The game is getting interesting. The noise is being heard from all the four corners of the earth. From Europe to Asia, from Africa to America, to the Caribbeans, even the Eskimos amidst their cold and ice weather, jump and dance at his sight.
He has broken barriers, setting standards by day. By his top-notch presentations scales daily keep falling off the eyes. Blind and naived, but now many are foresighted and informed.
He has grown beyond religious sentiments, large enough not to be described from tribal colouration and world class, living above the dents and stains of ethinic biases .
He is global and what speaks volume for him isn’t sentiments, halo effects or cultural partisanship. Value, vision, integrity, competence, being streetwise etc the very products he retails, which many have come to see as invaluable brands, ready at all costs to key into.
Like an Eagle he has flown above the normal and cast- in- stone politics of bitterness, gossips and events, moving above sea level where nothing else becomes a talking point but issues, ideas etc sparking off hope, vigor and enthusiasm on the already forlorn and disillusioned masses.
Obi is a global brand. He is a kind of brand that appeals to all and sundry irrespective of tribe, religion and culture.
Would he still be this controversially popular, dragging and pulling crowd if he was a Muslim?
Would this movement be as tsunamic as it is, if he was a Muslim? Would people be this generous with their time, treasure and talent, making sure the movement and the vision behind it, weren’t some kind of nine day wonders?
To some, nothing matters than the very assurance that Nigeria would be fixed. To the foresighted, the focal and interesting attractions was a better Nigeria nothing more.
Who has religion helped? Who has tribe and ethinicism put food on the table? The North has ruled the country much more than others , finding in that area development that may stand them out as a regions ruled and controlled by their brothers and sisters, might be as difficult as getting a pin from the hay-sack
Many of them are worse off compared with other regions, marginalised and denigrated.
Why would anyone support the weaponization of tribe, religion and ethinicism to facilitate the election of those who have been part of the rape and destruction of this country?
Why would anybody support their uncles, brothers,
kinsman etc who clearly would impact their life from the largesse of their office, but thrust many into poverty, roads unrepaired, electricity unfixed etc over a stranger who would be there for all, address the canker worm of looting, stashing away of public funds and institutionalization of corruption?
Lest one misses the mark, Obi isn’t popular because he is Igbo. He isn’t rushed because he is a Christian. His rising acceptance by many across tribe and religion isn’t because he is Catholic.
Lest one forgets Obi is still human not a god. He still has limitations. He isn’t omnipresence and can’t of course be omniscient. His fallibility isn’t in denial and can’t play the ostrich in matters of morals and ethics.
No man does.
Obi is simply a man with a passion, a zeal to see Nigeria work again. His passion and enthusiasm, his zeal and vision can’t be faulted.
Among the very few politicians who have thrown their hats in the ring, Obi remains the best. His best may not be the best but his best is better than the best of the others who are in same race.
Obi isn’t without a baggage, no man does, a perfect man sins seven times a day. No man is good but God. His baggage weighs less placed side by side with his virtues.
Beam a halogen bulb on him, it would be scary not to see any dent or stain, but the dent or stains may not be too pronounced to overshadow the glits and glow of his good sides.
Lest we forget, Obi isn’t a demi god, he isn’t an idol, deifying him and making him look like one Deus and Zeus, one does such at ones peril.
Nigeria has gone through terrible moments, the scavengers, the looters, the dastard rapist etc have for year had their ways. This is the time to change the guards and the gatekeepers.
It is time to change the company maning our security, our economy, our education to another company. The new company may not be the best, may not equally be the Messiah having at their finger tips, the very vibrant and flawless solutions, at least there will be a good change however small.
Many are decipating energy looking and searching for things to discredit Obi with, leaving the very log in their eyes to blind them the more. They get sleepless over the bourgoning rousing accolades of Obi, trying at all times to twist the whole movement with such denigrating narratives like these 1) Obi has no structure
2) Obi’ supporters are Social media based
3) Obi is not a Saint
4) Obi is in cult
5) Obi is a drug baron
6) Obi’ statistics are wrong
The truth is, Obi may not be the Saint some Obident people are making out of him, but he is surely a fear factor, a game changer, a distressing sight for those who find in him a force to be caged.
My advice to many who struggle to discredit Peter is to look at the sparky side of him and see how it can be deployed to help rescue Nigeria from this mess.
Judge Peter, not by the mould his supporters try to cast him into for many out of zealousness, tribal sentiments and religious fanaticism may have made a god of him. Rather Judge him by the very words that proceed from his mouth, a better assessment of who he is and stand for.
Obi isn’t a god and can’t be, even if he is made to look like one, he is not and cannot be.
My support for Obi isn’t because he is a Catholic ,Christian and Igbo. Not at all. My support for him is purely on principles of value, integrity, commitment, competence etc.
I am not supporting him because of the sentiments of “It is our turn”. My support for him is beyond that, transcending parochial limitations to values that would positively impact on Nigerians, tribe and religion notwithstanding.
I am supporting him, driven by the conviction that fairness, equity, justice and good governance would thrive for all not for a section or class of people.
Would of course support him, if he was a Muslim, a traditional religionist etc with value integrity and competence.
This is a new Nigeria unfolding. A new Nigeria where in brotherhood we stand, a new Nigeria calling forth the old national anthem
“Nigeria we hail thee
Our own dear native land
Though tribe and tongue may differ
In brotherhood we stand
Nigerians all and proud to serve Our sovereign motherland”
The above is what Obi stands for, any other narrative certainly is mischievous.
Jarlath Opara
