Peter Obi is the toast of many Nigerians on social media who admire his ideas and simple lifestyle, even though he is a billionaire
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
A few hours after Peter Obi announced that he would be contesting the Nigerian presidency if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zones it to the South, a vlogger uploaded the inner recess of Peter Obi, a one-bedroom apartment.
A former governor, former chairman of Fidelity Bank, a billionaire living in just a one-bedroom apartment get Nigerians talking.
But in the same compound where Peter Obi has what he calls his ‘functional apartment’, there is also a mansion there which his wife built to her specification. He tells the vlogger that he only lives there when his family is in town. But when he is alone, he returns to his functional apartment.
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According to Peter Obi, he loves the apartment because it takes him less than 15 minutes to tidy up, and would not need the services of house boys and house girls. In fact, he says domestic help makes one lazy.
In the casual chat with the vlogger, Peter Obi said he was packing his stuff to attend a funeral. His meal for the day was part of the stuff. He does not eat at funerals, he said.
For Peter Obi, he could not understand why a person that is bereaved would still be the one to refresh those who have come to console him. “When you are grieving, you shouldn’t be the one entertaining people. But I don’t question those who do it,” he says
Peter Obi has just four pairs of shoes – two sports trainers and two corporates in his functional apartment. Meanwhile, he is the owner of Next Cash and Carry, a supermarket that sells thousands of footwear in addition to other household items.
Peter Obi also says we are all poor in Nigerians, irrespective of status and class. He explains: “Once you say where you are coming from, people will classify you where you belong. Anybody who is from Nigeria, no matter how rich you are, you are poor. I lived in the western world. I know how they classify people from here. In fact, if you are rich at times, it becomes even worse. They will say why can’t you help the people in your place.”
On his routine every day, he says: “I go to bed about 1 AM. By 6 AM, I’m exercising. I stop by 7. Within the period of exercising, you know I follow this church online, St Thomas Parish. Their Mass starts at 6 and ends at 6:20 AM. From 6:20, I do my rosary for 15 minutes, then do divine mercy which is 10 minutes and do prayer for impossible request, which is five minutes.”
The vlogger interrupts, Impossible request! Peter Obi responded: “Difficult request. You know, when you live in this country, you must pray for Nigeria every day because this is a country that doesn’t care. Every country in the world cares for its poor people. This is the only country in the world that doesn’t care for poor people. If you are poor in this country, your problems are escalated,” he said.