The Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Limited, Dr. Allen Onyema, has called on Nigerians to prioritize nationalism over ethnicity and religious divisions for the country’s development. Onyema made this appeal while delivering a lecture titled “Leading by Example: Instilling Trust and Confidence in Subordinates” to participants of Senior Course 46 at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) in Jaji, Kaduna, on Monday.
“We have to thank the military and appreciate the sacrifices they have made in keeping the country united,” Onyema said. “The citizens must recognize their efforts and support the Armed Forces of Nigeria, especially during these challenging times. We believe in our military and see them fighting to keep our country safe.”
Onyema highlighted Nigeria’s greatness, emphasizing its diversity with 378 ethnic nationalities. “Nigeria is a great country; nobody should tell you otherwise. Yes, the outside world may stigmatize us, but we shouldn’t allow ourselves to be stigmatized as a nation,” he stated.
He urged Nigerians to avoid stigmatizing each other along ethnic and religious lines, stressing that unity in diversity is key to the nation’s success. “Once we achieve serious unity in our diversity, the rest is history. Nigeria is the envy of the entire world. We have incredible human and natural resources, and the human capital in Nigeria is unparalleled,” Onyema added.
Onyema praised the military’s sense of true nationalism and encouraged all Nigerians to emulate it. In his remarks, the Commandant of AFCSC, AVM Hassan Alhaji, thanked Onyema for sharing his insights with the students. Alhaji noted that the lecture demonstrated that there is life beyond military service, stating, “Our uniform is to make Nigeria a greater nation and defend it at all times.”
