Peter Obi: Turning Nigeria Around: Insights From Global Engagements

 

*Peter Obi Prof James Robinson
My last engagement of 3-day trip to the USA was defining and enriching, including over two hours of lunch and a walk meeting with the distinguished Professor James Robinson, alongside Professors Korieh and Utomi.

Professor James Robinson was co-author of Why Nations Fail and a Nobel Laureate in Economics on “Prosperity of Nations”.

My interest in meeting him was stirred by one of his penetrating observations, that there are nations in the world which clearly know the path to prosperity, yet consistently fail to take it. Among his examples was Nigeria. 

That remark struck me profoundly. It was not merely an academic statement but as a mirror held up to our nation. In our conversation, Professor Robinson reminded me that nations must possess the humility to remain learners if they are to advance. 

For me, the dialogue was both challenging and inspiring. It strengthened my conviction that Nigeria’s renewal requires difficult choices. With committed reforming and prioritising critical sectors of development, we can leapfrog our turnaround.

Earlier this year, in pursuit of similar insights, I visited Johns Hopkins University to meet Professor Peter M. Lewis, the author of Growing Apart: Oil, Politics, and Economic Change in Indonesia and Nigeria. His comparative study of Indonesia and Nigeria – two nations that began with similar trajectories but diverged so starkly – posed an unavoidable question: why did one move in the right direction while the other faltered? 

To seek answers, I travelled to Indonesia itself, where I held constructive engagements with six ministers, a former Vice President, and Indonesia's most Popular President Joko Widodo.

These encounters, across continents and with some of the finest minds and most experienced leaders, continue to deepen my conviction: Nigeria’s story is not a closed chapter of decline but an unfinished narrative with the potential for redemption. 

With competent and visionary leadership – rooted in capacity, character, commitment, and compassion – Nigeria can still be transformed into a nation of pride, dignity, and prosperity.

A new Nigeria is POssible.

- PO