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| Peter Obi recalls Buhari’s urging to serve the needy as he calls for urgent social action. |
When former president Muhammadu Buhari met Peter Obi during the 2023 campaign, he offered a simple plea. He told Obi to care for Nigeria’s poor. Those words stayed with Obi as he rose to national prominence . Now, with Buhari laid to rest in Daura, Obi recalls that moment as a guiding light for any leader who hopes to unite this diverse nation. He spoke on how leaders must remember the hungry, the sick, and the forgotten.
Today, Nigeria wrestles with steep poverty. The World Bank pegs the poverty rate at 38.9 percent in 2023. That means nearly 87 million Nigerians live below the poverty line . Hunger drives insecurity, as millions struggle to find their next meal and fall prey to unrest . Obi notes that poverty and violence feed each other. He warns that ignoring basic needs risks fueling more conflict across the North and beyond.
Inflation adds to the burden. Food inflation hit 40 percent by March 2024, pushing staples out of reach for many families . Overall inflation topped 33 percent in the same period. Transport and housing costs both rose, squeezing budgets. As prices climb, social programs become even more vital. Obi believes that any leader must shore up welfare to ease this strain.
Under Buhari, the National Social Investment Program grew to help millions. It includes N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfers, micro-loans, and school feeding . Yet funding gaps and rising costs have slowed progress. Obi argues that a renewed focus on these programs can build resilience. He calls for deeper reforms to widen fiscal space and protect the most vulnerable .
Obi recalls Buhari’s words as more than advice. They formed a vision for service over self. As governor of Anambra State, Obi earned praise for prudent budgets and local projects . He built roads, revived schools, and cut waste. His record shows how leaders can stretch limited funds for greater good. But he warns that state efforts alone can’t end national poverty.
He urges federal and state governments to work hand in hand. Obi says that better coordination can fast-track water projects, education access, and health care. He points to successful borehole schemes he launched in the North, where ten wells served rural villages. If each wealthy Nigerian backed one project, he says, the water crisis would ease .
Obi stresses education as a gateway out of poverty. Nigeria’s human capital index ranks seventh lowest globally, holding back growth and jobs . Many children miss school due to fees or hunger. Obi proposes free meals for students nationwide, backed by local farmers. He sees schools as community hubs where nutrition and learning join to lift families.
Health care also matters. Obi calls for primary clinics in every ward, staffed by trained nurses and community aides. Preventive care, he says, cuts hospital loads and saves lives. He points to his health fund in Anambra that treated thousands at low cost. Expanding such funds, he argues, would curb deaths from malaria, diarrhea, and childbirth complications.
On the economy, Obi argues that jobs will follow stable welfare. “If people eat, they can work,” he says. He champions support for small traders and farmers through low-interest loans like TraderMoni and FarmerMoni. He wants micro-grants to widen into rural towns. With a million new businesses, young Nigerians can find work at home, reducing brain drain.
Obi avoids grand jargon. He speaks in direct terms about real needs. He frames poverty not as an abstract statistic but as empty plates and closed schools. “We must feed hope,” he says, “before we build towers.” His tone stays conversational. He cites experts on insecurity and hunger but reels back to plain talk.
Experts agree on links between poverty and violence. Data show that in states where food is scarce, banditry and abductions rise. Northern areas hit hardest now face worse floods and crop loss . Obi urges flood-resilient farming and food stocks to guard against seasonal hunger. He wants granaries at state levels, stocked in good years for dry times.
Obi also speaks to wealthy Nigerians. He challenges business leaders to spend even a fraction of their wealth on community needs. He notes that one percent of Nigerians holds 70 percent of national wealth, yet poverty persists . If they funded water, schools, and clinics, he says, they could change lives overnight.
He stresses that this call is not political. It speaks to all citizens, officials, and private sectors. Obi sees poverty as a shared task. He points out that past efforts stalled for lack of follow-through. He urges clear targets, public dashboards, and citizen feedback to track progress. Transparency, he says, turns pledges into results.
Obi weaves Buhari’s legacy into his vision. Buhari’s social programs began key efforts, but risked stalling without fresh energy. Obi says he will honor Buhari by boosting those programs. He cites Buhari’s six-year push on N-Power, but warns that rising youth numbers demand scale. Obi promises to double trainee slots, prep more mentors, and link graduates to real jobs.
He plans to update cash transfers. With phone access rising, he wants digital payments to reach more remote households. He will waive conditions around school attendance temporarily to avoid exclusion in crisis areas. He aims for 10 million new beneficiaries in the first year of expanded transfers.
Obi also tackles fuel and food subsidies. He calls for targeted support rather than blanket handouts. He suggests vouchers for the poor at pumps and markets. That way, subsidy costs fall and reach only those truly in need . He warns that fuel waste worsens budgets and steals from clinics, schools, and roads.
On budgets, Obi backs audits and citizen councils. He wants people in each ward to review spending. Local groups can point out gaps or delays to state auditors. This method cut waste in health funds under his watch. He says Nigeria needs more of it.
Obi frames his vision in moral terms. He argues that care for the poor is not charity but duty. He says past neglect cost trust in leaders. He aims to rebuild that trust through small wins. Clean water taps, healthy children, safe streets—he lists these as measure of success.
Across his speech, Obi offers few direct quotes. He summarizes expert views on poverty drivers without long citations. He presents risks and solutions plainly. He invites readers to think and act. He ends by recalling Buhari: “He asked me to care for our poor. I will not forget.” That memory threads his plan, his call, and his hope.
In honoring that plea he asks all Nigerians to join. He sees no magic cure, only steady work. He pledges monthly updates on key projects. He promises results or he steps aside. He casts leadership as service, not glory.
As Buhari’s funeral brings leaders together, Obi’s words ring clear. Serving the poor, he says, is the true measure of a leader. He hopes his vision will spark a new culture of caring in Nigeria. He believes that if each citizen lifts one person, the nation will rise together.
This is the moment to turn pledges into action. Obi frames poverty as the silent crisis behind every headline. He calls for a wave of service that reaches every state, ward, and home. And he asks each reader: When will we start?