By John Ikani
The management of Air Peace has disclosed that it would meet with the Emir of Kano, HRH Aminu Ado Bayero, and the Kano Emirate Council very soon in a bid to resolve the misunderstanding between the two parties arising from last week’s missed flight by the Emir and his entourage while returning to Kano from Lagos on their arrival from The Gambia.
Barr. Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, made the statement on Monday when he received a team of journalists in his office at the Government Reserved Area, Ikeja, Lagos.
Onyema who explained that the move was part of efforts geared towards ensuring that the issue does not heat up the polity, added that the airline would continue to preach peace and unity of Nigeria.
While regretting the altercations that arose from the missed flight, the Air Peace boss described the emir as a quiet and a peace loving man who would not encourage violence of any sort.
He also cautioned the public, especially the media, against escalating the issue, assuring that the airline would resolve the issue amicably.
He said, “I don’t want Air Peace to be a source of rancour in the country. Air Peace has always been known as an airline that was borne out of peace. I have been a very peaceful person and I have been pursuing tenets of peace all my life and I have been pursuing peace and unity of this country selflessly right from my teenage years.
“So, I cannot allow myself to be used or to be involved in anything that will tear the country apart. And the Emir of Kano I know is a peace loving man. I have always known him as a prince when the late father was still alive.
“I have paid homage to the father several times. He may not remember me, but when I bring pictures of me and his father and him also, he will realise that I have been paying homage to his father.
“I have always known him as a very quiet and unassuming person and nothing has changed. I don’t think the emir of Kano will want to be involved in what is happening and I can tell you he is a very respectable man.
“We are going to meet any day. He’s not a troublesome person and I am sure he will like to meet with me and I will also like to meet with him, too.”
Recall that Isa Bayero, the cousin of the emir, had on Saturday issued a three-day ultimatum to Air Peace to apologise for allegedly “disrespecting” the monarch.
He had earlier written a letter of complaint to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), asking the regulatory body to take action against the airline for allegedly disrespecting the emir and the people of Kano.
