Condolence or Carnival?, Peter Obi Condemns President Tinubu Visit to Benue State

Peter Obi and Tinubu

Former presidential candidate and Labour Party leader, Peter Obi, has condemned what he describes as a “shocking display of insensitivity and national amnesia” during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue and Niger States, following twin tragedies that claimed the lives of over 400 Nigerians.

In a strongly worded statement titled “What Has Happened to Our Compassion as a People?”, Obi criticized the tone and manner of the President’s visit, which he argued lacked the solemnity and empathy such a catastrophic moment demanded.

“Instead of a reflective and respectful condolence visit,” Obi wrote, “we saw a display more befitting of a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The President arrived not in mourning attire, but in celebratory agbada, like it was an occasion of joy.”

According to Obi, the state’s actions during the visit bordered on the absurd and disrespectful. Schools were closed and children who had lost classmates and loved ones in the violent massacre and flooding were reportedly made to rehearse songs and dances to welcome the President—despite the rainy weather and national grief.

“In what kind of country does this happen?” Obi asked. “A time that should be marked by silence and solemnity is now polluted by banners, music, and rehearsed spectacles.”

Obi lamented what he called the politicization of tragedy, warning that Nigeria was on a dangerous path where leadership optics were being prioritized over genuine compassion and tangible aid. He called the event a “charade” that consumed resources better spent on providing medical relief, food, shelter, school support, and trauma care to affected families.

Drawing comparisons with leaders in other nations, Obi noted:

“When President Ramaphosa visited Mthatha after the floods in South Africa, there were no drums, no staged crowds, no rented cheers. Just presence, silence, and action. When Prime Minister Modi went to the site of a crash, no one lined up to welcome him. He came, he mourned, he acted. That is what leadership looks like in moments of pain.”

The former governor ended his statement with a somber reflection on the nation’s current moral compass:

“We are not at war, yet our nation is bleeding and we are clapping. These were human beings, children, mothers, fathers whose blood cries out for justice… When very sad incidents like this turn into a campaign or festival, our nation is losing its soul.”

Reiterating his vision for a better Nigeria, Obi closed with a call to conscience: “A new Nigeria is possible.”

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