Members of the House of Representatives have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to honour the Chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema with a national award in recognition of his patriotism.
The Reps made the request through a resolution on Wednesday during a session in honour of Mr. Onyema.
They honored the Air Peace boss for evacuating Nigerians free of charge from South Africa in the wake of the recent xenophobic attacks against them and other foreigners in the country.
Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, asked the Clerk to the House, Patrick Giwa, to transmit their resolution and request to President Buhari immediately.
The lawmakers also pledged to give the first priority to Onyema’s air line when flying within the country.
The Speaker, shortly after saying the opening prayers, requested that the Order Paper for the day’s plenary be temporarily suspended to allow them receive Onyema for recognition and then asked the Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, to move that Onyema be allowed into the chamber.
As the Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, ushered the Air Peace boss into the chamber, excited lawmakers embraced and shook hands with him.
The Speaker hailed Onyema for his patriotism, saying the lawmakers had recommended the Air Peace boss for Federal Government’s recognition.
Gbajabiamila said, “I believe that we are all witnesses to what he has done for our brothers and sisters in the last couple of weeks. We watched the scenes of Nigerians on TV being reunited with their families and friends; the emotional scenes was brought about or made possible by only one man among many men; a businessman who is into business like every other businessman to make money, but who sacrificed his wealth and business, and at no cost – and I dare say at a loss – deployed his aircraft to bring back our brothers and sisters who were facing danger in South Africa.
“This is a feat that should be commended. And we hereby commend Mr. Allen Onyema and recommend you to the Federal Government for higher honour in Nigeria.”
At this point, the lawmakers gave Onyema a standing ovation as he stood to address them.
Acknowledging the honour done him, Onyema said he had never been so honoured in his life, adding “You have brought tears to my eyes again.”
He noted that though the attacks on Nigerians and others in South Africa were unfortunate, it had brought Nigerians together.
“In the last one week, this country has bonded. No more Hausa, no more Yoruba, no more Igbo.
Let me use this opportunity to plead with all of you here, the representatives of our people; as long as we fight against each other, we shall not have a nation. It is only when we start fighting for each other that can we have a nation,” he said.
He also told the lawmakers that the evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa had brought respect to Nigeria across the world.
Onyema, who said the xenophobia would die a natural death, noted that South Africa was already suffering dearly for the attacks, adding that flights were now going to South Africa empty while stocks in the country were falling.