Gladness Gideon
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023,, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep gratitude for the flood of goodwill messages and birthday wishes he received from supporters across the globe, while reiterating his long-held stance against personal celebrations.
In a heartfelt message shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Obi thanked Nigerians—particularly youths, members of the Obidient movement, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul—for their kind gestures and acts of kindness in honour of his 64th birthday, celebrated on July 19.
“From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely thank everyone for the outpouring of goodwill and birthday wishes I received worldwide,” he wrote.
However, he emphasized that he does not observe personal birthday celebrations, citing instead his consistent practice of redirecting resources and goodwill toward charitable and developmental causes.
He recalled how, during his time as governor, he redirected ₦120 million originally intended for a birthday house project to build classrooms in three communities: Agulu, Ekwulobia, and Abatete. Similarly, a planned ₦20 million birthday party was converted into the donation of 200 desktop computers to schools, and other gestures were rechanneled into impactful contributions, including the donation of buses to institutions such as the Old Rangers Association.
“This has been my consistent approach over the years. On each birthday, I use the opportunity to redirect goodwill towards causes that uplift others,” he stated.
Obi noted that in light of Nigeria’s current socio-economic challenges, celebrating amid widespread hardship is morally difficult. He urged well-wishers to instead direct their energies and resources toward helping the poor and supporting the nation’s struggling health and education systems.
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“As I turned 64 years old yesterday, I must confess that the current state of our nation makes the idea of personal merriment even more difficult to contemplate. The scale of suffering and deprivation among our people weighs heavily on the conscience,” he added.
He further disclosed that he marked his birthday while visiting the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs in Rome, using the occasion to pray for Nigeria and its leadership.
“I especially prayed for our beloved country, Nigeria—that God may touch the hearts of our leaders, and awaken in them the realisation that public funds are meant for the public good,” he wrote.
Obi reaffirmed his personal commitment to continue supporting institutions that serve the people, pledging to remain focused on building a just, compassionate, and equitable society.
“May we all find strength and grace to keep striving for a more just, compassionate, and equitable society,” he concluded.