Peter Obi To Editors: Reclaiming Our Nation’s Dignity

My dear friends and distinguished members of the Guild of Editors,

Obi

I thank you sincerely for the honour of inviting me to interact with you today. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity—to speak to those who shape the narratives, values, and conscience of our nation. Today, more than ever, Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads, and it is vital that we reflect together on the path we must take if we are to restore both the dignity of our country and the hope of our people. This platform allows us to discuss not only the challenges that confront us—the moral, social, and economic crises that have brought us to this juncture—but also the vision, responsibility, and collective action required to reclaim the promise of a better Nigeria for all citizens.

Our country, Nigeria, stands today at a most critical crossroads. Just two weeks ago, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, made a comment on social media referring to Nigeria as a “now disgraced country.” He singled out the killings in our land without compunction, but in truth, he was merely echoing what many Nigerians of good conscience have been saying for years—often at the risk of being accused of de-marketing their own country. The reality is stark: Nigeria is facing existential challenges that demand our sober reflection.

For many, the immediate reaction was to debate whether there is genocide in Nigeria or not. But that is not the central question. The questions we should ask ourselves are far deeper: are there killings, whether genocide or not? Why the word disgraced? Is it only the killings, or the culture of impunity that allows them to persist? Is it the insecurity that haunts our citizens, or the failure of leadership to protect them?

These are the questions that should trouble every Nigerian. They force us to look inward and confront the uncomfortable truth—that our disgrace is not defined by what others say, but by what we allow to persist in our society. If the answers are painful—and they are—then rather than take offence, we should search for the reasons and begin to confront them with honesty and courage. That, for me, is the true path to national restoration.