The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has described the Nigerian match to nationhood as full of many regrettable acts that have brought the country to where it is presently.
Obi spoke weekend at the annual Kingdom Submit 2018 by the Baptist Family Church, Surulere, Lagos.
Obi, whom the organizers said was invited to share his idea about leadership as a result of his practical and universally acknowledged exemplary stewardship in Anambra State, said that he agreed with Prof. Chinua Achebe that nothing was wrong with Nigeria, but simply and squarely the failure of leadership.
Drawing many examples from his tenure in Anambra State and from different leadership position he had occupied, Obi said that it was regrettable that leaders were often alone because everybody around them seemed to be pursuing selfish ends, and that Nigeria needed leaders with strong characters to say no to so many wrongs those that ordinarily should help him actually lead them into committing.
Obi recalled how those in charge of different government agencies came to him for one thing or the other that would benefit him and how, by the grace of God and prayers, he was able to resist them.
“I cannot recount how many times allocation of lands were brought to me to sign for myself, the offer of houses in Government housing estates, so many other offers, but focused on the good of the people and of the state, I was able to resist all and remained glued in working for the good of the people of the state. Incredibly, some on learning that I was saving money for the state wanted me to do abracadabra with it, but the compelling good of the people and the state captured the better part of me”, Obi said.
On the way forward for Nigeria, he called on Nigerians to always elect those with proven history of diligent management of resources as their leaders, especially those with the knowledge of the economy.
He said that it was about time Nigerians realized that leadership started and ended with service to the people.
Obi thanked the Baptist Church for organizing such a forum that focused on leadership and urged other churches to come alive with ways of seeking solution to Nigeria’s many self-inflicted problems.
He lamented that some churches have lost their calling and have become part of the problem by failure to advice those that govern alright and said that for the society to rediscover its pristine values that the church must be part of it.
