Justin Kingland,Musician,Media personnel,UN DESA CHANGE Ambassador,Blogger,award winning social and political activist,Author of the Book DREAMS AND STRUGGLES
Fellow Nigerians, good morning.
I woke up this morning after my church service with a deeply reflective heart, and despite every constraint, I felt compelled to share these thoughts with you.
Many people do not truly understand the silent pains some of us carry daily—the private struggles, emotional burdens, and quiet battles we face while trying to survive and serve sincerely in difficult circumstances.
We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic, where the very system that should protect and create opportunities for decent living often works against the people—a society where intimidation, insecurity, endless scrutiny, and discouragement have become normal.
More painful is when some of those you associate with, believing you would find understanding and solidarity among them, become part of the pressure you face. Some who publicly identify with you privately distance themselves or join in unfair criticism.
We live in a society where humility is mistaken for weakness, respect is seen as a lack of courage, and compassion is treated as foolishness—a system where treating people equally is questioned simply because you refuse to worship status, tribe, class, or power.
Personally, I have never looked down on anyone except to uplift them. I have never used privilege, position, or resources to oppress others, intimidate the weak, or make people feel small. To me, leadership has always been about service, sacrifice, and helping others rise.
Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman, Senator David Mark, treated me badly, nor because my leader and elder brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me. I will continue to respect them.
However, the same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division, instead of focusing on deeper national problems and playing politics built more on control and exclusion than on service and nation-building.
Even within spaces where one labours sincerely, one is sometimes treated like an outsider in one’s own home. You and your team become easy targets for every failure, frustration, or misunderstanding, as though honest contribution has become a favour being tolerated rather than appreciated.
And when you choose to leave so that those you are leaving can have peace, and you step out into the cold, you are still maligned and your character is questioned. Despite all your efforts to continue working for a better Nigeria and engaging people with sincerity and goodwill, those who do not wish you well continue to attack your character and question your intentions.
There are moments I ask God in prayer: Why is doing the right thing often misconstrued as wrongdoing in our country? Why is integrity not valued? Why is the prudent management of resources, especially when invested in critical areas like education and healthcare, wrongly labelled as stinginess? Why are humility and obedience to the rule of law often taken to be weakness rather than discipline?
Let me assure all that I am not desperate to be President, Vice President, or Senate President. I am desperate to see a society that can console a mother whose child has been kidnapped or killed while going to school or work. I am desperate to see a Nigeria where people will not live in IDP camps but in their homes. I am desperate for a country where Nigerian citizens do not go to bed hungry, not knowing where their next meal will come from.
Yet, despite everything, I remain resolute. I firmly believe that Nigeria can still become a country with competent leadership based on justice, compassion, and equal opportunity for all.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Today is my birthday 🎂🙏
As I add another year, my heart is full of gratitude to God Almighty for His endless love, mercy, and guidance over my life. Every step, every lesson, every growth… He made it possible.
From Pharisee to Tax Collector: Rethinking Tinubu’s Kenyan Comparison
In a recent remark in Yenagoa, Bola Ahmed Tinubu suggested that Nigerians should find solace in being “better off than Kenya and other African countries.” While this may have been intended to soften the impact of economic hardship and rising fuel prices, the comment risks downplaying the severity of the current crisis. It echoes the biblical parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in the Gospel of Luke (18:9–14). A similar warning is found in the Qur’an (53:32), which cautions against self-righteousness.
Like the Pharisee who boasted of his superiority over others to mask his own spiritual void, such downward comparisons serve more as a refuge than a remedy. This validated an earlier dismissive remark by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu during electioneering: “Na statistics we go shop?” Yet statistics remain indispensable - they are the language through which nations understand their condition and chart progress. No country can develop in isolation from measurable realities or without comparing itself with peers. Comparisons, when properly grounded, are not instruments of escapism but tools of accountability. What is objectionable is not comparison itself, but comparison stripped of credible, verifiable data—mere tax collector comparisons that soothe rather than solve.
