₦airaland Forum

ON OBI'S BIRTHDAY, A DAY THAT EXPOSES US

By the time the sun set on Monday, Nigeria had learned something about itself again. And it was not a flattering thing.

The presidency has lost its voice. 24 hours came and went and there was nothing. No line, no card, no two-sentence courtesy to Peter Obi on his birthday. The Senate President, who never misses an opportunity to take a swipe at Obi on the floor, suddenly developed selective muteness. Even Adams Oshiomhole, a man known for speaking first and thinking later, was seen "consulting" on how to handle a birthday wish.

Let that sink in. In a country of 230 million people, we cannot manage a simple "happy birthday" without doing political algebra first.

Politics should not break our humanity. Leadership is by example. And on this day, our leaders failed at every front.

The South East Had a Test

It was not about roads. It was not about budgets. It was not about security votes.

The South East had one small test. Public decency.

And only one of five Igbo governors showed up. Alex Otti of Abia posted. He did not write an essay. He did not add conditions. He simply acknowledged a prominent son of the East on his day. In that one act, Otti saved the day for the region's image.

The silence from the other four was loud enough to echo in every secondary school classroom from Aba to Awka to Enugu to Owerri to Abakaliki.

Because this is not about cake and balloons. In Nigerian politics, a public greeting is a signal. It says, "We may differ, but we are still family. We are still Ndigbo first."

When four governors decide that signal is too dangerous to send, what are we teaching our children? That brotherhood ends at the gate of Abuja? That culture bows to calculation?

Why Did They Abandon Him?

The answer is ugly, but it is simple. Fear, calculation, and old grudges.

Charles Soludo and Obi have been in a cold war for years. It began with debates about economic theory and savings, and it curdled into something personal. For Soludo to wish Obi now would feel like surrender, and he does not do surrender in public.

Hope Uzodinma runs Imo under the APC banner. To his credit, he has kept a measured tone with Obi when others went for the jugular. But 2026 is not 2023. With 2027 in view, a birthday post would be clipped, circulated in Abuja WhatsApp groups, and labeled as disloyalty. So he chose institutional caution over cultural courtesy.

Peter Mbah came in with big promises. The technocrat. The data man. The one who would do politics differently in Enugu. Many of us believed him. But on Monday he chose the safest politics there is, silence. That is the technocrat's trap, the belief that if you say nothing, you are neutral. You are not. Silence in a moment that demands voice is a choice.

In Ebonyi, the shadow is even longer. Governor Francis Nwifuru governs with David Umahi watching from the center. Umahi, now Minister, has made it a project to challenge Obi publicly, even calling for a debate. In that environment, a birthday greeting from Ebonyi was never going to happen.

The Man They Ignored Showed Us How

And what did Obi do in return? He showed the maturity we beg our leaders to have.

Yesterday he was in the home of Rotimi Amaechi, to condole with him over the death of his mother. Days before that, he was with Isaac Fayose, after Fayose was attacked by some Obidients for the crime of dining with Seyi Tinubu.

Think about that. You can oppose a man's politics and still honor his grief. You can disagree with a dinner and still stand against mob justice. That is politics without bitterness. That is leadership that does not wait for cameras.

This is the contrast the children are seeing. Four governors who could not type 20 words. One man who keeps showing up for people even when it costs him.

What This Day Really Cost Us

The South East cannot keep chanting "Igbo bu Igbo" in town halls and practicing "every man for himself" in government houses.

We have real problems that do not check party ID before they strike. Insecurity is killing our traders and farmers. Our roads are collapsing. Federal allocation continues to shortchange the region. Our young people are leaving in droves.

None of that gets fixed by five governors acting like five islands. It gets fixed when we remember we share a roof.

If we want different politics, then we must start punishing pettiness and rewarding courage. The church must speak louder than the talking heads on TV. Traditional rulers must convene and remind our leaders who they are. And voters must look a politician in the eye in 2027 and ask, "When it mattered, whose side of humanity were you on?"

Abuja will forget these governors tomorrow. The center always does. But history will not forget what they did to their own brother on his birthday.

Alex Otti did the right thing. The rest now owe the next generation an explanation.

Because on Obi's birthday, we did not just miss a greeting. We exposed ourselves.

