Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s top airline, Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema, has promised to give the Nigerian national football team, Super Eagles, N50 millionnaira, if they win the ongoing African Cup of Nations, being hosted by Cameroon.
Onyema, who made the pledge in Garoua, Cameroon, while speaking to the Super Eagles during half time in their opening game against theEgyptians, stressed that the players carry the hopes and aspirationsof over 200 million Nigerians and 350 ethnicities on their youngshoulders.
He therefore, urged them to give their best and win the trophy, even as he promised to give N10 million naira for every goal scored in the Eagles’ opening match against Egypt. The Eagles eventually won the game with a lone goal.
His words: “We believe in what you can do, you have the strength as ateam. Remember what I told you during the qualifying series. That itis not just an ordinary football match. You are carrying the hopes and aspirations of over 350 ethnic nationalities of our beautiful country.
“You’re playing for the unity of Nigeria. This is your time to playyour part in cementing the unity of this nation, as Nigerians fromNorth, South, East and West will celebrate in unison. Do us proud and when you come back with the cup, I’m going to give you N50 million.”
Onyema harped on the uniting powers of football as whenever the Eagles are playing, Nigerians usually jettison their ethnic and religious sentiments and forge aunited front in support of the team.
It can be recalled that during the qualifying stages, the Air Peacehelmsman delivered a similar unity-themed and motivational speech tothe Super Eagles on board one of the airline’s brand new Embraer195-E2 aircraft, and gave them a cheque of N20 million.
The Falcons of the 1999 squad were also beneficiaries of N10 million from Air Peace boss during the third NFF-Aiteo Football Awards last year in Lagos.