On key development indicators such as security, the Human Development Index, life expectancy, GDP per capita, literacy levels, and electricity access, Kenya consistently outperforms Nigeria. Nigeria is the fourth most terrorised nation in the world, while Kenya is not among the ten worst. Kenya’s HDI ranking is 143 out of 180 countries, with a coefficient of about 0.630, compared to Nigeria’s ranking of 164 out of 180, with a coefficient of about 0.530. Its GDP per capita is roughly $2,200–$2,300, compared to Nigeria’s $807–$835. Kenya’s poverty rate is about 43% of the population (approximately 23 million people), while Nigeria’s is about 63% (around 150 million people), over six times that of Kenya. Kenya’s life expectancy is about 67 years, while Nigeria’s is about 54 years. The literacy rate in Kenya is approximately 81–85%, compared to Nigeria’s 62–65%.
Kenya’s electricity access is higher, while Nigeria has one of the lowest levels of electricity access in the world. Kenya has about 3.5 million out-of-school children, while Nigeria has about 20 million. Kenya’s inflation rate has been about 4.5% or lower over the past three years, while Nigeria’s has remained above 15% within the same period. Kenya’s exchange rate has been around USD 1 to KES 130 over the past three years, whereas Nigeria’s exchange rate rose from below ₦500/$1 to above ₦1,250/$1 within the same period. Even with developments in the Middle East and rising oil prices, Kenyans have not experienced the sharp increases in petroleum product prices seen in Nigeria.
Across other key indicators, Kenya also performs better. In the end, these indices clearly show that Kenya ranks higher than Nigeria on several development metrics. The standard of living of Kenyans is better than that of Nigerians. If the President considers Kenyans to be suffering despite these stronger figures, then Nigerians are in a far more difficult situation. He should therefore refrain from self-consolation and, in honest reflection, take responsibility for the situation and make a determined effort to drive improvement. This requires a posture of humility, accountability, and commitment to addressing the factors that have slowed Nigeria’s development.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO
The hope of millions of Nigerians rests on this young man — @PeterObi.
His Excellency rises each morning with purpose — beginning his day in prayer, then committing over an hour to physical exercise, all while keeping Nigeria in his thoughts and prayers. P
In 2015, Muhammadu Buhari rose to power through consensus—leaders came together, set aside personal ambitions, and listened to the people. Today, those same political actors seem to be turning a deaf ear to that same call.
Our demand is simple: African Democratic Congress (ADC), give us Peter Obi and avoid repeating the mistake that weakened the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Give us Peter Obi, and we will give you 20 million votes.
The VBM has taken its demand nationwide, shaking the political space with a massive Million Man March & ADC Registration Drive” across the country!
From Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Plateau, Jigawa, Kaduna, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Kogie, and Edo, the message is ONE and CLEAR:
When a Society Turns Against Its Own
Reports from Cross River State this week have brought to light a deeply troubling incident involving young boys who were tied up like animals and brutally treated under the label of “Skolombo boys.” These are not merely disturbing images; they are a stark reminder that we have failed the children of our nation.
These young people, often labelled “Skolombo boys” and “Lakasara girls,” are not criminals by birth; they are victims of a system that has neglected them. Children who ought to be in classrooms, learning and building their future, are instead on the streets, struggling to survive.
Today, Nigeria has over 20 million out-of-school children, the highest number in the world, which constitutes a national emergency.
A society that ties up and beats its children with machetes is one that has lost its moral direction. We cannot claim to be building a future while destroying the very foundation of that future - our children.
Even more troubling is the contradiction we now live with. In a country where we speak of rehabilitation and reintegration for “repentant” terrorists, how do we justify brutality against vulnerable children whose only “crime” is poverty and abandonment?
We must move from punishment to compassion, from neglect to responsibility. These children must be taken off the streets and given access to education, shelter, and structured rehabilitation. Governments at all levels should seek ways to protect and integrate them into society, rather than criminalise them.
This is not just about Cross River; it is about the kind of Nigeria we are choosing to build. We must do better. Our nation must protect the weak and the future of its people.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Tears, loss, and the scent of smoke still lingered in the air at Plumbing Market, Onitsha, as traders stood helpless before the ashes of what once sustained their livelihoods.But amid the pain came a moment of hope when Peter Obi walked into the market, as a source of comfort.
@Chima_Obi1234@PeterObi is an investment banker, he has invested in many banks. As a governor, he transformed key sectors, health, education, and economic stability. He built wealth from scratch and knows how to manage it. This is leadership