A new Nigeria is possible, and it is coming.

Hon. Chibuisi Mba
National Coordinator, OKAY A NEW NIGERIA
07037233448
10 Bouake Street, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja_


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Not entirely true. I saw on Facebook where Otti celebrated obi on his birthday

Though I expect one of the presidential aide to the president to have sent him birthday wishes but I am sure Mr President would have personally congratulated him through personal phone call.

However, does Obi deserve greetings? How many times have he sent birthday wishes to the president's family?

You planted potatoes but want to harvest apples. Obi has not demonstrated the capacity of a state man that should be accorded same respect based on his vituperation and blind condemnation of the policies of the government with lies and fabricated stories

Ttalk:
Though I expect one of the presidential aide to the president to have sent him birthday wishes but I am sure Mr President would have personally congratulated him through personal phone call.

However, does Obi deserve greetings? How many times have he sent birthday wishes to the president's family?

You planted potatoes but want to harvest apples. Obi has not demonstrated the capacity of a state man that should be accorded same respect based on his vituperation and blind condemnation of the policies of the government with lies and fabricated stories

Did he wished the president a happy birthday? How many of this people did Obi greeted when it was thier birthday
That op just posted a long buy empty epistle.

All these people you mentioned are all cowards they are afraid of this empty

If not for governor Otti of Abia state,they south east governors would best have been described as the 'five fingers of a leprosy hand'.

danijesus:
Not entirely true. I saw on Facebook where Otti celebrated obi on his birthday

I'm not sure you read this post.

In reality OBI is nobody to south east governors , social media should stop making OBI to feel like he is somebody in south east

Obi said it himself, that the govt is witchhunting those who show public support and sympathy to him...


So it's now part of the new normal of Tinupoo

yarimo:
In reality OBI is nobody to south east governors , social media should stop making OBI to feel like he is somebody in south east

I don’t expect a Tinubu acolyte to understand or appreciate the high esteem and love accorded Peter Obi by south-east/Alaigbo and many other Nigerians! Don’t use the actions, inactions and utterances of 4 cowed and mentally enslaved governors in the region to gauge the sentiments of the masses! Governor Otti, thankfully, is the exception!

I must say though, it’s shocking to see through the pretence and thin veneer of respectability Peter Mbah covered himself with and see him for what he really is! I expected much more from him by way of wisdom (ako n’uche) and tact! I never expected anything from the other three, so in their case there’s nothing to be disappointed about!

christejames:
Obi said it himself, that the govt is witchhunting those who show public support and sympathy to him...


So it's now part of the new normal of Tinupoo

Gringory Obi a cho cho cho Emu nonentity.

IGBOPROMISE1:
I don’t expect a Tinubu acolyte to understand or appreciate the high esteem and love accorded Peter Obi by south-east/Alaigbo and many other Nigerians! Don’t use the actions, inactions and utterances of 4 cowed and mentally enslaved governors in the region to gauge the sentiments of the masses! Governor Otti, thankfully, is the exception!

I must say though, it’s shocking to see through the pretence and thin veneer of respectability Peter Mbah covered himself with and see him for what he really is! I expected much more from him by way of wisdom (ako n’uche) and tact! I never expected anything from the other three, so in their case there’s nothing to be disappointed about!

Did the owner of the NDC Seriake Dickson wish Gringory Obi a happy birthday?

This Agulu messiah is just a Snapchat & Tiktok content creator.

President indeed, when it is general knowledge that no honor amongst thieves, politics is a very dirty game, he will be used as a bargaining chip by Kwakwanso & Dickson to collect money from President Tinubu.

What did Chairman Abure of the LP gain from supporting the use, & dump self centered APGA Judas?

He can deceive some people sometimes, but he cannot deceive all the people all the time.

favor914:
Did the owner of the NDC Seriake Dickson wish Gringory Obi a happy birthday?

This Agulu messiah is just a Snapchat & Tiktok content creator.

President indeed, he will be used as a bargaining chip by Kwakwanso & Dickson to collect money from President Tinubu.

What did Chairman Abure of the LP gain from supporting the APGA Judas?

