Independence Day: Nigeria Not Cursed, Leaders Have Failed Nigerians – Peter Obi

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said Nigeria’s challenges are not a result of the country being cursed, but of failures in leadership and the inability to turn its resources into human development and shared prosperity.

Naija News reports that Obi stated this in his Independence Day message to Nigerians on Thursday, marking the country’s 66th independence anniversary.

He said the anniversary should not just be a time for celebration and thanksgiving, but also an opportunity for Nigerians to honestly examine the country’s progress and whether it is moving in the direction envisioned by its founding fathers.

According to him, every serious nation must continually ask three questions: “Where are we today? Where do we want to be? How do we get from where we are to where we want to be?”

He said the questions had become more urgent despite the promises made by the All Progressives Congress-led government in 2023.

Obi listed widespread poverty, a high number of out-of-school children, insecurity, hunger, maternal and infant mortality, youth unemployment, drug abuse and low life expectancy among the challenges confronting the country.

He said over 140 million Nigerians were living in poverty and severe hardship, while more than 18 million children were out of school.

He also stated that over 40 million Nigerians would be in extreme hunger by the end of 2026, while youth unemployment and underemployment affected more than 35 million people.

Obi said drug abuse and substance misuse had risen to 14 per cent, compared with a global average of six per cent, while life expectancy in Nigeria stood at 54 years against a global average of 74 years.

He added that insecurity continued to threaten lives and livelihoods, noting that 37 young Nigerians had recently lost their lives.

The former Governor of Anambra State said the situation called for “serious, sober and honest reflection,” adding that Nigeria’s problems could not be blamed on a lack of resources.

“Are we cursed, or have we become the curse through the choices we have made and the failures we have tolerated?” he asked.

He said Nigeria was not cursed, describing the country as “immensely endowed and blessed.”

“Our greatest problem is not a lack of resources; it is the failure to convert our enormous resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity,” Obi said.

He recalled that he and his 2027 running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, had recently returned from a two-day visit to Sokoto State, where they consulted residents on insecurity, out-of-school children, poverty, youth unemployment and drug abuse.

Obi said they also visited the Internally Displaced Persons camp at Ramin Kura within Sokoto metropolis, where they found thousands of women and children living in deplorable conditions.

He said many of the displaced children had no access to education, while mothers and children had limited access to basic healthcare.

“These are Nigerians who should be living in their communities, going to school, farming their land, conducting their businesses and contributing to the economy. Instead, they live as displaced persons in their own country,” he lamented.

Obi said the situation at Ramin Kura was a reflection of the suffering experienced in different parts of Nigeria.

He accused political leaders of failing the country and said, “most importantly, we have failed our children.”

He, however, said his message was not one of despair, but of hope, determination and responsibility, insisting that “a new Nigeria is possible.”

Obi said if elected President, he would make governance measurable, accountable and centred on the welfare and productivity of Nigerians.

He promised that within the first year of his administration, Nigerians would begin to see the impact of what he described as purposeful and effective leadership.

He said his administration would confront insecurity to enable farmers to return to their farms, children to return to school and businesses to operate without fear.

“No Nigerian should be forced to live in an IDP camp because his or her government has failed to provide security,” he said.

Obi also pledged to move Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy to a productive one by creating jobs, expanding opportunities, supporting agriculture and manufacturing and investing in human capital.

He said education, healthcare, security and productive enterprise would be prioritised because they were “the foundations of a functioning nation.”

The NDC candidate also said he would lead by example, promising not to spend his holidays outside Nigeria if elected president.

“In four years as President of this great nation, I will not spend my holidays outside Nigeria. My holidays will be spent in Zamfara State; Borno State; Kwara State; Ebonyi State; Edo State; Ekiti State and other Nigerian States.

“I want to continue to see Nigeria. I want to know Nigeria. I want to spend time with Nigerians, listen to them, understand their challenges and celebrate their resilience,” he said.

Obi said his vision was to build a secure, united and productive Nigeria governed with competence, accountability and justice.

He also envisaged a country where children would not be denied education because of poverty or insecurity, mothers would have access to basic healthcare, farmers could safely return to their farms, and young people would have opportunities to work and prosper.

He said public resources must be deployed strictly for the public good.

Obi urged Nigerians to use the Independence anniversary to reflect on the country’s past, acknowledge its present realities and face the future with courage.

“The Nigeria we desire will not be built by prayers alone, nor by promises alone. It will be built by leadership that understands that public office is a sacred trust, by citizens who demand accountability, and by all of us who refuse to accept failure as our destiny.

“It is time to build the new and productive Nigeria that is possible,” he said.