The Anglican Archbishop of Lagos Province and the Bishop of Remo Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Michael Olusina Fape has described the former Governor of Anambra, Mr. Peter Obi as an exemplary Nigerian of all times. He was speaking yesterday at CMS Grammar School, Bariga during the 60th Annual National Bible Study Conference and 70th anniversary of the Lagos Province.
While presenting an Award of Honour to the former Governor by the National Anglican Youth Fellowship, the Bishop said that Obi was a person everybody in Nigeria, beyond religious, ethnic and other affiliations would want to identify with because he was essentially a good man. “He is a lesson to us to cherish what is good without extraneous and debilitating considerations”, the Cleric said.
Further, he commended Obi for quality service not just to his people, but to humanity at large. Recalling what he did in Anambra State in partnership with the Church, he used the Anglican Communion as an example: “Honestly, he did a lot for the Anglican Church. If others did 10% of what he did, the story would have been different. His return of schools to the Church and further assistance to her educational and health institutions are recorded.”
The Cleric who described Obi as “a man without fanfare and frivolities”, said he richly deserved the award for being a true patriot, a committed Christian and a good example of political leadership, urged other politicians to see him as a role model.
In his speech, Mr. Peter Obi linked the problem of agitations in the country to leadership failure over the years. He said the Church was critical to reintroduction of values to leadership by being at the forefront of the fight against societal ills.
In tracing where Nigeria got it wrong, he implored Sunday figures to compare the growth trajectories of South-Korea, India, China, Malaysia with that of Nigeria.
He charged the youth to realise that the future belongs to them and urged them to take back the country from politicians by being steadfast and remaining focused on what will be for the greater glory of the country.