Dear @PeterObi,
I hope you’re well? If so, doxology.
I’m writing to inform you that tonight is Dress Like Your Miracle. Sir, please, help me to dress like the President of Nigeria🙏🙏🙏
Half the prayer points in my journal will disappear if we have good governance🥹🥹🥹
My One-Term, Four-Year Vow Is Sacrosanct
One of the greatest American Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, served only four years, yet his legacy endures as a model of principled leadership. Another iconic figure, John F. Kennedy, did not even complete a full term, yet his vision and ideals continue to inspire generations. In Africa, Nelson Mandela, revered globally as a symbol of justice and reconciliation, chose to serve only one term as President of South Africa, despite immense public pressure to stay longer. His decision was a deliberate act of leadership, a statement that power must serve the people, not the self. Indeed, history shows that the longer many African leaders remain in power, the more likely they are to be corrupted by it. Longevity in office is not a mark of success; rather, it is purposeful, accountable service - however brief - that defines true statesmanship.
It is within this context that I reiterate my vow: I will serve only one term of four years if elected President. And that vow is sacrosanct.
I am fully aware that the decay in our society has made trust one of the scarcest and most sceptically viewed commodities. Many Nigerians, understandably, no longer take politicians at their word. But even in this climate of cynicism, there are still a few whose actions have matched their words - whose integrity is built on verifiable precedent.
Recently, I became aware of two statements aimed, albeit indirectly, at my vow to serve only a single four-year term. One person remarked that even if I swore by a shrine, I still wouldn’t be believed. Another suggested that anyone talking about doing only one term should undergo psychiatric evaluation.
I understand the basis of their scepticism. They are judging me by their own standards - where political promises are made to be broken. But they forget, or perhaps choose to ignore, that Peter Obi is not cut from that cloth. I have a verifiable track record that speaks louder than speculation.
In my political life, my word is my bond. When I entered politics in Anambra State, I made clear and measurable promises to the people: to improve education and healthcare, to open up rural areas through road construction, and to manage public funds with prudence. I fulfilled each of those promises without deviation. I did not swear by a shrine, nor have I been certified mentally unstable as a result of honouring my word.
My vow to serve only one term of four years is a solemn commitment, rooted in my conviction that purposeful, transparent leadership does not require an eternity.
If making such a promise qualifies me for psychiatric evaluation, then we may as well question the mental fitness of those who framed our Constitution, which clearly stipulates a four-year renewable tenure.
I maintain without equivocation: if elected, I will not spend a day longer than four years in office. In fact, I believe that service should be impactful, not eternal.
We must rebuild trust in our country. I have dedicated my public life to demonstrating that leadership with integrity is not a myth. I have done it before, and I do not intend to betray that trust under any circumstances.
Forty-eight months is enough for any leader who is focused and prepared to make a meaningful difference. In that time, I intend not merely to make an impression, but to deliver on concrete promises to:
sanitise our governance system;
tackle insecurity through effective and accountable use of national resources; prioritise education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation;
catalyse small businesses as engines of growth ; and combat corruption with unflinching resolve.
Above all, I will dedicate myself to transforming Nigeria from a consuming nation into a productive one, where agriculture, technology, and manufacturing replace rent-seeking and waste as our national anchors.
These are not utopian dreams. They are realistic, actionable goals that are achievable within four years.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Owolabi Salis
Owolabi is an attorney and a financial consultant. He’s the author of Equitocracy, which presents a vision for democracy that prioritizes equity among diverse groups. Owolabi is also a key member of the Soul Maker Ministry, which preaches diversity given the diverse nature of the universe. He’s dedicating this mission to victims of discrimination and civil rights violations.
What has happened to our compassion as a People ?
We pleaded that the President should show Leadership and visit Benue and Niger States in the spirit of deep national mourning, to offer compassion and solidarity to families torn apart by the senseless massacre of over 200 innocent Nigerians in Benue State and flooding that killed similar number in Niger State.
But what we saw in Benue visit was instead of a solemn, reflective visit, a display that would have been more befitting for the commissioning of reconstructed Enugu-Makurdi highway, a critical road connecting South and Northern Nigeria which had become impassable for years.
The President arrived not in mourning cloth but in celebratory agbada attire, like it was an occasion for joy.
Even more heartbreaking is the role of the State. Rather than been in mourning mood and weeping declared a public holiday, not for reflection or prayer, but to organize fanfare. Schools were shut down. Children who should be mourning their slaughtered classmates, and parents were instead lined up under the rain, rehearsed to sing and dance for the President. In what kind of country does this happen?
