There is no hope for Nigeria unless the country first gets its politics right. This is the verdict of former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi.
Speaking with newsmen on Friday in Abuja after his presentation at a workshop on “Religious Freedom, Interfaith Relations & Civil Society in Africa” jointly organised by the Kukah Centre and Yale University, USA, Obi stressed the need for Nigerians to constantly engage the political class. “This is critical because, for any society, if you get most things right and your politics wrong, everything will go wrong,” Obi said.
“Our major problem today is that our politics is wrong; it is transactional rather than transformational. People go into politics for every reason other than for service and sacrifice for the good of all. Therefore, there is a need for all groups of stakeholders especially religious groups and civil societies to meaningfully engage the political class on good governance and doing what is right for the society,” Obi added.
The former governor, whose presentation was on “Engaging the Political Class”, thanked the Kukah Centre “for the great work they are doing by engaging various stakeholders in the need to build a better society for the benefit of all.”
The workshop attracted highly placed people from various religious groups and civil Societies. They included the Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah; Anglican Bishop of Jos, Archbishop Emmanuel Kwashi; Anglican Bishop of Lokoja, Archbishop Emmanuel Egbunu; and Professor Lamin Sanneh of Yale University USA.
Others were Dr Mike Glerup of Yale University USA; Hon. Edward Pwajok; Professor Ibrahim Ashafa; Professor Chidi Odinkalu; Dr Sam Amadi; Fr George Ehusani; and Dr Clement Nwankwo, among others.