Not quite long ago, I told a story of how HE Peter Obi stopped his convoy at a very dangerous spot along the road from Four Corner, leading into Udi Hills in Enugu State. He sighted a Siena vehicle parked awkwardly few metres into the bush with a woman behind the steering and stopped his convoy that was in full speed, ordering a reverse to know if the woman was being kidnapped, robbed or needed any kind of help. Incidentally, the woman needed none. She came with two others to harvest from the farm and relieved, he instructed that we continued on our journey home to Onitsha.
Remember I also said that if that was an ambush that there could have been sad tales.
That’s the danger this great man we also call Okwute subjects himself to on daily basis because of his love for mankind.
If you truly love this man, you’ll definitely worry about his safety any time you are privileged to go to any function with him on close basis. Particularly at airports, the number of people always wishing to take selfies with him should ever alarm a security-conscious person.
I love this man because he is just one of his kind. There’s none other and his ways are exceptionally unique. Everytime I see him mix up freely with strangers in public my mind asks, what if? Luckily, there has never been if…
His love for people… his idea that leaders must not be disconnected from the people they’re leading…that’s why he reduced the 22-convoy vehicles he inherited as governor to just four…that’s why he rejected any bulletproof vehicle as governor but instead used the money budgeted for two bulletproof jeeps in the budget he inherited to purchase brand new 406 Peugeot vehicles for judges, magistrates, permanent secretaries and other civil servants in their ranks…that’s why he equally used one of those 406 Peugeot vehicles as his official car… that’s why he flies economy class… that’s why he carries his bags by himself to anywhere… that’s why he wears simple clothes…that’s why he has only two pairs of shoes… that’s why he does many things that simply connect him genuinely with the people. And those are part of the reasons I say that he came far ahead of his generation.
And ultimately, that’s why the same people he loves could get close enough, posing as admirers, to steal his phone.
But today he’s left Anambra horizon and onto the national politcal grid. His aspiration to become the president is not only real but garnering incredible momentum. He is already being attacked from all angles by both aspirants from his own party and across parties, from envious creeds within his own state to enemies across board. He’s the man to beat and the falsehood to smear an otherwise immaculate administrator is mounting.
Who stole his phone? Why was it stolen?
These are questions I have been asking. And I then ask the ultimate – WILL THIS FINALLY MAKE THIS MAN TO BE MORE CAUTIOUS? Will he finally allow the security men officially assigned to him to do their jobs of protecting him henceforth anywhere he goes?
I pray he does see reasons now to reduce my worries about his safety even when I am not on his entourage. People who love him and are close enough should help beg him to take matters of his personal security seriously. Anybody who can hurt you psychologically by telling unimaginable lies against you to damage a reputation you laboured assiduously to build since childhood will not blink an eyelid to hurt you physically.
I know just having your phone stolen wouldn’t make you change your ways towards mankind. It’s not in your character. But just being more cautious will assure your numerous followers even more.
#NigeriaNeedsPeterObi.