We have tragically arrived at a point where condolence visits have become carnivals. A time that should be marked by silence and solemnity is now polluted by banners, music, and rehearsed spectacles. Precious Nigerian lives have been lost, yet we’re clapping, singing, and organizing processions, as though this were a campaign rally.
This is not how any compassionate nation behaves. The energy, resources, and logistics poured into this charade could have gone into food supplies, temporary shelters, medical aid, school support, and trauma counselling for grieving families. Instead, we chose optics over empathy.
Look elsewhere: When President Ramaphosa visited Mthatha after the floods in South Africa, there were no drums. No staged crowds. No rented cheers. Just presence, silence, and action. When Prime Minister Modi went to the site of a crash, no one lined up to welcome him. He came, he mourned, he acted. That is what leadership looks like in moments of pain.
We must ask ourselves: What kind of people have we become?
Enough of this culture of impunity. We are not at war yet our nation is bleeding, and we are clapping. It is not only insensitive, it is dangerous.
Let us not forget: These were human beings, children, mothers, fathers whose blood cries out for justice.
When very sad incidents like this turns to campaign or festival, our Nation Losing Its Soul.
A new Nigeria is POssible! -PO
Pope Leo prays for the victims of a “terrible massacre” in Benue State, Nigeria.
Around 200 people were “brutally killed” in Yelwata, in the Guma Local Government Area on the night of the 13th/14th June, the Pope said, most of them internally displaced persons “sheltered by the local Catholic mission”.
Speaking just before delivering the Sunday Angelus prayer, the Pope prayed for “security, justice, and peace” in Nigeria, adding that he was thinking in particular of the “rural Christian communities of the Benue State who have been relentless victims of violence”.
Responding to the attack, Amnesty International Nigeria on Saturday called on Nigerian authorities to “immediately end the almost daily bloodshed in Benue State and bring the actual perpetrators to justice”.
Sometimes I sit back and watch the way we treat each other in this UK, and honestly, I laugh. Not the full-belly kind. The tired kind. That laugh that lives deep in your chest because if you start unpacking it, you might never stop.
Take how some people look down on care workers. As if bathing someone’s mother, holding someone’s grandfather’s hand while he slips away, or feeding someone who can’t lift a spoon is not noble work. As if softness is not a kind of strength. They want prestige, not purpose. They want LinkedIn glory, not quiet dignity. And that’s fine. You want your man or woman to work in tech or finance, okay. Just don’t be a 4 trying to get a 20. Be serious.
Then there’s the savings and mortgage sermon. How people guilt-trip you for going on a vacation, like joy is a crime. You should be building, they say. Building what, exactly? A house you’ll be too burnt out to live in? A future so rigid it can’t make room for sunlight? Rest is part of the plan too. Sometimes you need to get away just to remember who you are. Not everyone is ready for the emotional mortgage that comes with bricks and bank loans. And that’s okay.
Now Nigerian food. Don’t even get me started. The way some people complain like enjoyment is a sin. Suggesting bland food instead of Better swallow with plenty shaky,kpomo with better banga or eforiro soup because it’s cheaper. My friend, I am already enduring cold, culture shock, and chronic loneliness. You want me to suffer gastronomically too? No please. It’s either Eba and proper soup or nothing. I reject struggle in all its forms.
And the gatekeepers. The ones who made it through the door and immediately locked it behind them. Charging people two grand to help with NHS job applications that are free online. Preying on desperation and calling it assistance. Power doesn’t change people. It just reveals the ones who were never really with us.
There’s also that tired debate. Would you take 2500 pounds in the UK or five million naira in Nigeria? My brother, if you want to go back, go back. The conversation is not just about money. It’s about safety. Sanity. Systems. Here, even when you are broke, you can walk into a hospital without depositing your house and your future.
But people love drama. You’ll see them comparing the UK, US, and Canada like they’re collecting passports for sport. Meanwhile, the real question is this—where does your soul breathe? Where can you cry and still feel human? But that one no dey trend.
And dating. These days. Both online and folline. It feels like a job interview. Are you single in the UK or single in general? What job do you do? How long have you been here? Do you drive? You can feel the calculation. They’re not dating. They’re gathering data. And when the game starts playing them back, they act shocked.
