Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has insisted that Nigeria’s greatest resource is its people, arguing that the country’s persistent underperformance stems from failed leadership rather than a shortage of talent.
Obi made the remarks in a statement shared on his official X account, using the spectacle of American football’s Super Bowl to highlight how Nigerians excel when given the right conditions. As he prepared to watch the championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, he said the presence of Nigerian-born players and those of Nigerian descent on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages underscored his point.
He cited three players as emblematic of this potential: Michael Onwenu of the New England Patriots, Uchenna Nwosu of the Seattle Seahawks, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seahawks, who has Nigerian heritage. Their rise to the top tier of the National Football League, Obi argued, was not a stroke of luck but the outcome of clear structures that nurture ability.
According to him, their achievements reflect “discipline, opportunity, and systems that recognise and reward talent” — elements he says are missing or weak in Nigeria’s governance framework. Watching them compete, he added, should force a sober reflection on what Nigerians at home could accomplish if similar systems existed locally.
Obi maintained that Nigeria’s struggles are rooted in leadership that has failed to build strong institutions, invest in human capital, and create equal opportunities. He stressed that with leadership anchored on vision, competence, and integrity, the country could replicate the kind of success seen in the NFL across sectors such as science, technology, business, and education.
“Nigeria is not lacking in talent. What we have lacked for too long is leadership that unleashes that talent,” he said, framing the issue as a structural and moral failure rather than a cultural or intellectual one.
He concluded that once Nigeria gets leadership right, the nation will not merely appear on the global stage but “consistently excel and lead,” turning isolated stories of individual brilliance into a sustained national narrative of achievement.
