By Ayo Kehinde
Renowned novelist and public intellectual, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has said the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, is driven by genuine concern for Nigeria and not by a desperate quest for power.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Amazing Africans programme on Monday, Adichie described Obi as a consistent and humble leader who remains unchanged despite political setbacks and public criticism.
“Peter Obi doesn’t need to be president. He wants to be because he genuinely cares about Nigeria, but he doesn’t need to be. And that is a very important distinction,” she said.
The award-winning author noted that unlike others who are fixated on power for self-serving reasons, Obi’s political ambition is rooted in service and accountability.
“There’s a sense, I think, in Peter Obi that he’s accountable to the people. He doesn’t think that somehow he will lord it over them,” Adichie stated.
She praised the former Anambra State governor’s humility and authenticity, describing him as “one of the simplest men I have ever known.”
“The person I knew 15 years ago is still the same in terms of his values. Peter Obi is not someone who expects you to thank him for doing his job as a leader, because to him, it’s his duty. These are the reasons I support him,” she added.
