That Now Disgraced Politician

By
Olabode Opeseitan

Not long ago, I discussed with a highly respected media chief—one of Nigeria’s most discerning editorial minds. With quiet regret, he confessed how Peter Obi had successfully deceived him for nearly a decade and a half. He once believed Obi to be an intellectual powerhouse, a prudent steward of public resources, and a rare moral figure in Nigerian politics. But the illusion shattered in the lead-up to the 2023 presidential election.

What he saw instead was a man whose logic was shallow, whose policy pronouncements lacked conviction, and whose governance record—especially in Anambra State—was riddled with contradictions. How does one claim to have “saved” money for a state while leaving behind debts and liabilities that tripled any purported savings? And where, precisely, were those savings kept?

Many discerning Nigerians had reached this conclusion long before: Peter Obi is not a statesman. He lacks the strategic depth, moral fiber, and inclusive vision required to govern a complex, heterogeneous society like Nigeria. His campaign rhetoric—framing the election as a religious war and stoking division with slogans like “We must take our country back”—is not the language of unity but of alienation.

Yet even with all this, nothing quite prepared the nation for the moment Peter Obi referred to Nigeria as “that now disgraced country,” borrowing the words from Donald Trump. It was a jarring descent—an insult not just to the government, but to the people, the youth, and the very idea of national pride.

Outside the Obidient circle—whose loyalty often mirrors the innocence of dawn—most Nigerians were stunned. To ridicule one’s own country, especially in a moment of global scrutiny, is not the mark of a reformer. It is the signature of a man whose character, like rust beneath emeralds, cannot be hidden for long.

Definitely, Nigeria is not disgraced. It is challenged, yes—but it is also resilient. Our infrastructure will rise. Our educational system will thrive. The NFF will reform. Football—the one force that unites Nigerians across tribe and tongue—will regain its pride of place. And those who serve the nation with dignity will be honored, not mocked.

The real disgrace lies not in the country but in the leader who ridicules it. And when the electorate finally rejects such a figure at the polls, he will understand the true meaning of “that now disgraced politician.”

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