Adeyemi Adebote, member of the Arik Air cabin crew, crowned KING of the air for 2026
Arik Air’s Cabin Crew member, Adeyemi Adebote, has been crowned the King of the Air for the year 2026 at the 15th Nigeria Aviation (NIGAV) Awards and Ministerial dinner held at the NIGAV Centre, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, over the weekend.
A media statement by Arik Air, signed by Adebanji Ola, Public Relations (PR) & Communications Manager, said the airline also won two other awards at the prestigious NIGAV awards, which aimed to promote unity, healthy competition and growth within the aviation industry in Nigeria.
Arik Air’s Capt Olufemi Adesunloye and First Officer Auwal Wali were judged winners in the prestigious Heroic Performance Recognition Award. The airline also won the Best Airline Passenger Front Desk Service Award.
The King of the Air competition was keenly contested by Cabin Crew members from other airlines in Nigeria and Adebote’s victory is a testament of Arik Air’s investment in human capital development and adherence to strict regulatory processes.
The statement claimed, “This is the third time an Arik Air Crew member has won the King of the Air contest. Patrick Ekehinde won the second edition of the competition in 2022, while Tyger Opunabo won the 2024 edition.”
The Heroic Performance Recognition Award was earned by Capt Olufemi Adesunloye and First Officer Auwal Wali for their feat of safely landing the airline’s Boeing 737-800NG after a mid-air engine explosion on February 11, 2026.
The award is a high-level recognition honour designed to celebrate individuals who have exhibited extraordinary courage, professionalism, composure, and effectiveness in critical situations.
The Best Airline Passenger Front Desk Award is for the airline’s friendliness and effective customer service from ticketing and check-in to boarding.
Commenting on the awards, Arik Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Capt Roy Ilegbodu said: “We are delighted with the awards, which reflect the high level of professionalism that defines our airline”.
Ilegbodu expressed the airline’s gratitude thus, “we are grateful to the organizers of NIGAV for finding Arik Air worthy of these recognitions. We remain dedicated to maintaining and advancing the highest standards of efficiency within Nigeria’s aviation industry.”
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