Peter Obi, who ran for president under the Labour Party, delivered a powerful message to Nigeria’s youth this weekend: stop waiting for divine intervention and start taking action.
Speaking at a youth rally celebrating 40 years of the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Awka, Obi was characteristically direct.
“God won’t come down to pick our leaders for us,” he told the gathered young people. “That job is ours.”
The former Anambra governor emphasized that voter registration cards are more powerful tools than many realize.
“Your voter’s card is your weapon against bad leadership,” he said, urging the youth not to be swayed by money during elections.
His warning was stark: when you sell your vote, you’re essentially selling away quality healthcare, good education, and a brighter future.
Obi outlined his vision for ideal leadership, calling for leaders who possess what he termed the “four Cs”: competence, capacity, compassion, and character.
He made it clear that simply becoming president isn’t the problem—the real issue comes when leaders lack the courage and integrity to make meaningful changes.
Despite Nigeria’s natural wealth and potential, the country continues to struggle with widespread hunger, security challenges, and governance failures.
According to Obi, this stems directly from poor leadership choices.
What impressed Obi most about the rally was what he saw as a generational shift. Nigerian youth, he observed, are moving beyond just complaining about problems toward actually doing something about them.
He thanked the organizing clergy, including Rev. Fr. Paschal Udo, the CYON leadership, and all the young participants who showed up. His closing message was one of hope: “A New Nigeria is possible.”
The rally marks four decades of CYON’s work with young Catholics across Nigeria.
