Nigeria's opposition leader and former presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi arrived in South Africa from Lagos in the early hours of Friday for a conference, but true to his belief in putting Nigeria and Nigerians first, he made time to meet with members of the Nigerian community to ask after their welfare in light of recent events.
The meeting was productive, but also deeply revealing, as many Nigerians present shared that no government official had reached out to them, at least not in any official capacity. They expressed happiness at receiving Peter Obi and were touched that, despite the stress and fatigue of a long flight, he chose to stop by and engage with them before even getting some rest.
This is one thing that has been missing for far too long. The feeling of belonging to a country where citizens feel seen, valued, and cared for by their leaders, regardless of where they are in the world.
While we continue to ask citizens to be patriotic towards their country, the country itself must also show patriotism towards its people. This is the kind of Nigeria Peter Obi hopes to restore. A nation where the people feel loved by their country, and in return, truly love it back.
-By Esther Umoh