“Humanity first: that has been the core of my life, what keeps me up at night: how can we transform lives across Africa? How do we leave a legacy that uplifts people and creates opportunity for everyone?”
These were the words of Tony Elumelu, spoken through his wife, as she received, on his behalf, Rabbi Arthur Schneier’s 2025 Appeal of Conscience award in New York City. Honoured along with Tony Elumelu at the event, which was held on September 29, 2025, was the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
The Appeal of Conscience was launched in 1965 by Rabbi Arthur Schneier as an innovative platform for a vibrant international coalition of interfaith business, religious, and foreign policy leaders to uphold the principle “live and let live” and address issues pertaining to human rights, religious freedom, and mutual understanding in former Communist countries. Within the year, he engaged the early leadership of those who had a passion for world peace and civil and human rights.
Over the next half a century, the Foundation’s efforts expanded throughout the globe. Today in a world rampant with bias, hatred and division, the work of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation is more vital than ever, as the leadership is bound by a shared destiny to heal our wounded world.
Tony should have been physically present at the 2025 ceremony. It is such a prestigious award instituted by the rabbi, recognised as a Holocaust survivor by former President Bill Clinton in 2001. The award has grown to recognise and honour world business and political leaders who promote truth, religious tolerance and economic inclusion.
But he was not. He could not. Despite the potential business networking opportunities the event and award ceremony could have afforded, Elumelu decided to stay away to continue to mourn six personnel of United Capital who were choked to death by the smoke emitted from the fire incident at Afriland Towers, in Lagos Island.
His absence would be the second time in as many weeks that Tony decided to stay away from pivotal global events. During the United Nations General Assembly, he had barely touched down in New York when news of the fire incident at one of the subsidiaries of his Heirs Holdings broke, and he immediately flew back to Nigeria to honour his departed colleagues.
During an emotion-laden speech delivered on his behalf by his wife, Awele, Tony, who didn’t mince words about his humble beginnings, paid tribute to the employees who lost their lives in the fire incident at Afriland Towers, a demonstration of how deeply he was affected by the departure of those employees.
Before calling for a minute’s silence in honour of his departed colleagues, Elumelu paid tribute to
“It is an honour to receive this award, one that deeply resonates with my personal values, and it is a privilege to be associated with the legacy represented by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation and Rabbi Arthur Schneier. It is with a heavy heart, weighed by recent and profound loss, that I accept this award. Just a few days ago, we lost six beloved colleagues in a tragic incident. They were family, friends, mothers, sons, and daughters, hard-working individuals who were dedicated to building a better Africa. Their absence leaves a void that cannot be filled. Across our group, we are grieving this deep loss. And so tonight, before all else, I wish to honour their memories with a moment of silence,” Elumelu told the august gathering, betraying the strong emotions that lie beneath the energy that has been driving the growth of his mammoth enterprises spanning banking, real estate, oil & gas, hospitality, power, manufacturing, and others.
It also lends credence to rumours in the Nigerian financial circles of his plans to go beyond the conventional to compensate the families of the departed employees of United Capital in such a way as would assuage the pains of their tragic loss.
Elumelu spoke strongly about humanity as the core of capitalism, acknowledging that he was not born with a silver spoon.
“Humanity first: that has been the core of my life, what keeps me up at night: how can we transform lives across Africa? How do we leave a legacy that uplifts people and creates opportunity for everyone? I was not born with a silver spoon, I was not educated abroad, and I inherited nothing. I was blessed with determination but also luck,” Elumelu told the gathering.
He went ahead to recognise the tradition of philanthropy and said he was conscious of the need to give back to society while building his business empire.
“The American tradition of philanthropy, the tradition we see so clearly in this room today, has always inspired me. The great names that built America in the Gilded Age, the new generation that has endowed universities, research and culture. I was conscious right from the beginning that we needed to give back. I was determined to contribute in a manner that would catalytically transform our continent, Africa. I am not one to blame others,” he said.
He drew a corollary between what he does as a business and philanthropy, saying, “When we create value in the financial services industry, we drive inclusion, offering the underrepresented a stake in the economy. And through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, a personal commitment we made in 2010, we have identified, trained, mentored, and provided over USD 100 million in seed funding to over 24,000 young African entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries.”
By empowering a generation with economic opportunities and the means to shape their own destinies, Elumelu said he, his businesses, and his Tony Elumelu Foundation are combating the despair that fuels economic instability, migration, and insecurity in Africa.
But there’s more to be done. Thus, the Appeal of Conscience Foundation award not only strengthens my resolve to do more, to deepen our impact, but it is also a call out for collaboration with those who share similar values.
In his speech, Rabbi Arthur Schneier described Tony as a beacon of ethical entrepreneurship and a visionary leader.
“Tony Elumelu stands as a beacon of ethical entrepreneurship and visionary leadership… Business can be a powerful force for peace, stability, and human dignity. His commitment to uplifting others is a living example of conscience in action,” the highly respected rabbi said.
The Chairman and CEO of Bank of America, who also chaired the Appeal of Conscience Gala, Brian Moynihan, also praised Tony Elumelu for moral leadership and global responsibility.
“The Appeal of Conscience Foundation (ACF) has chosen to honour Tony Elumelu and Cardinal Dolan because they personify the moral leadership and global responsibility that ACF stands for… Brian Moynihan emphasised that Tony Elumelu’s efforts in faith, community, and economic empowerment serve as a reminder that progress and conscience are inextricably linked.
