Obidients mark Obi’s 64th birthday with orphanage visits, summit in Ilorin

Don urges national sacrifice, youth empowerment, unity

Members of the Obidient Movement (OM), a pan-Nigerian political group supporting the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, marked his 64th birthday on Saturday with a series of charitable and civic engagement events in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The commemorative activities included visits to orphanages, donation of relief materials, and a public summit themed around national renewal and leadership values.

Organisers said the events were aimed at reflecting Obi’s values of compassion, integrity, and public service, while also mobilising citizens toward political consciousness and reform.

Speaking during a visit to the Kwara State Government Orphanage, coordinated by the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs, the OM Coordinator in Kwara, Hon. Alfa Ibrahim Gbagba, said the gesture was part of a nationwide campaign to mark Obi’s birthday through acts of social responsibility.

“Peter Obi represents not just competence but compassion,” Gbagba said. “As part of his birthday celebration, the Obidient Movement in Kwara has chosen to visit orphanages and support the most vulnerable in our society.”

At the orphanage, the group donated food items, diapers, and snacks, while also pledging to provide clothing for all the children housed at the facility.

A similar visit was made to the City of Refuge Orphanage, also in Ilorin, where relief packages were delivered.

Later in the day, a summit tagged “Peter Obi’s Birthday Summit” was held in Ilorin, featuring lectures and addresses focused on governance, civic duty, and the vision of a reformed Nigeria.

Delivering a keynote lecture titled “A New Nigeria is Possible”, Professor Bode Olumorin of the University of Ilorin’s Department of Educational Technology said that meaningful progress in the country requires a collective sacrifice and a rejection of cosmetic political slogans.

“This is not just a feel-good phrase,” he told the audience. “It is a call to Nigerians to believe that despite our present challenges, we still have what it takes to rebuild this nation.”

He listed accountable governance, inclusive economic policies, equitable education, national unity, and improved security as essential pillars for Nigeria’s rebirth.

Prof. Olumorin criticised the persistent culture of legislative corruption, budget manipulation, and misrepresentation in government.

“Budget padding, false data, and manipulation should be things of the past. Our legislators must represent the people, not themselves,” he stated.

He emphasised the need for urgent investment in both academic and vocational education to equip Nigerian youth with the tools for self-reliance.

“Youth must not be abandoned,” he said. “Whether they are in classrooms or apprenticeships, they deserve every support to build a secure future.”

On the issue of national unity, Olumorin cautioned against regional marginalisation and called for equity in the development of all geopolitical zones.

“No region should be made to feel inferior or superior. Let each area develop according to its strengths and resources,” he noted.

He stressed that sustainable peace and national progress would remain elusive without ensuring citizens’ security and freedom of expression.

“We must be able to farm without fear, invest without worry, and sleep peacefully. No one should suffer for standing up for what is right,” he added.

He concluded his speech by calling on all Nigerians to embrace civic responsibility. “We are Nigerians first.

That identity carries pride and responsibility. A new Nigeria is not impossible—if we all play our part, we will build it,” he declared.

Also speaking at the summit, Associate Professor Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia described Peter Obi as a model of ethical leadership in a political landscape riddled with self-interest.

“I thank God for the kind of leadership Peter Obi is showing—leadership without oppression, built on humility and fear of God,” he said.

Ajia praised Obi’s people-focused style of governance, describing him as a leader who understands the importance of human dignity.

“If we had more leaders like him, Nigeria would not be where it is today,” he said, lamenting the tendency of elected politicians to distance themselves from voters once in office.

He further decried Nigeria’s overdependence on consumption at the expense of productivity.

“We’ve become a nation that consumes everything and produces little. That has to change. We need leaders who think differently. Peter Obi represents that shift,” Ajia concluded.

The event drew participants from across Kwara and beyond, as Obidient Movement members reaffirmed their commitment to what they called “the Peter Obi vision” for a New Nigeria.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook