Yemisi Izuora
Air Peace has allocated over N300 million to train 52 executive members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in non-violence education in Nigeria and at Emory University in the United States.
The chairman and chief executive of the airline, Mr. Allen Onyema announced the package when he hosted the grand patron of NANS in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Ubong King and leaders of the students’ union body in the airline’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.
Onyema also announced that the airline would be flying leaders of NANS and all other categories of students to school on resumption and out of school on vacation for N18, 000.
He added that Air Peace was offering a fare much better than the 15 percent discount the students sought because of its belief in the capacity of youths’ to transform the country.
Onyema praised the executives of NANS for pursuing issues relating to the country’s well being without ethnic considerations.
He said Nigeria needs a pool of focused, detribalised and non-violent youths to drive its development agenda.
He urged NANS executive to regard the opportunity offered by the airline to train them in non-violence education with seriousness.
He said the trainees would be expected to return to the country as non-violence experts to support the campaign for peace which his Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN) had championed for many years.
“I like being in the midst of youths who are detribalised in their struggle. Let no one use you to foment trouble. In 2004 when there was militancy that greatly affected oil production in the country, I used FEHN to fight the crisis and a lot of the militants were transformed.
“I have used FEHN to fight ethnicity in the country for many years. What gives me joy is broad nationalism and not ethnic and divisive nationalism. What we need in Nigeria is broad nationalism,” Onyema said.
He commended King for his tireless effort to work for the nation’s good and stand for what was right.
“Ubong may not be a governor or president, but he is one Nigerian I have a lot of respect for. He is somebody you can be proud of,” he added.
Earlier, NANS senate president,
Mr. Salam Oyejide had expressed appreciation to Air Peace for distinguishing itself with top-notch flight services.
He said the airline has a knack for doing things right.
He had asked for a 15 percent discount on all fares for students saying such reduction would afford students the opportunity to patronize the airline.