Elabanjo corrects news article and says he is affiliated with Antigua Airways and his ‘chamber’ facilitated its investment here

Owolabi Elabanjo has advised that he was misrepresented in THE REAL News Drivetime Report of Wednesday, October 26.

Contrary to our news story, which reported that he had no affiliation with Antigua Airways, Elabanjo says he is, in fact, affiliated with, and directly connected to, the airline.

“What I said was I am not working with Antigua Airways, am not on their payroll,” he clarifies. “But my organization, the Nigeria-Antigua and Barbuda Chamber of Commerce, facilitated the investment of the Antigua Airways.”

He adds: “I love and respect and appreciate my affiliation with [Antigua] Airways … .”
  
The carrier is set to make its inaugural flight to Antigua from Nigeria on November 1, which coincides with this country’s independence celebrations.
 
Echoing Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s statement in Parliament on Monday, Elabanjo says the airline is a private entity. However, he says, he has met the principal, Marvelous Mike, on numerous occasions, since they are from the same country, and the investor has visited Antigua, as well.
 
Marvelous Mike, to date, has never been identified by name. Asked whether the Nigerian investor is a credible person and will honour his word as it relates to the airline, Elabanjo says he is confident that he is a trusted and well-known businessman.

The Senior Extension Officer says Marvelous Mike has embarked on this venture for several reasons – one of which is to reduce the time frame and the usually hectic travel itinerary to get to Africa from the Caribbean.  
 
Meanwhile, addressing the issue of his name being listed by the Corporate Affairs Commission on the “Chamber’s” board of directors, Elabanjo says that venture was undertaken to encourage more business opportunities between Antigua and Barbuda and Nigeria.
 
However, he says this programme has no connection to Antigua Airways.