Father’s Day Reflection: Peter Obi Calls For National Rebirth, Urges Nigerians To Build A Better Future
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has used the occasion of Father's Day to reflect on Nigeria's past and present realities, expressing concern over the country's declining fortunes while urging citizens to take responsibility for building a better nation for future generations.
In a statement released on Sunday, Obi recounted growing up in a Nigeria that was more united, peaceful, and prosperous, where citizens related freely across ethnic, religious, and regional lines.
According to him, during his primary, secondary, and university years, Nigerians interacted without divisions, identifying first and foremost as citizens of one nation.
Obi also recalled a period when business relationships were founded on trust and competence rather than tribal or religious considerations, and when the Nigerian passport commanded respect internationally, making global travel easier for citizens.
He noted that Nigerians could travel freely across the country—from Onitsha to Lagos, Maiduguri, and Calabar—without fear, while the nation's security agencies earned international recognition for their contributions to peacekeeping and global stability.
The former Anambra State governor further highlighted what he described as a stronger sense of public trust in institutions in the past, with greater confidence in elections, improved accountability in governance, more stable universities, a functional healthcare system, and better-performing infrastructure.
Expressing concern over the current state of the nation, Obi lamented the rise in insecurity, weakening national unity, and shrinking opportunities for young Nigerians.
"It is painful that much of what once defined Nigeria positively has changed. Insecurity has grown, national unity has weakened, and many citizens no longer feel safe. Opportunities for the younger generation have also diminished compared to what we once had," he stated.
He also pointed to what he described as Nigeria's declining influence on the global stage, citing the country's absence from the recently concluded G7 meeting, where African nations such as Egypt and Kenya were invited.
According to Obi, while such invitations may be symbolic, they nonetheless reflect a decline in Nigeria's international standing that should not be ignored.
Calling on fathers across the country to play a greater role in shaping the nation's future, Obi said Nigerians must move beyond lamentation and work collectively to bequeath a better country to their children.
"As fathers, we must not only lament. We must not bequeath this reality to our children. We owe them a better Nigeria built on security, opportunity, fairness, and national pride," he said.
Obi stressed that active civic participation remains critical to achieving meaningful change, urging citizens to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), vote responsibly, and remain committed to protecting the integrity of the electoral process.
"Change will not come from complaints alone but from citizens who choose and defend accountable leadership," he added.
He expressed optimism that with responsibility, unity, and determination, Nigerians can collectively build a new nation founded on security, prosperity, and justice.
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) concluded by reaffirming his belief that "a New Nigeria is POssible."
