The weekend standoff between Kano’s Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero, and Air Peace Airline intensified as the emir issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the airline to apologize or face the consequences for alleged disrespect.
Remember that the feud began when the Emir and his entourage had a connecting flight to Kano from Banjul to catch up in Lagos but were delayed due to a delay departing from Banjul to Lagos by the same airline.
The Emir and his entourage allegedly begged the airline management to delay the flight’s takeoff out of respect for the Emir, but the airline declined.
ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!
Isa Bayero, the Emir’s Chief Protocol Officer, had written a letter of complaint to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, seeking punitive action against Air Peace Airline for “disrespect to the emir and the people of Kano State.”
In response, Air Peace’s Chief Operating Officer, Toyin Olajide, insisted that the airline did not disrespect the Emir as alleged, but rather protected the Emir’s image from ridicule.
However, the situation took a turn for the worse over the weekend when the Bayero, the Emir’s cousin, issued an ultimatum to the airline to apologize or face the consequences.
“Since we left Banjul an hour late, the airline should know they have 10 passengers transiting to Kano and should know the right thing to do was reschedule the flight because the delay we had was never our fault,” he said. I called the management (Chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Onyema) several times to inform him of our precarious situation, but he never answered. Later, when he arrived, he informed us that it was not possible.
Courtesy requires that the management make the necessary arrangements for the VIP because I called the airline while in Banjul to make arrangements for a vehicle to transport the emir from the international wing to the domestic wing.
“That they respected the emir for refusing to delay the flight is completely incorrect and unacceptable because, if they truly respected the emir, they should have understood that the aircraft was not complete without 10 passengers, including the VIP.” We booked our tickets on that aircraft, and anyone who has flown internationally knows what on-transit passengers are, and they have priority over any other passenger on board.
Air Peace has the moral right to accommodate or care for us because of our delay from Banjul, which caused us to arrive late in Lagos. “Unfortunately, there was no option or offer to alleviate our situation, leaving us stranded.”
“It was completely false for them to claim that there was an offer to take us to Abuja and then to Kano. I was the one who requested the Abuja flight, and they claimed that it was fully booked. How do we get to Abuja if their plane to Abuja is already full? Assume they took us to Abuja; how certain are you that there was a Kano flight available from Abuja? What I was expecting to see was Azman Airlines’ scheduled flight to Kano. If air peace truly respected the Emir of Kano, why couldn’t they arrange for that as an alternative? So there was no offer.
“I am giving Air Peace 72 hours to tender apologies to the emir, first in a national daily and then in person to the emir, or else we will not hesitate to go the extra mile to correct the misnomer.” Air Peace’s action is sentimental and unprofessional, and we will go to any length to defend and protect any insensitive act against our prestigious traditional institution.
That insult is not directed solely at the emir, but also at the good people of Kano, and ignoring it risks triggering something even worse and more ridiculous. ”
I wrote to the DG NCAA to express my displeasure, but if someone claims my statement is inciting, well, they have the right to their opinion.
But, come to think of it, who is inciting?
Kano people because the airline insulted their emir and refused to apologize. That I have no regrets if anyone misconstrues or misinterprets my complaint in this manner.
After all, air peace had been in operation prior to its arrival in Kano, and Kano residents have been flying around the world without the assistance of air peace. So, if that’s what he wants, then so be it. We’ll get there.
I’m a professional pilot who has flown five heads of state in addition to being a prince of Kano and a personal friend of Mr. Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace.
