saving this nation from crisis because I believe that one doesn’t need to be a president or governor to contribute their quota. What I did in the Niger Delta, no government did it, not even the international community. Nobody gave me an iota of a belief that this could happen without arms. Nobody ever knew that Niger Delta issues would come to an end at the time it happened.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/i-didnt-call-biafra-yoruba-nation-agitators-cowards-onyema-air-peace-boss/

We the northerners that call them southerners cowards are not yet mentioned.

I won't be suprised if you actually did. Most of you efulefus and sabos who think your bread can only be buttered under 'one nigeria' have said very terrible things against freedom fighters but one day.....

Em Don dey fear boycott ��✌

If Onyema dey fear to say things the way it it is, me no dey fear

Both Oduduwa and Biafra agitators are cowards..

They are cowards because their agitation have only been because of Buhari and Cow.. Nothing more nothing less

The tribe they are both blaming for their woes are not even up to 6% out of Nigeria population.. Educated South, 2 majority tribes for that matter

I suspected he didn’t use the words ascribed to him! It’s obvious some people -for whatever reason....could be ethnic, business or just pure envy related- wanna see his business fail!

This is Nigeria....and a successful entrepreneur faces more challenges than he otherwise would face in saner climes...more-so if he’s Igbo!

Why didn't you speak up since?

Someone should help me with that picture of a baby stifling a puppy.

He's scared those people suffering from ipobism (a serious mental disorder) will destroy his life within time. They already call for the boycott of his business. ..

IPOB

Do you have to explain to touts and criminals that never did well?

Decieving igbo youths to their early grave, while the cashout abroad.

People that never created a single employment opportunity. Only the send unemployed frustrated igbo youths guns and drugs to go and die.

Their supreme fraudster, told them buhari offered him Biafra with 5 igbo states and he refused. Now he is insulting the Niger Delta people for rejecting his Biafra business.

At the age or 54. This is the only employment kanu could bring to igbo youths.

Okay o

FakeUnity:
I won't be suprised if you actually did. Most of you efulefus and sabos who think your bread can only be buttered under 'one nigeria' have said very terrible things against freedoom fighters but one day.....

Confused secessionists that doesn't know what they are doing.

They don on TV for Air Peace

[s]

Monogamy:
If Onyema dey fear to say things the way it it is, me no dey fear

Both Oduduwa and Biafra agitators are cowards..

They are cowards because their agitation have only been because of Buhari and Cow.. Nothing more nothing less

The tribe they are both blaming for their woes are not even up to 6% out of Nigeria population.. Educated South, 2 majority tribes for that matter

[/s]
you can't be enjoying anonymity and be spewing trash
you're indirectly calling yourself a coward for hiding under anonymous forum to blab.
if e sure for you come openly and yarn

opinion on nairaland can never be valid anywhere nor taken serious
Nairaland opinion are trash because anyone can be anything here.

if you want to be taken serious
come open

kiss the truth and cry

Propaganda is thriving because most of the people sympathizing with IPOB don't use their brain.

IPOB is getting violent by the day. If igbos don't stop this madness now, many igbos would be afraid of traveling to the east in a few years time.

Quote this comment then...

AchalugoNwa:
[s][/s]
you can't be enjoying anonymity and be spewing trash
you're indirectly calling yourself a coward for hiding under anonymous forum to blab.
if e sure for you come openly and yarn

opinion on nairaland can never be valid anywhere nor taken serious
Nairaland opinion are trash because anyone can be anything here.

if you want to be taken serious
come open

kiss the truth and cry

Same opinions that have been used severally both state and federal on issues affecting the country which infact, you are a testimony to..



You always write your epistle as if you were crying while typing them..

[s]

Monogamy:


Same opinions that have been used severally both state and federal on issues affecting the country which infact, you are a testimony to..



You always write your epistle as if you were crying while typing them..

[/s]
trash trash trash

Stop crying
your anonymous opinion is invalid and will remain so
it starts and end on nairaland
if you want to be recognized
go open

kiss the truth and keep crying

Eish

Monogamy:
If Onyema dey fear to say things the way it it is, me no dey fear

Both Oduduwa and Biafra agitators are cowards..

They are cowards because their agitation have only been because of Buhari and Cow.. Nothing more nothing less

The tribe they are both blaming for their woes are not even up to 6% out of Nigeria population.. Educated South, 2 majority tribes for that matter

One state in the East has more graduates than the entire North.

ImmaculateSpenc:



One state in the East has more graduates than the entire North.

And what's the usefulness of the education if the acclaimed illiterates are lording over the educated ones..

We understand that Onyema is anti secession because of his his business but that said Fulanis have been writing whatever they like at the comfort of their house and forcing it on media houses for public consumption. All the news being denied by people it was attributed to were all written by Fulani.

Monogamy:
If Onyema dey fear to say things the way it it is, me no dey fear

Both Oduduwa and Biafra agitators are cowards..

They are cowards because their agitation have only been because of Buhari and Cow.. Nothing more nothing less

The tribe they are both blaming for their woes are not even up to 6% out of Nigeria population.. Educated South, 2 majority tribes for that matter

But you are faceless and of no importance, so your words are worth less than a drop of fowl p00. So how e wan be?

Kaduna1stson:
We the northerners that call them southerners cowards are not yet mentioned.

Because nothing concerned light and darkness, We don't talk with animals, we reason with human beings

[s]

Monogamy:
If Onyema dey fear to say things the way it it is, me no dey fear

Both Oduduwa and Biafra agitators are cowards..

They are cowards because their agitation have only been because of Buhari and Cow.. Nothing more nothing less

The tribe they are both blaming for their woes are not even up to 6% out of Nigeria population.. Educated South, 2 majority tribes for that matter

[/s]You can say anything because you are nobody.

[s]

ThatFairGuy1:
He's scared those people suffering from ipobism (a serious mental disorder) will destroy his life within time. They already call for the boycott of his business. ..

IPOB

[/s]

Okoroawusa:
IPOB is getting violent by the day. If igbos don't stop this madness now, many igbos would be afraid of traveling to the east in a few years time.

Quote this comment then...

Help us stop it,are you not Igbo again .

Nawa

Monogamy:
If Onyema dey fear to say things the way it it is, me no dey fear

Both Oduduwa and Biafra agitators are cowards..

They are cowards because their agitation have only been because of Buhari and Cow.. Nothing more nothing less

The tribe they are both blaming for their woes are not even up to 6% out of Nigeria population.. Educated South, 2 majority tribes for that matter

even this hushkyari defender think he has openion where sincere people are talking ? GTFOH.

Monogamy:
If Onyema dey fear to say things the way it it is, me no dey fear

Both Oduduwa and Biafra agitators are cowards..

They are cowards because their agitation have only been because of Buhari and Cow.. Nothing more nothing less

The tribe they are both blaming for their woes are not even up to 6% out of Nigeria population.. Educated South, 2 majority tribes for that matter

If you know you're not a coward and your mother wasn't a community LovePeddler, boldly say this and show your picture and address. If not you're a basttard son of a thousand fathers.

BSdetector:


If you know you're not a coward and your mother wasn't a community LovePeddler, boldly say this and show your picture and address. If not you're a basttard son of a thousand fathers.

Ah blah blah...

Oya 18, Umar Dantabbo road, Sambisa forest, Maiduguri, Borno state

P.o Box 419

Make sure when you are coming you come with your friends as my friends like large party