Everyone is pivoting into tech now. No shade. But a lot of it is vibes and prayer. Watching two YouTube videos and calling it purpose. Hoping tech will sponsor the next visa. But tech no be juju. You can’t fake passion forever. Someone wrote a thread recently about transitioning into tech. I dropped a comment. Do yourself a favour and read it. Just don’t tie your entire existence to it for sponsorship. You’ll end up at Murtala with one carry-on bag and quiet tears.
And the Nigerians in workplaces who snitch faster than CCTV. Trying to prove they are fair by turning on their own. Distancing themselves from anything that reminds them of home. And the saddest part is, I get it. The system teaches you that survival means shrinking. That proximity to whiteness is safety. But one day, the mask will fall. And what’s underneath will still be you.
To be honest, it’s a lot. This life we are building in silence. This balance we are trying to hold between survival and meaning. Some days it makes you want to go quiet. But writing this, saying it out loud, helps. It reminds me that I’m not the only one noticing. That we are not mad for feeling the weight.
There’s still room for honesty. For softness. For a life that doesn’t need applause to be real.
Was on a flight some days back and the plane had to turn back during the rain because apparently thunder struck and affected something.
We had to go back to switch planes, and the pilot said we’d be back at the airport in about 20 minutes to switch the plane.
Longest 20 minutes of my life.
The plane went from flight mode to fight for your life mode.
It kept vibrating.
At some point the plane was going round the same spot.
People were praying everywhere, there’s nothing I didn’t hear, felt like it was confession time in Shiloh.
I can bet my boyfriend’s life that the pilot was Googling “how to land a plane under spiritual attack.”
I was on the third row, looked across and saw @peter_ameh looking calm and cool but nodding his head gently like he was about to start leading worship songs.
The lady beside me was confessing different sins. There’s nothing I didn’t hear, I almost joined in to scream Amen on her behalf.
Her lashes were so long and full, I felt like if she blinked too much her feet will leave the ground.
Lady: I won’t do it anymore, oh lord my father, forgive lord and I will go home.
Me in my head: Amen but which home are you talking about? Hope it is not call to glory 😭.
Everyone was praying like they were submitting last minute assignment to God.
The guy behind me with an American accent: Fck it mhen, this shit should just land righ now, the thunder hit this shit, I was saying it, I knew the fcking thunder hit this shit
Me in my head: Abeg thunder leave our plane alone oh, you’re not a fcking thunder Biko, don’t mind this stupid boy 😭
Everyone became humble, from dead silence to heavy prayers, I could hear a woman subtly singing:
“My source everyday”🎵🎵🎵.
Me in my head: Ahn Ahn, which song is this woman singing like this. I zoned in to hear her clearly.
The woman: Draw me nearer, nearer to thee.
Me in my head: Nobody should draw us nearer today please 😭
Anybody that draw me nearer today, I will give him uppercut 😭
At some point we started seeing land but the rain was heavy and the plane was still vibrating
The lady beside me: shey we cannot just jump and land on the ground like this.
Me in my head: Jump na, Rey Mysterio 😭
Immediately the plane landed: People started clapping like we just finished watching Beyoncé perform.
2 guys from the back immediately came to the door.
Air Hostess: Please everyone take your seat, we are expecting another plane so we can all move there.
One of the guys: You and who dey go there, baba open this door make we come down, we no go again 😭.
The lady beside me was searching for her bag
Me: What are you looking for down there
Lady: My bag, me too I’m not going again, I’m going home
@peter_ameh to the lady: I did not know you’re a prayer warrior oh, you dressed like a slay queen 😭
It’s your kabashing that has rescued all of us today 😅.
Lady: I’m not going again 😭.
The entire plane was noisy, people still rubbing their hands in thanks, some taking their bags, some arguing and talking about the experience.
Americana behind me: Mhen I hate this shit, it ain’t alryy, I knew the fcking thunder hit this shit, the pilot kept going aroun aroun and in that momen I knew somehun was up.
The rain was so heavy, we still had to wait inside the plane even when the door was opened, but the 2 guys and the lady beside me left the plane 😭.
So the other plane was ready, we boarded straight from this plane to the other plane, the rain was still falling.
Guess who was already seated before us, madam rey mysterio on lashes and the other 2 guys that said they weren’t going again 😅.
Me: I thought you people abandoned ship 😅
Lady: My mind is not on the trip again.
After apologies upon apologies from the pilot and other staff, the flight took off
Me in my mind: Hmm are you sure we are not supposed to wait for this rain to stop.
Not up to 10 minutes the plane started shaking again😭.
The lady beside me almost collapsed 😭
Me: There must be a JONAH on this plane 😭