The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to stay strong in faith and unity as the nation continues to face political, social, and economic difficulties.
In a statement issued after his recent engagements in the United States and Rome, Obi said he used the trip as an opportunity to pray for a renewed and prosperous Nigeria.
The former Anambra State governor explained that he attended the Friendship Club event in the U.S. and also addressed participants at the first Ubuntu African Youth Assembly in Washington, where he urged young Africans to embrace integrity and purposeful leadership.
From Washington, Obi travelled to Rome, where he joined his wife, Margaret, on a spiritual pilgrimage. The couple visited the four major Papal Basilicas — St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica — offering prayers for peace and responsible governance in Nigeria.
Reflecting on the experience, Obi said he was filled with gratitude that Nigeria, despite its deep challenges, has remained one nation. He noted that meeting several Nigerian pilgrims in Rome renewed his hope that faith and perseverance can still bring healing to the country.
“Along the way, we met many Nigerian pilgrims: men and women of faith whose faces shone with quiet hope. Together, we renewed our trust in God’s mercy and in the promise of a better Nigeria,” he said.
“With hearts full of gratitude, we thanked God that, despite our differences and the many challenges faced over 65 years of independence, He has kept us together as one nation,” he said.
He added that many of the pilgrims they met “carried a quiet but powerful hope” for the nation’s future.
Obi also emphasized that faith must go hand-in-hand with action, urging Nigerians not to rely solely on prayers but to commit themselves to honesty, hard work, and compassion.
“Faith does not excuse us from our responsibilities — it calls us to them,” he said. “We must each do our part to rebuild our country with sincerity and love.”
The highlight of Obi’s pilgrimage was a private audience with His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, at the Vatican City, where he and his wife received blessings for Nigeria’s unity and progress.
