The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria’s past national tragedies must be transformed into opportunities for national unity, stability and prosperity.
Obi, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday, said the 1966 coups, civil war and various episodes of mass violence that have plagued different parts of the country were among the tragedies Nigeria had experienced.
He argued that many of these tragedies could have been avoided if laws had been entrenched and implemented justly, describing them as consequences of leadership failure.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election and former governor of Anambra State maintained that leadership had failed to guarantee all citizens equal rights and freedoms and to enforce the fundamental rights provided for in the Constitution without fear or favour.
According to him, Nigeria must take responsibility for understanding the failures that produced its past tragedies and fixing them.
He stressed that the country must focus on learning from its past, noting that mistakes in history are not necessarily fatal but can become opportunities for transformation.
Obi stated that other countries had demonstrated how painful historical experiences could be converted into drivers of national development.
He cited Japan, South Korea and China as examples, noting that patriotic leaders in those countries leveraged difficult historical experiences to develop policies that drove economic transformation.
According to him, the Japanese economic miracle between 1920 and 1970 was driven by leaders who used the trauma of colonial rule to pursue economic development.
He added that South Korea followed Japan by leveraging its experience under Japanese rule to develop a policy framework for a developmental state, while China, under Deng Xiaoping, reinvented itself after the tragedies associated with Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution.
Obi noted that China had since become the world’s second-largest economy, describing the transformation as an example Nigeria could emulate.
He also referenced Rwanda, saying Nigeria could learn from how the African country is using its recent tragic experience to advance national unity and prosperity.
The NDC presidential candidate said Nigeria needs leadership that is not trapped in the past but focused on what binds the country together rather than what divides it.
He said such leadership must believe in Nigeria’s destiny and future and recognise that all parts of the country possess human and natural resources capable of becoming productive and prosperous.
“The difference in human history is having leaders who do not maximise those pasts for selfish ambition but leverage them to build a prosperous future for all,” he stated.
Obi said his responsibility as President would be to turn the pains and tragedies of Nigeria’s past into opportunities to build a united, stable and prosperous country.
He said he was also ready to engage Nigerians on issues they consider important, including the country’s difficult history.
The statement followed calls and messages from Nigerians who expressed concern after an Arise News anchor asked Obi questions about the 1966 coups.
He said he reassured the concerned Nigerians that, as a presidential candidate, he is prepared to answer questions about anything relating to Nigeria.
“I have a commitment to serve the people, not to hide from them,” Obi said.
He stated that he is ready to comfort and console Nigerians and lead from the front as the country works to move away from its ugly past towards a future where no citizen would suffer on account of ethnicity, religion or social pedigree.
“Our past is important, but our past is not our destiny. Our future is what we do with our past. Our past is our resource for national transformation. We are ready to transform Nigeria,” he said.