Dude, the topic is about 4 south-east governors, his kinsfolk, not wishing him a happy birthday! These are the very same individuals that have fallen over themselves in the past to wish Tinubu happy birthday! Try and stick to the topic! If you want to discuss why NDC chairman didn’t wish him happy birthday, you can open a fresh thread on that one, and anyone so inclined can join you in it to analyse and theorise to your hearts content!

You seem to think everyone is predisposed to trickery, deceit and being bought! That speaks to the kind of person you and your god Tinubu are! Abure turned out to be a useful idiot, so i guess you could be forgiven for thinking everyone else has a price or could be cowed into line and stick to the emilokan agenda!

You’re hilarious if you actually think Peter Obi should have stayed behind in LP, so you and Tinubu could perfect the nasty plans you had for him using the instrumentality of Abure and that your brother who can’t seem to shut his mouth and always uses Peter Obis’ name to seek relevance! Remind me of his name again…..he’s your brother and used to act in cahoots with Lamidi Apapa!

IGBOPROMISE1:
Dude, the topic is about 4 south-east governors, his kinsfolk, not wishing him a happy birthday! These are the very same individuals that have fallen over themselves in the past to wish Tinubu happy birthday! Try and stick to the topic! If you want to discuss why NDC chairman didn’t wish him happy birthday, you can open a fresh thread on that one, and anyone so inclined can join you in it to analyse and theorise to your hearts content!

Good that they ignored the self centered APGA Judas.

The Righteous Agulu Messiah.

favor914:
Good that they ignored the self centered APGA Judas.

The Righteous Agulu Messiah.

I’ve since edited the post you just quoted! You might want to go back and reread it!

IGBOPROMISE1:
I’ve since edited the post you just quoted! You might want to go back and reread it!

The Editor Himself.

yarimo:
In reality OBI is nobody to south east governors , social media should stop making OBI to feel like he is somebody in south east

You sure they are still paying u for this work. You are now using the drug baron and apc for jokes

Those of them you mentioned are heavy eye service governors, especially that Ebobyi govenor.

christejames:
Obi said it himself, that the govt is witchhunting those who show public support and sympathy to him...


So it's now part of the new normal of Tinupoo

Even his wife and children? Doesn't that tell you something very sad about Obi?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

yarimo:
In reality OBI is nobody to south east governors , social media should stop making OBI to feel like he is somebody in south east

How many of the south east governors can get 6million votes in a nonentity political party like labour party that's has been hijack by nonentity arumbebe

IGBOPROMISE1:
Dude, the topic is about 4 south-east governors, his kinsfolk, not wishing him a happy birthday! These are the very same individuals that have fallen over themselves in the past to wish Tinubu happy birthday! Try and stick to the topic! If you want to discuss why NDC chairman didn’t wish him happy birthday, you can open a fresh thread on that one, and anyone so inclined can join you in it to analyse and theorise to your hearts content!

You seem to think everyone is predisposed to trickery, deceit and being bought! That speaks to the kind of person you and your god Tinubu are! Abure turned out to be a useful idiot, so i guess you could be forgiven for thinking everyone else has a price or could be cowed into line and stick to the emilokan agenda!

You’re hilarious if you actually think Peter Obi should have stayed behind in LP, so you and Tinubu could perfect the nasty plans you had for him using the instrumentality of Abure and that your brother who can’t seem to shut his mouth and always uses Peter Obis’ name to seek relevance! Remind me of his name again…..he’s your brother and used to act in cahoots with Lamidi Apapa!

Is Akpabio, Oshiomhole, Tinubu from the southeast or are they southeast governors? You're getting burnt in your own fire quite early

What is special about the obi that he must get birthday message

Is he a child, you want people to spend millions on newspaper or billboard to wish person birthday

Is that not hypocrisy of the miser advocacy

Isn't it obvious that the only people who rate Obi are his clannish followers?.. the South East Governors obviously see nothing spectacular in him, he achieved nothing as Governor for 8 years so why should they honour such a failure.

I'm glad PBAT or anyone from the Presidency didn't send him birthday greetings.. he should taste the bitterness he harbours toward others The 2027 elections should come quick so we can all rest.

PresidentMUGABE:
How many of the south east governors can get 6million votes in a nonentity political party like labour party that's has been hijack by nonentity arumbebe

everything about Obidients is was was and was , don't face reality keep fooling yourself with was