Integrity, character vital for sustainable economic growth – Coleman MD

Managing Director of Coleman Technical Industries Limited, George Onafowokan. Photo: Coleman

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Coleman Technical Industries Limited, Mr George Onafowokan, has stressed that integrity, character and discipline remain the ultimate foundation for building sustainable businesses and driving long-term economic development.

Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Pan-Atlantic University Alumni Association International Conference, themed ‘The Advantage: Connecting People, Ideas and Opportunities,’ held at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Lagos, Onafowokan outlined vision, focus, discipline, integrity and good character as essential principles for professional and corporate success.

“Integrity is your biggest weighted gold, not your car, not your house, not your land. Build it from the day you start your life. The entitlement mentality is the greatest killer of integrity. When you build character and integrity, you derisk yourself, and doing business or leading people becomes seamless,” Onafowokan asserted.

He further cautioned business founders against establishing enterprises solely to finance personal lifestyles, warning that such organisations rarely survive generational transitions unless built on solid governance and strong leadership by example.

In her address to the conference participants, Pan-Atlantic University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Enase Okonedo, commended the executive committee for organising the landmark summit and emphasised the importance of values in driving national transformation.

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“We grew from humble beginnings 34 years ago, starting in a living room in Sierra Leone. Today, we sit across expanded campuses with a collective alumni body of 15,000 between the business school and the university. Think about 15,000 well-formed people who can make a difference in Nigeria. You are the ambassadors, and PAU graduates are beginning to stand out not only for their work ethic, but also for their values,” Okonedo stated.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the President of the Pan-Atlantic University Alumni Association, Dr Onyebuchi Odianjo, expressed gratitude to the university management, sponsors and alumni network for transforming the vision of an international gathering into reality.

“Our goal remains clear: to build an alumni community whose values extend beyond shared memories to meaningful relationships, mutual support and collective progress. What began as a conversation about the potential of our alumni network grew into a vision for a platform where people, ideas and industries could connect, relationships could become partnerships, and ideas could become opportunities,” Odianjo said.

She reiterated that the association remains committed to deepening industry partnerships, enhancing student support and converting the strength of its global network into lasting impact.