The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has commended the management of Arik Air for flying the flag of Nigeria high and reiterated the need for Nigerians to patronise what was theirs.
Ogunwusi gave the commendation in a statement signed by Arik Air’s Communications Manager, Mr Ola Adebanji, said on Tuesday in Lagos.
The statement said the airline received the royal endorsement when the first class monarch and his entourage flew Arik Air from Lagos to New York on a tour of America recently.
It said the Ooni, who was accompanied by his wife, Olori Wuraola, was received by a team from Arik Air, led by the Chief Pilot, Capt. Adetokunbo Adekunbi, at the departure lounge of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to the statement, Ogunwusi said his decision to fly Arik Air to New York was a deliberate one aimed at “reinforcing the need to patronise our own”.
The statement said the Ooni, while reiterating his foremost position in Yoruba land, expressed optimism that his flying Arik Air with other traditional rulersm would bring good fortune to the airline.
It said the Ooni’s entourage, numbering over 50, had no fewer than 10 other Yoruba traditional rulers from Oyo, Osun and Ekiti states.
Arik Air is Nigeria and West Africa’s largest airline and operates mainly from two hubs at Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The airline operates a fleet of 28 state-of-the-art regional, medium haul and long haul aircraft, including two Airbus A340-500..
It operates a combined number of about 120 daily flights from its hubs in Lagos and Abuja and currently serves 19 destinations.
NAN
