Allen Onyeama, Chief Executive of Air Peace, has warned that his assistance in evacuating stranded Nigerians from war-torn Sudan should not be viewed through ethnic-religious lenses.
Onyeama revealed this in an interview with Arise Television on Wednesday.
He stated that his action was not a publicity stunt, but was motivated by a strong desire to promote Nigerian unity.
He, however, regretted that some Nigerians on social media had turned his gesture to ethnic warfare.
He said the country’s unity is paramount to him, which should be true for all Nigerians.
He added that he would send three jets to Egypt to airlift Nigerians being evacuated from Sudan.
“I am a good adherent of what you can do for your nation, not what your country can do for you.
“I feel personally honoured to help my country; it is not a publicity stunt because I have been doing it right from my university days.
“However, it pains me that my gesture has started causing some problems on social media. People are trying to bring an ethnic angle into it, for those supporting me, the Igbos rooting for me, saying an Igboman is doing this and this, please stop. And people from the other tribes with one or two things to say about the development should stop. It is a Nigeria thing, not about Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa. It isn’t a good gesture to turn into an ethnic debacle; it pains me and makes me uncomfortable to the extent that I might not do it again. I want to promote unity, not disunity”, he said.
Recall that Onyeama offered to evacuate stranded Nigerians in Sudan for free; however, his gesture elicited mixed reactions.
Sudan’s crisis erupted on April 15, 2023, with warring factions led by two Generals.
Despite the 72-hour cease-fire announced on Tuesday, countries continued to evacuate their nationals from the region.
