Dapo Olumide Quits Virgin Nigeria

Dapo Olumide Quits Virgin Nigeria

Dapo Olumide has quit Virgin Nigeria soon after businessman Jimoh Ibrahim acquired a controlling stake in the airline;a move which sent jitters in the aviation fraternity!Nigerian aviation does not trust Mr.Jimoh given his past with NICON Airways. The resignation is apparently unconnected to the acquisition(we are yet to get full details)!He was replaced by Ethiopian Mr.Kinfa Fekadu was until this appointment the Chief Operating Officer at the Ethiopian Airlines.

Nigerian Eagle Airlines CEO Captain Dapo Olumide with Kenya Airways CEO  Dr.Titus Naikuni during the signing of codeshare agreement in August 2009

Dapo Olumide was a formidable force and a change manager who transformed the debt ridden airline(accumulated by Virgin Group) into a force to be reckoned with!He was an aviation professional par excellence and during his tenure Nigerian Eagle Airlines relisted by IATA in the IOSA certification,the first under a Nigerian managemnt!Nigerian Eagle Airlines is the first and only airline in Nigeria to acquire an IOSA certification and has one of the best safety records in West Africa!A captain with 28 year experience, Olumide earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, USA in 1980 after which he joined Aero Contractors in 1982.

He became Virgin Nigeria CEO in May last year and during the period he oversaw the private carrier's signing of code share agreements with Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines;the airline also underwent a rebranding in September 2009 changing its name from Virgin Nigeria to Nigerian Eagle Airlines.He described the rebranding as "not just about name change but a new dawn that has birthed an aspirational airline that will rule the African skies and a representation of the future of African aviation"The rebranding was meant to give the airline a truly Nigerian and African identity!


In December last year,the airline signed an MOU with Delta Airlines to "explore areas of commercial cooperation that will expand travel options between North America and Nigeria."
Last year,during the AFRAA AGA in Mozambique,he was elected AFRAA vice chairman and is known as one of the proponents for the integration and merger of African Airlines.He also received the award of the Best Airline CEO in Africa by Akwaaba African Travel Market Awards.


Dapo Olumide was a great talent for Nigerian Aviation and will surely be missed by the Nigerian and African aviation fraternity;although we bet,he is unlikely to stay on the sidelines for long!One instance I remember vividly was during the signing of the Code Share Agreement with Kenya Airways atop a Lagos Office and Dapo clearly professed is undying love for African aviation:"I have a great passion for African Aviation"

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