May 01, (THEWILL) – History has shown that great leaders around the world share one common attribute: the willingness to risk everything for the liberation of the people they claim to love. Unfortunately, Mr. Peter Obi lacks such qualities. He has consistently failed this basic test of leadership.
At a time when the majority of Nigerians are sinking deeper into starvation, suffering, and anguish under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, Obi has chosen to remain in the comfort of his home, limiting his engagement to social media sympathy messages. Instead of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the oppressed, he distances himself from the struggle on the streets.
True leadership demands sacrifice. Icons like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela earned the right to lead because they bore the weight of their people’s burdens. They endured bullets, batons, and prison bars, choosing courage over comfort. They did not retreat when the time came to rise for justice—they led from the front, risking everything in pursuit of freedom.
Nigeria’s political history is not without examples of men who stood up when it mattered most. Former presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu, for instance, took bold steps during periods of national struggle. During the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests, Tinubu marched on the streets in opposition to the removal of fuel subsidy, aligning with the people and challenging government policies. That is what meaningful opposition looks like.
Peter Obi, by contrast, has been reluctant to take similar risks. He has shown little readiness to bear the burden of inconvenience for the sake of the ordinary Nigerians he claims to represent. While many citizens take to the streets to protest the unbearable hardships under the Tinubu administration, Obi remains on the sidelines, preferring carefully worded statements on social media over physical solidarity.
Leadership is not just about ambition—it is about sacrifice. Obi seems to want the crown without carrying the cross. He wants to be president without offending anyone, without confronting injustice, and without sharing in the pain of those he hopes to lead. This passive approach does not reflect the kind of leadership Nigeria urgently needs at a time when radical change is necessary.
Nigeria requires a bold, courageous leader—not one who whispers from the safety of social media while his supporters languish in poverty and pain caused by failed policies. Obi’s failure to physically show support when his followers needed him most reveals a lack of conviction and courage.
It is, therefore, difficult to see him as the transformational leader he portrays himself to be.
Disclaimer: This piece does not, in any way, signify support for the Tinubu administration.
***Written by Audu Liberty Oseni
Audu Liberty Oseni is a Director, at the Centre for Development Communication (CDC)
