At the Memorial Lecture honoring the late Chief Edwin Clark on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi expressed his belief that the sacrifices made by Nigeria’s past heroes have not achieved their intended outcomes.
During his address, the former Anambra State governor reflected on Clark’s legacy as a dedicated patriot who strived for national improvement but did not live to see the Nigeria many citizens had envisioned.
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Obi referenced the current challenges facing the nation, including widespread criminality and corruption among leadership, suggesting these issues have undermined the foundation built by previous generations of leaders.
Responding to critics who have questioned some of his statements at international forums, Obi defended his candor about Nigeria’s problems.
He said, “I spoke a few days ago and people said I’m demarketing Nigeria. When is speaking the truth being demarketing Nigeria? The World Bank has just shown that 75% of Nigerians in rural areas are poor.
“Is the World Bank demarketing Nigeria. UNICEF two days ago released that Nigerians now have over two million malnourished children, the second highest in the world, are they demarketing Nigeria.”
“Let’s tell the truth. Their labour is in vain. We have a country now that is not democratic. We are not a democratic country,” Obi stated.
The former governor also raised concerns about electoral integrity in the country, specifically citing the recent balloting in Edo State.
“The election that happened in Edo State, is it democratic? “Just the last election in Edo is the most undemocratic election. Everybody knows who won that election. So why are we keeping it and saying let their labour go in vain?”
“It is in vain. So we can start picking the pieces now because they’ve destroyed everything people have sacrificed for.
“Look at what is happening in Nigeria today. The country people sacrificed have turned into a crime scene. All we do today is stealing, stealing, stealing, stealing.”
“And we have to do something. All we need to do is live a courageous life.
“May God Almighty that calls him home grant him eternal rest and grant us the courage to look into what our father lived for and start picking our pieces,” Obi said.
Obi concluded his remarks with a call for renewed commitment to the ideals championed by figures like Clark.
