UNA Chairman: Naming New Jets After Achebe, Obi of Onitsha Symbolises Pride in Nigeria’s Cultural Identity

…Announces Plans for Four More Jets

United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) has said the naming of its two newly acquired Boeing 737-800 Next Generation (NG) aircraft after renowned literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, is a tribute to Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and enduring legacy.

The Executive Chairman of the airline, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, made the remarks during the official unveiling ceremony of the aircraft in Lagos on Thursday, describing the occasion as a celebration of the country’s identity and history.

According to Okonkwo, the decision to christen the aircraft after the two eminent personalities was deeply symbolic and reflected the airline’s commitment to preserving and promoting Nigeria’s heritage.

He explained that the late Chinua Achebe, author of the globally acclaimed Things Fall Apart, shared roots with him in Ogidi, Anambra State, and played a pivotal role in introducing Africa and its stories to the world through literature.

Describing the late novelist as one of Africa’s foremost cultural ambassadors, Okonkwo requested a moment of silence in his memory.

Speaking about the Obi of Onitsha, who attended the ceremony, the airline chairman described the monarch as an elder statesman and highly respected traditional ruler whose wisdom and leadership have guided generations.

“His Royal Majesty is an elder statesman, a respected leader, hardworking and humble in his ways, deeply traditional, and loved and admired by the public. What makes this occasion different is that, for the first time in Nigeria, we have aircraft bearing these particular names that carry real significance, and that came to Nigeria only after a great deal of sacrifice, hope, and effort to give our nation a better direction in aviation,” he stated.

Four Additional Aircraft Expected
Okonkwo disclosed that the two Boeing 737-800NG aircraft are only the first deliveries from an original order of six aircraft being pursued by the carrier.

He revealed that while the first two aircraft had arrived, four more jets are expected in the coming months as part of the airline’s fleet expansion strategy.

The development, he noted, would strengthen the airline’s operations and further position it for increased domestic and regional connectivity.

The airline boss recalled that Nigeria’s aviation industry had, until recently, faced severe difficulties in attracting international aircraft financing and leasing opportunities.

According to him, international lessors and financing institutions had become reluctant to engage with Nigerian operators, effectively shutting the country out of the global aircraft leasing market.

Okonkwo credited the recent turnaround to efforts by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, saying the minister’s engagement with Boeing three years ago helped restore confidence among global aviation stakeholders and reopen financing channels for Nigerian airlines.

The UNA chairman warned that Nigerian carriers were currently grappling with rising operational costs and mounting financial pressures, partly triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

He said airlines across the country had collectively suffered huge losses over the past three months.

“I won’t pretend the industry isn’t facing real challenges right now, largely as a result of the Middle East war. In the last three months alone, Nigerian airlines collectively have absorbed enormous losses, some carriers losing close to N10 billion. Do not be surprised when fares go up slightly going forward because we have real losses to recover from,” he said.

Reflecting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Okonkwo recounted how the airline had sent 23 pilots to South Africa for training, only for them to become stranded when international airspace closures brought global travel to a standstill.

He revealed that the pilots remained in South Africa for nine months, with some falling ill, while the airline continued to shoulder the costs of accommodation, feeding and salaries.

“They couldn’t leave, some fell ill, they couldn’t even go home, and yet we kept paying their hotel bills, their food, their salaries, everything. We survived that period because we kept flying,” he said.

Airline Defends Flight Disruptions
Addressing concerns over delays and disruptions, Okonkwo appealed to passengers for understanding, explaining that the airline often reschedules flights instead of outright cancellations whenever technical issues arise.

He narrated an incident in Kano where more than 100 passengers were stranded after an aircraft developed a fault.

According to him, engineers had to dispatch an empty aircraft to the city to inspect and certify the affected aircraft before operations could resume. He maintained that such decisions were taken in the interest of passenger safety.

The airline chairman also highlighted the high cost of doing business in Nigeria, citing a recent report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which ranked the country among the most expensive environments globally for airline operations.

He urged the Federal Government to ensure that revenues generated for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are retained within the aviation sector and utilised for industry development instead of being transferred into the Federation’s consolidated revenue pool for unrelated expenditures.

Okonkwo further advocated for the provision of single-digit interest loans to airlines and stronger partnerships between the Bank of Industry and commercial banks to guarantee fuel purchases.

According to him, such interventions would stimulate growth within the industry and encourage more indigenous carriers to acquire aircraft.

“That would lead to a much healthier aviation sector, with more Nigerian operators bringing in more aircraft, to everyone’s benefit,” he added.

The unveiling of the two Boeing 737-800NG aircraft marks another milestone in United Nigeria Airlines’ expansion drive and underscores the carrier’s ambition to strengthen its position within Nigeria’s aviation industry while celebrating personalities who have shaped the nation’s cultural and traditional heritage.