In a heartfelt moment captured in a recent social media video marking Air Peace’s 10th anniversary, Allen Onyema, the CEO and founder of Nigeria’s largest private airline, shared the profound emotions he felt when he purchased his first aircraft. Reflecting on this life-changing experience, Onyema admitted that the achievement brought him to tears, considering his humble beginnings and the immense dedication it took to reach that point.

Onyema reminisced about the day he acquired a Dornier 328, recalling how he and his colleague, Engineer Gbolahan Abatan, had traveled to Monaco to negotiate the sale. Following the transaction, they took delivery of the aircraft in Nice, France, before embarking on a flight to Bournemouth, England. Overwhelmed with a mixture of disbelief and pride, Onyema was struck by the surreal realization that he had managed to purchase an aircraft—a feat he could hardly have imagined in his earlier years.

The memory of this journey remains powerful for Onyema, a testament to his persistence and vision for Air Peace. He reflected on how witnessing Air Peace planes take off and land continues to drive and energize him, likening the feeling to an “addictive” sense of pride. For Onyema, who rose from a modest background to become the head of an influential airline, each plane in the sky represents not only a personal accomplishment but also the growth of an African airline striving to connect people and provide reliable service.

Onyema’s story is not just about business success; it resonates deeply as an inspiring tale of perseverance, ambition, and the belief in the possibility of achieving dreams, no matter how daunting they may seem at the outset.