PGF DG applauds Allen Onyema’s role in Super Eagles’ victory in Cape Verde
The Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr Salihu Lukman, has applauded the role played by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema, in the Super Eagles’ victory in Cape Verde.
The Super Eagles sustained their 100 percent record in the 2022 World Cup qualifying series by beating the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde 2-1 on Tuesday.
The PGF boss, who was excited over the outcome of the match, argued that Onyema’s role in the successes so far recorded by the national team cannot be wished away.
Lukman in a piece titled, ‘Nigerian Democracy and Challenges of Nation Building,’ contended that Onyema’s role is a wake-up call on Nigerians to rally for the unity and prosperity of the country.
He said: “The good thing is that there are some inspiring exceptions that give hope that notwithstanding all our challenges, there is a good prospect for a Nigerian nation. One of such exceptions was demonstrated by Mr. Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace, who on Monday, September 6, 2021, addressed Super Eagles players onboard Air Peace to Cape Verde for their World Cup Qualifying match.
“Mr. Onyema told the players that ‘you are not just going to play a football match, you’re going to carry on your young shoulders the aspiration and the hope of a nation almost in distress.’ He appealed to them to do everything they can to win the match for the country. He pledged an award of N20 million once they win the match.”
“Mr. Onyema’s inspiring words of encouragement to those young Nigerian players, among many other positive factors, must have contributed to the 2-1 victory of the Super Eagles against Cape Verde on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.
“It is quite therapeutic hearing those words from Mr. Onyema. We need more leaders in this country like Mr. Onyema. In particular, we need more leaders like Mr. Onyema in politics.
“If Nigerian democracy is to develop the capacity to drive processes of nation-building, our political parties must develop the capacity to recruit leaders like Mr. Onyema. There are many leaders in Nigeria in the mold of Mr. Onyema from every part of the country. The big barrier against recruiting them into politics is that debates about expanding membership of political parties are limited to protecting the personal ambitions of political leaders.
“Largely because political debate is almost all about ambitions of political leaders, nationalists of the mode of Mr. Onyema may just be limited to being financiers and sponsors of candidates for elections, and in return get rewarded with contracts, etc.”
